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5.0 from 51 votes

Authentic Falafel Recipe

Traditional Falafel made with dried chickpeas and tahini, this recipe is exactly what you'd have at your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant!

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

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
  • 3/4 cup yellow onion chopped (just under one onion)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 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 rounds , cut in half
  • 1 cup hummus
  • 1 cup lettuce , thinly sliced
  • 1 tomato , chopped
  • 1/2 cup pickled turnips

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

  • Recipe adapted from Tori Avey.
  • Tori Avey

Nutrition Information

Calories 35kcal (2%) Carbohydrates 6g (2%) Protein 1g (2%) Sodium 235mg (10%) Potassium 69mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 80IU (2%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 15mg (2%) Iron 0.8mg (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20falafel 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.