Authentic Falafel Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
12 hrs
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
12 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
20 falafel balls
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Calories
35 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Authentic Falafel Recipe
Description
The journey to Authentic Falafel begins with dry chickpeas soaked overnight to hydrate them fully without cooking. Combined with fresh yellow onion, garlic, and parsley, the mixture is seasoned robustly with cumin, coriander, cardamom, salt, black and cayenne pepper, and lightly floured to bind. Processed just enough to retain small chickpea chunks, the paste achieves a coarse, slightly textured consistency important for falafel's characteristic bite.
The mixture rests refrigerated to firm up, allowing easier shaping into small balls. These are then fried in hot vegetable oil until golden crisp on all sides, locking in a moist and tender interior. The cricket of toasting the spices in your mind can be noted but is not mentioned in method, preserving authenticity.
The falafel is traditionally served stuffed into pita halves with hummus, thinly sliced lettuce, fresh tomato, and pickled turnips. This combination balances crunchy, creamy, fresh, and tangy elements, making for a satisfying meal or snack.
This recipe is adapted from Tori Avey, reflecting an authentic ingredient list and careful method for a home version of this Middle Eastern classic.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas dry, aka garbanzo beans
- 3/4 cup yellow onion chopped (just under one onion)
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped, fresh
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- vegetable oil (for frying)
To Finish:
- 4 pita bread cut in half, rounds
- 1 cup hummus
- 1 cup lettuce , thinly sliced
- 1 tomato , chopped
- 1/2 cup turnips pickled
Instructions
- Add the garbanzo beans into a large bowl and soak in water overnight (the water should be a couple inches higher than the beans, so the beans plump up).
- Rinse the beans and add them to a food processor with chopped onion, minced garlic, parsley, flour, salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.
- Process the ingredients together until it looks like a coarse paste, like a super chunky peanut butter.
- Be sparing with how long you process it, the chickpeas should still be visible in small chunks.
- Put the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
- Make the paste into small balls, rolling them in your hand.
- If your falafel batter is too loose to stay in a ball you can add a few more tablespoons of flour.
- Make the falafel balls with 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
- In a large cast iron (or other good frying skillet) add a couple of inches of oil.
- Heat the oil on medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
To Finish:
- Cut the pita breads in half and open the pockets.
- Spread with hummus, top with lettuce add in falafel broken in half.
- Top with tomatoes and pickled turnips and serve immediately.
Notes
- Soak dry chickpeas overnight in ample water to fully hydrate but do not cook before processing.
- Process mixture just enough to retain some chickpea texture; over-processing will make falafel too pasty.
- Add flour sparingly to adjust mixture firmness for shaping into balls.
- Use enough frying oil to submerge falafel for even cooking and crisp texture.
- Serve falafel with traditional accompaniments such as pita bread, hummus, lettuce, tomato, and pickled turnips for authentic flavor balance.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20falafel balls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 35 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 35kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 6g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Sodium | 235mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 69mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 80IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 15mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.8mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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