Falafel
Prep. Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings
25 balls
Difficulty
Challenging
Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Gluten-Free, dairy-free, egg-free
Falafel is an Israeli classic that’s crispy, flavorful, and downright addictive, especially when tucked into a warm pita with fresh salad and a generous drizzle of tahini. It’s the kind of dish that makes you feel like you’re eating both comfort food and something healthy at the same time—so you can totally justify having seconds (or thirds)!
Now, here’s the trick to making perfect falafel every time: 1) Use uncooked, soaked garbanzo beans - this ensures there's no skimping on the starch in your mix. It’s the secret to keeping everything together and not falling apart in the fryer. 3) When it comes to frying, make sure the oil is piping hot with just a few little bubbles—this creates that crispy golden exterior while keeping the inside nice and soft.
Follow these steps, and you’ll be making falafel like a pro in no time!
Ingredients
4 cups uncooked garbanzo beans
1/2 chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsps salt
1/2 cup fresh parsley (without the stems)
2 tbsps salsa verde, or 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
3 tbsps all-purpose flour (for a gluten-free recipe - replace this with GF flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Soak garbanzo beans in water with 1/2 tsp baking soda for 8-12 hours. Make sure the water level is about 3 inches above the beans.
Once soaked, drain and place the beans in a food processor along with the other ingredients. Blend until you get a smooth, consistent paste. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes in the bowl.
Next, heat sunflower oil in a deep pot for frying. The oil should be around 350-370°F (160-180°C), or you can check by dipping a wooden spoon into the oil—small bubbles around it mean it's hot enough.
Shape the falafel mixture into small balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and carefully place them in the hot oil. Fry on medium heat for around 4 minutes, or until the falafel turn a deep golden brown.
Alternatively, you can shape the mixture into flatter patties and enjoy them in a sandwich—equally delicious!
Serve the falafel hot, ideally with a tahini spread, chopped salad, and a warm pita for the perfect bite!
Notes
Do not use cooked garbanzo beans. Soaking them is essential, but cooking will make the mixture fall apart when you'd try to deep-fry the balls.
Don't skip the baking soda! This makes the falafel less condensed.
You can switch parsley with cilantro (and vise versa), or mix them both.
Place the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil, and make sure the oil is boiling hot. If small bubbles immediately gather around the wooden spoon, you're good to go! If you're an avid cook, you might have a kitchen thermometer - use it to measure the temperature of the oil before you fry the falafel balls. It should reach about 350-360F (175-180C).
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
Made primarily from raw pistachio butter, coconut cream and almond flour, this easy no-bake cake is elemental and holds texture and flavor impressively. Compliments are guaranteed!