Falafel
Learn the secret to perfect, crispy falafel with my straightforward recipe – no deep-frying required! The crucial ingredient? Dried chickpeas—canned chickpeas simply won’t cut it for truly authentic falafel.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed and picked over
- 8 scallions, light and dark green parts, from 1 bunch, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Begin by soaking the chickpeas: Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by about 4 inches. Soak for 24 hours, adding more water if necessary to keep the chickpeas covered, as they will double in size. (Alternatively, if you're short on time, you can use the quick-soak method: place the beans in a pot and cover with water by about three inches; bring to a rolling boil and boil for five minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and let stand for one hour.)
- Drain the chickpeas and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add all of the other ingredients except for the oil and process until the chickpeas are finely minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture shouldn't be completely uniform -- you want a slightly nubby texture -- but you'll need to process it enough so that it is moistened and binds together.
- Form heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture into patties about ½ inch thick and 1½ inches wide.
- Heat ¼-inch of oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add half of the falafel to the pan (the falafel should sizzle immediately when you drop it in the oil; if it doesn't, wait another minute or two for the oil to heat up.) When the first side is golden, flip and cook a few minutes more until golden all over. The total cook time should be 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Cook the second batch, then serve warm or room temperature with tahini sauce or yogurt sauce.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 2 tablespoons of the oil are absorbed into the falafel when frying.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 2 falafel
- Calories: 153
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 111 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.