The Best Homemade Falafels
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Traditional restaurant style falafels — made at home! These falafel patties are super easy to make at home and are loaded with traditional flavors like sesame seeds, tons of parsley and a hint of cumin. Stop paying for falafels when you can make them at home!
Homemade Falafels. That’s it, scroll to the bottom, grab the recipe, make them. Goodbye, so long, farewell! Okay, just kidding. This isn’t really goodbye. But you don’t need me to say much more when homemade falafels are involved. The urge to make them kinda just rises inside all on it’s own.
So did you watch it? The Super Bowl. What did you eat? I hope chips and guac were part of your Sunday. What did you think of the halftime show? Am I the only one that thought it wasn’t all that? Yeah, seriously. I kinda thought Katy Perry was better last year.
Moving along.
Calling all falafel lovers. Is there anyone not answering this call? ???? I used to be from your lot <– and by your ‘lot’ I mean I wasn’t always all on board with the falafel train. But before you give a loud gasp — let me say that before some time ago, I had never really had great falafel. And by great I mean, falafel that I didn’t have to wash down with a large bottle of coke because it was so dry it could cause my esophagus to explode. But then just like that the world righted itself one day, and another falafel lover was born. ❤️❤️
I’ve just been waiting for the right time to share my falafel recipe with you. A big chickpea fritter loaded with flavor and completely meatless. And when I say waiting, I seriously mean that i’ve been hoarding and borderline over recipe-testing them to make them beyond perfect for you. But really, we all know it’s because I can’t get off the falafel train.
Loaded with onions, garlic, parsley, chickpeas, and hints of cumin, coriander, and cayenne. These falafels gives you a little teeny tiny kick in the rear that just heats things up a tad bit. And it’s as simple as tossing a bunch of ingredients into the food processor and pressing a button to give it a good whirl. I seriously debated on calling this a spicy falafel recipe, but in the end I decided against it as it’s easily customizable from both heat lovers and non heat lovers alike.
And about those chickpeas. The actual ???????????????????? of the show. If you wanted to make falafels today, you need to have soaked the chickpeas last night. Um.. so a good 12-24 hour soak is mandatory. Sorry to break it to you friends. But good things are worth the wait, AMIRIGHT?
BUT. Before you go running off on me, let me say that though this recipe requires a little preplanning, the rest of the recipe is super easy to put together. As in blend –> make patties –> fry them off in a skillet with just a bit of oil. I’ve made baked falafels before but really, sometimes (in moderation) the real thing is what you really need. But! Instead of deep frying these guys, i’m making patties out of them and frying them in a skillet which kinda in my brain means they soak up less oil. I’m telling myself that and don’t you let me think about it any other way!
And while we’re on the subject of patties, you don’t have to make them flat the way I did. You can make them in the traditional round hushpuppy-like shape if you wish. But a major benefit of making patties is that it’s super easy to stuff them in naans to make falafel naan-wiches. And I’ve got a buddha bowl salad that features these falafels coming up too.
Come on, go soak those garbanzo beans!
The Best Homemade Falafels
Traditional restaurant style falafels -- made at home! These falafel patties are super easy to make at home and are loaded with traditional flavors like sesame seeds, tons of parsley and a hint of cumin. Stop paying for falafels when you can make them at home!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried garbanzo beans (soak in 6 cups of water for 12-24 hours)
- 1 bunch parsley (see note)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (I used minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoon each: cumin powder and salt
- 1 teaspoon each: coriander powder and black pepper
- ¼ -1 teaspoon cayenne powder (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 - 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- Drain the garbanzo beans from the water and dry them completely. You can do this on a kitchen towel by giving them a good wipe down.
- Transfer the garbanzo beans along with the rest of the ingredients except the sesame seeds and flour to a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it breaks down (see pictures for consistency). You don't want it to become a paste. You want it to still have tiny chunks of chickpeas running through.
- Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, add the sesame seeds, and start by adding 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir to combine. Try to form patties (or balls) with the mixture. If the mixture doesn't hold it's shape, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes before forming patties or balls. I shaped mine into patties that were about 1 ¼ inch in diameter.
- Heat an inch of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. I suggest using a skillet because it reduces the chances of the falafel patties breaking(*see notes). When the oil is warm, place 4-6 patties into the oil at a time, depending on the size of the skillet. Do not overcrowd the pan as it will become very difficult to turn the patties. Let the falafel cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your patty, you may need more or less time. It's always good to do a test patty, taste to make sure it's cooked through and adjusting the time as needed.
Notes
- I actually really like cilantro so I did 50% parsley and 50% cilantro for my falafels. You can use all parsley or cilantro or a good combination of the two. This is totally up to you.
- The cayenne powder is kind of optional - if you don't want any heat at all, feel free to leave it out completely!
- You can deep fry the falafels if you wish, you'll need a slotted spoon to aid in lowering the falafel patties (or balls) into the hot oil so the oil doesn't splatter.
- I haven't tried using this recipe to bake the falafels. For best results, I suggest following the recipe as written.
IS THIS A GOOD CHOICE FOR YOU?
*Please note: the nutritional facts calculated are an estimate based on the ingredients i’ve used. If you’d like a more accurate count, please calculate them using the ingredients/brands you’ve used to prepare the recipe. The nutritional info is for one falafel patty.*
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56 Comments on “The Best Homemade Falafels”
I LOVE falafel and I love this recipe. I always have to try the falafel wherever I travel. I have made this recipe several times and have tried it with just parsley and with 50/50 parsley/cilantro…I definitely prefer it with cilantro. You won’t be disappointed with this recipe!
Followed recipe but mixture was too crumbly and patties fell apart. Taste of the crumbled bits was divine though , Any suggestions for holding them together better? After first few were reduced to bits I added a bit more lemon juice and water and subsequent batch was less crumbly. The only variation I made to recipe was using while whole wheat flour instead of white all purpose. May try using beans without drying after soak next time,
Hi Judith, it seems like the mixture just needed a little more liquid like you said; most likely due to the changeup in the type of flour. You could also use a little less flour, and that way you won’t have to play with the liquid amount at all. Hope that helps!
You don’t have to overnight soak- you can do a quick soak. Place beans in pot cover with water (4 inches over beans) bring to boil for 5 minutes, cover and let sit for about an hour. Also if you suspect the store sold you older beans it may take longer for the cooking time.
Thank you for sharing your tip!
These look so good! Can you make them with an air fryer?
Used 50/50 parsley and cilantro. Made them each a heaping Tbsp, and baked at 375 for 10 minutes, flipped, then baked 10 more minutes – crisp exterior and moist inside (perfect). Only complaint is too much black pepper, and didn’t even use the cayenne so my kids would eat it – will use much less next time! Despite the excess pepper, they were kid-approved! Will make again!
O.M.G. – these are SOOO good. I have a happy falafel-filled tummy right now.
These are great! I made them in my air fryer and loved how they came out. I put them in at 370 for 8 minutes on each side.
This recipe is just what ive been looking for. Thank you so much. I added brown rice flour (gluton free) and lots of basil. Shallow fried them in a little coconut oil. Awesome!!! ?
How many cups of parsley would you say you used? I’m picking the parsley from my garden so I’m not sure how much “one bunch” is. Thank you!! Looking forward to some yummy falafel!
Sorry, I missed your comment before. You’ll need throughly 1 ½ – 2 cups. Hope you enjoy the falafels!
I found your recipe on Pinterest, and I was excited that I happened to have everything on hand for this recipe. It was my first time making falafel, and it was so easy and a huge hit with everyone! I did a little less garlic and left out the cayenne because I wanted to make sure the kids liked it the first time they tried it. Lol. But I’m definitely adding this recipe to our regular rotation!
Oh, and I made it in the oven! I cooked at 375* and did 15min one side, flipped, 10min other side, but I think it would have worked better doing 10min each side.
We really enjoyed these. Subbed coconut flour for the all-purpose flour, and served with homemade hummus! (I already had to soak chickpeas so I figured…why not?)
We’ll definitely make these again! Thanks for sharing!
I dropped 2 jalapenos in mine and man it was amazing.
I made it and it was awsome! Amended it a bit. Also i made it in the airfryer which turned out to be crispy from outside and soft inside ??
Hey how long did you cook them on what temperature?
Amazing! My family was fighting over the last one. I just wanted to thank you for posting this. I will make a double recipe next time.
Hi. This looks so good. I want to soak the beans today so I can make for tomorrow. Pls would you tell me approximately how many falafels can be made for this recipe? Bit urgently needed a reply
Glad to hear you’re giving this recipe a try! The recipe yields approximately 16 falafels. This information can always be found on the recipe card (right above the title) so next time you don’t have to wait for me to reply 🙂
I looked in a hurry & didn’t find it then. Now i saw it. Thanks alot anyway?
One question, do I peel that membrane off the garbanzo beans after I soak them?
No need to peel it unless you’d like to!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe!
1. This was my first time using dried beans and im not going back to canned unless i’m in a bind, thanks for the push!
2. Super flavorful, best falafel i’ve ever made and 100% just as good as my favorite restaurant falafel that i’ve always wanted to replicate.
3. Question: i know you shouldn’t freeze before cooking but what about refrigerating the mixture and making the balls the next day?
Thank you so much!! look forward to enjoying more of your recipes in the future 🙂
So happy to hear you enjoyed the falafels, Chrissy! Hmm. I’ve never tried refrigerating the prepared mixture before and I’m afraid that the baking soda/lemon juice reaction would fizzle out leaving you with a more dense falafel patty. My best guess would be that you could try leaving the baking soda/lemon juice out and adding those in right before frying the falafels and hopefully, that should work. Again, haven’t tried this myself so it’s just my best guess. You may also end up needing a tad bit more flour to help bind things as the salt may draw out additional moisture during refrigeration (with 10 minutes of rest time if you add flour.) Hope that helps!
The title of this recipe does not lie! They did remind me of our favorite falafels from our local restaurant. I’ve made falafels before only to be disappointed…I tried to take a short cut and use canned garbanzo’s. They disintegrated ?! I used a small cookie scooper, then lightly smushed them. It took no time at all. Great flavor! Served with whole wheat pitas, homemade tahini, homemade hummus, and arugula tossed with lemon and avocado oil. Fantastic! My “go to” recipe for sure.
My first time making falafel ever and WOW!! So yum, so easy (although time consuming)! And so so worth it!! Fun to make and delicious to eat! Thanks for making homemade falafel so accessible for the rest of us enthusiasts 🙂
Hey- did you ever post the salad that went with these pics? thanks!
Hey Lindsay! Here’s a link for the salad.
These were amazing! I didn’t have coriander so I used curry powder instead and it they were still delicious! I’ve recently became vegetarian and been looking for different recipes to not get bored, and these did not disappoint! My boyfriend, who is a big foodie, said to make these more often! Thank you!
excelent my kids and i loved it
Love this recipe
I made these exactly as directed and I thought they were OK–definitely a step above mediocre, but not even close to the spectacular, falafel-in-the-sky I was hoping for from a made-from-scratch recipe. They were a bit tough on the outside after frying (as I find with many falafel, both from restaurants and from the prepackaged mix), rather than very light and crispy as I’d hoped, and the flavour was good but not exceptional. Personal preference but I also prefer a moister centre for falafel, which can apparently be more easily created using fava beans instead of chickpeas, I’ve just discovered.
Hey! U are so right about the fava beans. I’m Egyptian/Lebanese and here in egypt we believe that we made the original falafel (or taameya as Egyptians call it). Anyway in egypt we use fava beans for the traditional recipe other middle eastern countries use the garbanzo beans. So I’d definitely say try them with the fava beans they’ll be lighter and way more delicious :)))
How many falafel patties does this recipe yield?
Hi Mili! That information can be found on the recipe card, right above the title.
I have make these they are very good. I put spinach in. It was very good!
This was truly a great recipe. I’ve been trying to get the perfect falafel recipe for 10 plus year and finally nailed it with this recipe. I made some modifications though. In addition to the ingredients listed above, I used…1/2 cup of packed cilantro, 4 tablespoons of garbanzo bean flour and I fried them in grape seed oil.
Awesome. Better than restaurant and so easy.
These were amazing tasted exactly like the ones we ate at the restaurant last weekend. Thanks so much.
Very well written recipe, with good
Explanation plus the notes.
As far as a sauce to compliment the falafel, a good home made tahina sauce, is generally what has been used in the Middle East, Mediterranean area.Lydia
They look delicious! Just to be sure you don’t cook the beans just soak them? Also could can beans be substituted in a pinch?
Thank you Leanna! Yes, that’s correct, just soaking them. I do think some types of beans may work, you may need to add more/less flour for binding though.
I’m going to try this tonight. Do you know the quantity of already soaked beans? I didn’t measure them earlier when I started them soaking. Also how do you feel about fresh mint or basil with the parsley?
Hi Jen, they’ll double in size when soaked so my best guess is 2 cups, the actual amount may vary as i’ve never soaked and then measured. Fresh mint sounds like a great addition. Basil isn’t traditionally used in falafel but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be delicious! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the falafel!
Should the chickpeas be soaked in the fridge or on the counter?
On the counter
I made these with 50/50 parsley and cilantro and made some adjustments for the spices and used a little less garlic. I also added spelt four instead of all-purpuse.
Instead of frying I brished them with olive oil and baked for about 15 minutes, fiipped them and baked for an extra 10 minutes or so. They held together and were quite crispy on the outside. Next time I’ll make them a little taller so the have a little more of the soft middle.
Thanks for sharing.
This looks amazing! Can I used canned garbanzo beans instead?
Unfortunately, no. This recipe requires dry garbanzo beans.
I used canned beans and the recipe worked out just fine!
Hi again. What is the best kind of hot sauce to put on these in the pita?
Definitely going to try these. What kind of food processor do you use? I am in the market and not sure what to get. My mother owned one of the original Cuisinarts but my sister got it 😉
I have a Cuisinart as well Ann. I absolutely love it!
Thank you
Is your serving calculation based on one falafel or multiple Falafels? Thanks!
Servings are calculated based on one falafel. You can always find this information below the nutrition information label 🙂
These look great! I’m totally craving a falafel pita right now…
Is it better to freeze the extras before or after cooking?
I’d say it’s best to freeze after cooking. The onions make the mixture a little tricky to work with if you freeze the mix before frying.