The Best Falafel I’ve Ever Made!

3.54 from 335 votes

The Best Falafel recipe is crispy on the outside, a brilliant emerald green on the inside, with tons of flavor and a great fluffy texture!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Servings: servings

Calories: 572kcal

Author: Sue Moran

Ingredients

3 cups (500 grams) soaked chickpeas Note: use dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight, but do not cook them. See instructions for soaking chickpeas below.
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and cut in quarters
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 small hot chile pepper, sliced I used a Serrano
a large handful of parsley, tender stems are ok, this will be about a packed cup.
a large handful of cilantro, tender stems are ok. This will be about a packed cup.
the zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp all purpose flour, or chickpea flour
vegetable oil for frying

tahini sauce

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch salt
water for thinning

Instructions

Measure out 3 cups (500 grams) of soaked and drained chickpeas. Note: you are starting with dried chickpeas that have been soaked, but not cooked.
Put the soaked beans, onion, garlic cloves, hot pepper, lemon zest and juice, spices, salt, baking powder, and flour in the bowl of a full sized food processor. Your machine will be full. Note: if your machine is smaller, do this in batches.
Pulse the machine repeatedly to break everything down.
Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Run again until the mixture is evenly blended but still has some texture, like coarse sand. It should hold together when you squeeze it between your fingers, but also fall apart easily. It should have a texture similar to wet sand. Note: you can refrigerate the mixture at this point for up to 2 days ahead of time.
Using your hands or a small cookie scoop portion out the mixture and roll into balls or form patties. The mixture will be delicate, so use a gentle touch.
If you are using a deep fryier or a deep pot for frying, heat your oil to about 340F. Use a thermometor to check the temperature. Your oil should be at least 3 inches deep. Note: You can also shallow fry patties in a pan on the stove.
When the oil is hot, gently lower the balls or patties into the oil with a slotted spoon. Work in batches so you don't crowd your pan. Fry the falafel for about 2 to 3 minutes, until they are a nice deep brown on the outside and fluffy inside. If they are getting too dark, lower the temperature of your oil. If they are not turning golden within a minute, turn up the temperature a bit.
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with tahini sauce.
Make the tahini sauce by mixing the tahini, lemon juice, salt, and enough cold water to make a sauce. Taste to adjust the lemon and salt. Note: be sure to stir your jar of tahini thoroughly before measuring, as it separates.

Notes

To soak dried chickpeas:

Rinse 3 cups dried chickpeas and put in a large bowl. Add cold water to cover by several inches. Stir in 1 tsp of baking soda.

Let sit on the counter overnight, then drain.

Measure out 3 cups or 500 grams of beans for this recipe. You will have extra beans which you can use in salads or to make hummus.

Nutrition