Homemade Chickpea Falafels Recipes

HOW TO MAKE FALAFEL

Steps:

• (One day in advance) Place the dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl filled with water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Soak overnight for 18 hours (longer if the chickpeas are still too hard). When ready, drain the chickpeas completely and pat them dry.
• Add the chickpeas, herbs, onions, garlic and spices to the large bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Run the food processor 40 seconds at a time until all is well combined forming a the falafel mixture.
• Transfer the falafel mixture to a container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or (up to one whole night) until ready to cook.
• Just before frying, add the baking powder and sesame seeds to the falafel mixture and stir with a spoon.
• Scoop tablespoonfuls of the falafel mixture and form into patties (1/2 inch in thickness each). It helps to have wet hands as you form the patties.
• Fill a medium saucepan 3 inches up with oil. Heat the oil on medium-high until it bubbles softly. Carefully drop the falafel patties in the oil, let them fry for about 3 to 5 minutes or so until crispy and medium brown on the outside. Avoid crowding the falafel in the saucepan, fry them in batches if necessary.
• Place the fried falafel patties in a colander or plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Serve falafel hot next to other small plates; or assemble the falafel patties in pita bread with tahini or hummus, arugula, tomato and cucumbers. Enjoy!

FALAFEL RECIPE WITH CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Add chickpeas to a large bowl and rinse them well at least thrice. Soak them in fresh water for at least 12 hours.
• After the soak, discard the water and rinse them well with fresh water. Drain them to a colander.
• Add chickpeas, cumin, coriander, pepper, cayenne, salt, onion, garlic, parsley and flour to a food processor or a grinder. Process to a coarse mixture without adding water.
• The mixture must resemble the texture of wheat semolina or couscous and not like a smooth paste. If the mixture is not processed well the balls can fall apart while frying in the oil.
• Test the processed dough by taking a small portion (1½ to 2 tbsps.) to your palm and press it down with your fingers and shape to a ball. The mixture should hold shape. If not process a little more until it passes this test.
• Optionally refrigerate for an hour. This step helps the mixture to bind well. This mixture keeps good in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• When you are ready to fry the falafel, add baking powder. I use it only for the air fryer and baked versions and don't if frying.
• On a medium flame, heat oil in a deep pan just enough to partially immerse the falafel. Too much oil in the pan can sometimes disintegrate the falafel. (check the pictures)
• Test 1: Drop a small portion of dough to the hot oil, it should come up to the surface steadily without turning brown. This means the oil is ready to fry.
• Test 2: Shape 1½ to 2 tbsps. dough to a ball pressing it firmly with your fingers. Gently drop it in the hot oil & do not disturb until it becomes firm for about 2 mins. It should not fall apart, meaning your mixture is just right.
• Troubleshooting: If the falafel falls apart, add more flour or process the mixture a bit more.
• Make lemon sized balls and press them gently with your fingers to bind the mixture well. If you want you may flatten them slightly. You should be able to make about 25 to 30 falafel.
• Regulate the flame to medium, Gently slide them one after the other to the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Do not disturb them for a minute or two until they cook a bit and firm up.
• Later turn them to the other side and deep fry them on a medium flame until golden & crisp. Remove the falafel to a steel colander, rack or kitchen towel.
• Serve falafel with your Tahini sauce or yogurt dip. You can also stuff in halved pita bread along with pickled veggies, toum or tahini sauce.
• To bake in oven, flatten the falafels to shape like patties. Preheat the oven to 400F or 200 C for at least 15 to 20 mins. Place the falafels on a greased tray and spray them with oil generously.
• Bake them for 12 mins and turn them to the other side gently. Continue to bake for another 12 mins until crisp and done. Over baking makes them dry.
• I prefer to flatten the balls to patties. Place them in the air fryer basket and air fry for 9 mins at 390F or 200 C. Turn them to the other side and fry for another 6 to 7 minutes until crisp.
• If you air fry them too long they will become dry. I prefer to spray them with oil after air frying.
• To make tahini sauce - I use ¾ cup tahini, ¼ cup + 2 tbsp warm water, 2 large garlic cloves, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, salt as needed, 2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley. Process all the ingredients in a processor until pale, creamy and thick.
• To make a quick yogurt dip, use ¾ cup greek yogurt or hung curd, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt, 1 garlic clove, deseeded green chili (optional). Blend them and add parsley.

FALAFEL WITH CANNED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Mash chickpeas in a bowl using a masher. Combine mashed chickpeas, onions, parsley, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Mix eggs, cumin, coriander, salt, lemon juice, baking powder, black pepper, and cayenne together in a bowl. Add chickpea mixture and mix together. Add bread crumbs slowly and combine using your hands until mixture isn't sticky, but will hold together when frying.
• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Form mixture into about 12 patties about as wide as the palm of your hand. Fry patties in the hot oil until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

FALAFEL

Steps:

• One day ahead: Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the water and stir; this will help soften the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and let them soak overnight in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. The chickpeas should soak at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours, until tender (change soaking water for fresh water after 12 hours). They will double in size as they soak - you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking.
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Pour them into your food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour or chickpea flour (use chickpea flour to make gluten free), salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom. Note: if you have a smaller food processor, you will want to divide the ingredients in half and process the mixture one batch at a time.
• Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, and a more paste-like consistency will help with that... but don't over-process, you don't want it turning into hummus!
• Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.Fill a skillet with vegetable oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches. I prefer to use cooking oil with a high smoke point, like grapeseed. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. The ideal temperature to fry falafel is between 360 and 375 degrees F; the best way to monitor the temperature is to use a deep fry or candy thermometer. After making these a few times, you will start to get a feel for when the oil temperature is "right."Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into round balls or slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop. I usually use about 2 tbsp of mixture per falafel. You can make them smaller or larger depending on your personal preference. The balls will stick together loosely at first, but will bind nicely once they begin to fry.
• If the balls won't hold together, place the mixture back in the processor again and continue processing to make it more paste-like. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil, they will bind together and stick. If they still won't hold together, you can try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour or chickpea flour to the mixture. If they still won't hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should fix any issues you are having.Before frying my first batch of falafel, I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to brown (5-6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again.
• When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the falafels in batches of 5-6 at a time until golden brown on both sides.
• Once the falafels are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon.
• Let them drain on paper towels. Serve the falafels fresh and hot; they go best with a plate of hummus and topped with creamy tahini sauce. You can also stuff them into a pita.
• SESAME FALAFEL VARIATION: After forming the balls or patties, dip them in sesame seeds prior to frying. This will make the falafel coating crunchier and give it a slightly nutty flavor.
• HERB FALAFEL VARIATION (GREEN FALAFEL): Add ½ cup additional chopped green parsley, or cilantro, or a mixture of the two prior to blending.
• TURMERIC FALAFEL (YELLOW FALAFEL): Add ¾ tsp turmeric to the food processor prior to blending.
• HOW TO MAKE A FALAFEL PITA: Making a falafel pita is actually really simple. The two main ingredients are pita bread and falafel. Cut the pita bread in half to form two "pockets." Each pocket is a serving size. Stuff the pocket with falafel, as well as any add-ons you fancy.Here are some traditional add-ons that can be added to your pita: tahini sauce, shredded lettuce, diced or sliced tomatoes, Israeli salad, onions, dill pickles, hummus, tabouli, french fries
• Here are some less traditional add-ons that are also tasty: sprouts, cucumber slices, roasted peppers, roasted eggplant slices, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, yogurt, tzatziki.

HOMEMADE CHICKPEA FALAFELS

Steps:

• Soak chickpeas overnight in a large bowl of water with 1 tsp. baking soda. Add enough water to cover the chickpeas by about 4 inches. Store for at least 12 hours (or ideally overnight) in the fridge. Before preparing, drain, rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Transfer the chickpeas to a large food processor and pulse into completely ground, similar to the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Add the remaining ingredients (minus the Tahini sauce) and continue to pulse until combined, scraping down the sides if needed. The mixture should be dense enough to come together when you roll it into a ball. If not, add about 1 tbs. at a time of water to the mixture and pulse again until you get the desired consistency. Heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan on medium-high heat. Be sure there is at least 3-4 inches of oil in the pan, or at least enough to cover at least 3/4 of the falafels. To check when the oil is ready for frying, place a toothpick into the center of the frying pan - if bubble start to form around the toothpick then the oil is ready. To ensure the temperature of the oil doesn't drop, work in two batches. Dollop 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture into your hands and form balls or oval patties. Transfer the falafels immediately to the frying pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes, gently nudging the falafels so they don't stick. Using the slotted spoon pour some oil over the falafels to cook the top side. Cook until brown and crispy, turning for the last minute if needed to brown the top. Transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with more sea salt. Repeat the process with the remaining falafel mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with Tahini sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired. These falafels freeze well. the falafel into balls or patties, freeze it on a sheet pan before transferring to a plastic zip bag for long term storage. The falafel can go straight into the hot oil from the freezer without a problem. Just add another minute or so to the cook time. Perfect golden falafel!

QUICK AND EASY FALAFEL RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper (to taste) in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and combine well.
• Mash chickpeas, making sure ingredients are thoroughly mixed together and mixture binds easily when shaped into a ball. (Alternatively, combine ingredients in a food processor. Pulse, then process, scraping down bowl occasionally with a silicone spatula, until mixture is mostly smooth, about 1 minute.) Add an extra tablespoon of flour if mixture is too sticky. The result should be a thick paste.
• Form mixture into pingpong-sized balls. Slightly flatten.
• Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high until oil shimmers. Shallow-fry falafel in batches to avoid crowding pan, 2 to 5 minutes per batch, flipping when browned on one side and adding more oil, if needed. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Serve falafel by itself, or with warm pita bread with veggies, or tahini sauce.

FALAFEL

Steps:

• For the Falafel: Drain the chickpeas through a colander then place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Chickpeas should be totally dry.
• Heat 4-inches peanut or vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 330 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• While the oil is heating, heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and serrano chiles and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor, add the garlic mixture, green onions, parsley, mint, cilantro, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, baking powder, salt and pepper and process until the mixture is finely ground, stopping to scrape the bowl every 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Form the mixture into balls the size of ping pong balls and place on a plate. Fry in batches at 330 degrees F until a pale blonde color, about 45 seconds, spooning oil over the falafel constantly. Remove with a slotted spoon to the baking sheet. Increase the heat of the oil to 350 degrees F. Return the falafel to the oil, in batches, cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds and fry until a deep brown color, spooning the oil over the falafel constantly. Remove with a slotted spoon to baking sheet lined with paper towels, and immediately season with salt.
• For the yogurt sauce: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, covered, to allow the flavors to meld.
• Variation: Substitute 2 cups feta cheese for the yogurt, and add 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley.
• For the hummus: Place beans, garlic, harissa, lemon juice, and tahini in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the relish: Whisk the oil, vinegar, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss. The tomatoes should be lightly dressed.
• Serve falafel with yogurt sauce, hummus and relish on the side.

FALAFEL: CHICKPEA PATTIES

Steps:

• Make the Falafel: Soak the chickpeas in cold water in the refrigerator overnight.
• Drain the chickpeas and place them with the onion in the bowl of a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oil. Mix well. Process the mixture a second time. Form the mixture into walnut-sized balls and deep-fry or pan-fry in hot oil.
• Make the Sandwiches: Stuff the pitas with lettuce and nestle the falafel patties inside. Top with the rest of the ingredients and drizzle with the tahini sauce. Serve immediately.
• Mash the garlic and salt together. Add the tahini, mixing well. The sauce will thicken. Gradually add the water, blending thoroughly. Then add the lemon juice. Blend well.
• Note: This can be a thin or thick sauce, depending upon the use and preference. Simply adjust with lemon juice and water. This can be used with vegetables or in combination with other recipes.