Servings
Font
Back
Authentic Falafel Recipe
5 from 51 votes

Authentic Falafel Recipe

This Authentic Falafel Recipe uses soaked dry chickpeas combined with onions, garlic, parsley, and warming spices like cumin, coriander, and cardamom. The mixture is ground to a coarse paste, chilled, then shaped into small balls before frying. The cooked falafel develops a crisp exterior and tender interior, typical of traditional falafel. Served inside pita with hummus, lettuce, tomato, and pickled turnips, it creates a flavorful and textural Middle Eastern sandwich experience.

Prep Time
12 hrs
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
12 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 20 falafel balls
Calories: 35 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. Process the ingredients together until it looks like a coarse paste, like a super chunky peanut butter.
  4. Be sparing with how long you process it, the chickpeas should still be visible in small chunks.
  5. Put the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
  6. Make the paste into small balls, rolling them in your hand.
  7. If your falafel batter is too loose to stay in a ball you can add a few more tablespoons of flour.
  8. Make the falafel balls with 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
  9. In a large cast iron (or other good frying skillet) add a couple of inches of oil.
  10. Heat the oil on medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
To Finish:
  1. Cut the pita breads in half and open the pockets.
  2. Spread with hummus, top with lettuce add in falafel broken in half.
  3. 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

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%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20 falafel balls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 35

% 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.