How to Make Crispy and Delicious Falafel at Home
Try this recipe for making crispy and delicious falafel at home.
Try this recipe for making crispy and delicious falafel at home.
- salt to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- oil for frying
- 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas (see notes)
- a handful of fresh parsley leaves (stems removed)
- a handful of fresh coriander leaves (stems removed
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp red chili powder or cayenne
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tahini sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Carbohydrate 0.506558636741399 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.23052562611474 g
- Fiber 0.0298714700729349 g
- Protein 0.0854478089614422 g
- Saturated Fat 0.339641065865476 g
- Serving Size 1 1 -25 patties/ball (5g)
- Sodium 174.662349236846 mg
- Sugar 0.476687166668464 g
- Trans Fat 0.187719301007122 g
- Calories 40 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, soak the chickpeas in water for about 8-10 hours. After the soaking period is complete, drain the water and pat dry the chickpeas.
- Place the chickpeas and garlic in a food processor, and pulse for about 10-20 seconds, then add the herbs and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl, and add the spices. Mix in the egg, lemon juice, tahini sauce, and flour. Refrigerate for at least an hour (you can keep the mix in the refrigerator up to one night - see Notes for freezing instructions).
- When ready to cook, gently shape the falafel mix into patties or balls (as seen in the pictures).
- Fill a medium sauce pan or frying pan with 1-2 inches of oil, and heat it until medium-hot.
- Gently place the falafel in the oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes, until deep golden brown. Do not add too many falafel at once, as they will not cook properly.
- Serve with hummus, tahini sauce or in sandwiches.
Using canned beans instead of soaked dried chickpeas is the single biggest reason falafel disintegrates into mush the moment it hits hot oil. Dried legumes retain the exact structural integrity and starch content required to bind the mixture without excessive binding agents.
- Soak the dried beans for a full eight to ten hours until they double in volume, then pat them completely dry with paper towels to prevent dangerous oil splatter during frying.
- Chill the shaped mixture for at least one hour in the refrigerator to firm up the fats and starches so the patties hold their shape in the pan.
- Maintain the frying oil at a medium-hot temperature; oil that is too cold will soak into the chickpea balls and render them greasy, while oil that is too hot burns the exterior before the inside warms through.
- Fry small batches for three to four minutes until the crust turns a deep golden brown, using a slotted spoon to transfer them to a wire rack rather than paper towels to preserve crispness.
Visual and auditory cues matter more than timers when frying. Listen for the aggressive sizzle to quiet down slightly as moisture evaporates, signaling that the interior has finished cooking.
