Homemade Falafel Recipe
Try this homemade falafel recipe to bring the incredible flavors of the Middle East to your own kitchen! These crispy bites are golden brown on the outside with tender, herbaceous interiors. Forget dry, underseasoned store-bought mixes and try an authentically-made version. It’s much easier to prepare than you may think!
🤎 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Flavorful: The combination of fresh herbs, garlic, and spices creates delicious and bold flavors in each bite. It’s like nothing you’ve tasted before!
- Easy: This easy falafel recipe only requires a few basic pantry staples and seasonings. Plus, the instructions are straightforward and easy to follow.
- Versatile: Serve falafel as a snack or as part of a main dish. Dip it in homemade hummus or wrap it in flatbread. The choice is yours!
- Affordable: With such affordable ingredients, you’ll be able to make lots of extra falafel for meal prep while saving on grocery costs.
If you love crispy snacks like this falafel recipe, you should definitely check out our lentil patties, air fryer pizza rolls, and air fryer eggplant.
🧆 What is falafel?
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern recipe made from ground chickpeas, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices. It’s famed for its “crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside” texture.
The patties or balls typically have a golden-brown exterior with a greenish interior, thanks to the infusion of fresh herbs. We opted to fry our falafel in this recipe for a similar texture and flavor as traditional cooking methods. Plus, frying is really the only way to achieve a perfect crunch.
Serve your falafel hot as a snack or as part of a spread with pita, hummus, and fresh vegetables. Additionally, try drizzling lemon tahini dressing on top for extra bursts of creamy, tangy flavors.
🌱 Is falafel vegan?
You’ll be happy to know that traditional falafel, including this recipe, is completely vegan! It’s made using only chickpeas and fresh herbs and spices.
You just have to be careful with any cheese or dairy-based sauces that may be added afterward if you decide to buy falafel at a restaurant or a vendor.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Chickpeas: provide a mildly nutty flavor and firm texture. We really suggest using dried chickpeas, but dried fava beans (or a combination of fava beans and chickpeas) can be substituted in a pinch.
- Fresh herbs: Cilantro, parsley, and dill provide fresh, citrusy, and herbaceous notes. Plus, they turn the color a beautiful green. You can also try fresh mint or basil.
- Onion & garlic: Both onion and garlic provide a savory, pungent, and aromatic element that ties everything together. For a more mild onion and garlic flavor, use shallots and garlic powder.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon adds brightness, tang, and acidity. Lime juice will also work, although it will change the flavor slightly.
- Spices: Cumin, coriander, and cayenne provide warm and earthy flavors. Make sure your spices are fresh and aromatic. If you’re sensitive to spice, omit the cayenne.
- Salt & pepper: Adds a slight kick and depth of flavor. Adjust both to your liking.
- Baking powder: Helps the falafel hold its shape and creates a lighter texture.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make falafel
Step 1: Soak the chickpeas
For the proper texture, it’s essential to soak the chickpeas in water for around 20-24 hours so they soften and expand in size. The longer you soak them, the better.
And don’t try to save time by using canned chickpeas in this recipe because you will not end up with the right consistency.
Step 2: Pulse the mixture
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to a food processor with the herbs, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and spices. Pulse the mixture until it turns a grainy texture, then transfer everything to a bowl.
Step 3: Chill the mixture
Mix in the baking powder with your hands, cover the bowl, and let it chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Step 4: Shape the falafel
Once the mixture is chilled, remove the bowl from the fridge and form balls or patties about 1-2 inches in size. Transfer the patties to a parchment-lined pan while you roll the rest.
You can stop here and freeze the uncooked patties for future lunches and dinners. Just freeze them on the pan until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container.
Step 5: Fry the falafel
Heat neutral vegetable oil with a high smoke point in a deep saucepan or skillet. Once the oil reaches 350-375 degrees F, cook a few falafel patties at a time until they turn golden brown. For a lighter version, try this air fryer falafel recipe!
Transfer the falafel to a wire rack with a paper towel underneath to let them cool and drain the excess oil. Serve them while hot and crispy. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this falafel recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🥙 What to serve with falafel
Falafel makes the perfect meat-free accompaniment to so many dishes! These are some of our top choices:
- With hummus or toum
- Drizzled with tahini sauce
- Inside vegan flour tortillas
- Dipped in vegan tzatziki
- Stuffed in pita bread
- On top of a tomato cucumber salad
- With pickled vegetables
You can also make a falafel salad by serving the patties on a bed of mixed greens with tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon vinaigrette. Alternatively, try a falafel wrap by adding the falafel to your favorite kind of wrap with hummus, veggies, and tahini or harissa.
🌡️ Storage & reheating
If you have leftover falafel or are meal prepping, follow these storage and reheating tips to make the most of the recipe:
- Fridge: Once fully cooled, keep leftover falafel patties in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cooked falafel can be frozen for up to 3 months. Just let the patties cool, then store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. You can also freeze uncooked falafel balls for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Reheat the falafel in an oven set to 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until warm. Alternatively, you can reheat the patties in a skillet over low-medium until crispy. If you have one, our favorite way to reheat falafel is in the air fryer at 320-330 degrees F for 4-5 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
- Prep ahead: The falafel mixture can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a day before frying.
♻️ Variations
- Sweet potato falafel: Substitute half of the chickpeas with mashed sweet potato for a sweeter flavor and slightly softer texture.
- Beet falafel: Add some grated beets to the chickpea mixture for a vibrant pink color and a subtly earthy taste in your falafel recipe.
- Quinoa falafel: Use cooked quinoa in place of some chickpeas for a unique texture and protein-packed variation.
- Lighter: Instead of frying, bake the falafel in the oven for a healthier option. Alternatively, fry them in the air fryer without any added oil.
- Spicy: Add extra cayenne pepper or chili powder for an extra kick of heat.
- Falafel burgers: Shape the falafel into patties and serve them on buns with your favorite toppings.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Soak the chickpeas: Remember to soak the chickpeas for around 20-24 hours so they’re soft enough to blend in the food processor.
- Don’t overprocess: Don’t blend the chickpea mixture for too long, as it can become too smooth and affect the overall results.
- Chill the batter: Letting the mixture chill in the fridge for at least an hour before forming it into balls will make handling and shaping it much easier.
- Use a thermometer: Use an oil thermometer to ensure it’s at the right temperature for frying. It should be between 350-375 degrees F for the best falafel recipe.
- Don’t overcrowd: Only fry a few falafels at a time, as too many in one pot will lower the oil temperature and affect the cooking time.
- Use a rack: Let the falafel cool on a wire rack with a paper towel underneath to prevent them from becoming soggy on one side.
- Serve right away: Serve the falafel immediately for the best flavor and texture.
- Use a cookie scoop: For even and consistent falafel balls, use a cookie scoop.
💬 FAQ
No, this falafel recipe only works with dried chickpeas that have been soaked. This results in the ideal consistency.
We recommend using only fresh herbs for the most flavorful results. Of course, you can use dried herbs, but you’ll end up with a different flavor than expected.
You can use any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point for frying. Good options include canola, peanut, soybean, safflower, or sunflower oil.
The best way to tell if your oil is at the right temperature is by using a thermometer to check that it’s between 350-375F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can also check by dropping a small piece of batter into the oil. If it floats and sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
🍴 More chickpea recipes
If you enjoyed this homemade falafel recipe, check out some more chickpea-based recipes like these:
- Moroccan Chickpea Stew: Hearty stew packed with warming spices, chewy figs, olives, and buttery chickpeas.
- Vegan Chickpea Salad: A light and hearty side salad or main dish inspired by the Mediterranean.
- Chickpea Fries: Crispy fries featuring a base of chickpea flour and savory seasonings.
- Beet Hummus: A colorful hummus made from roasted beets.
Easy Homemade Falafel Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor
- Chef's knife
- Deep saucepan or pot
- Oil thermometer
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry chickpeas
- 1 ⅔ cups fresh cilantro
- 1 ⅔ cups fresh parsley
- ⅔ cup fresh dill
- 1 medium white onion (chopped)
- 6-7 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons cumin
- 1 ½ tablespoons coriander
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- Sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For frying
- Neutral vegetable oil (canola, peanut, soybean, etc.)
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas in room temperature water for 20-24 hours, or until they're softened and about 3 times the size. Make sure there is at least 3-4 inches of water over the chickpeas so they remain submerged as they expand.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to a food processor with the herbs, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and spices. Pulse the mixture in 15-20 second increments until it turns a grainy texture, then transfer everything to a bowl.
- Mix in the baking powder with your hands, cover the bowl, and let it chill in the fridge for about 1 hour.
- Once the mixture is chilled, remove the bowl from the fridge and form balls or patties about 1-2 inches in size. Transfer the patties to a parchment-lined pan while you roll the rest.
- Heat enough oil in a deep saucepan or pot so the falafel will be fully submerged, about ¾-inch. Once the oil reaches 350-375 degrees F, cook a few falafel patties at a time until they turn golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer the falafel to a wire rack with a paper towel underneath to let them cool and drain the excess oil. Serve them while hot and crispy. Happy eating!
Notes
- Soak the chickpeas: Remember to soak the chickpeas for around 20-24 hours so they’re soft enough to blend in the food processor.
- Don’t overprocess: Don’t blend the chickpea mixture for too long, as it can become too smooth and affect the overall results.
- Chill the batter: Letting the mixture chill in the fridge for at least an hour before forming it into balls will make handling and shaping it much easier.
- Use a thermometer: Use an oil thermometer to ensure it’s at the right temperature for frying. It should be between 350-375 degrees F for the best falafel recipe.
- Don’t overcrowd: Only fry a few falafels at a time, as too many in one pot will lower the oil temperature and affect the cooking time.
- Use a rack: Let the falafel cool on a wire rack with a paper towel underneath to prevent them from becoming soggy on one side.
- Serve right away: Serve the falafel immediately for the best flavor and texture.
- Use a cookie scoop: For even and consistent falafel balls, use a cookie scoop.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.