Homemade Falafel Recipe - Crispy and filling

Everyone loves falafels! Let's explore How to Make Crispy Falafel, the perfect Vegan Party Food. They are easy to make in large quantities to feed many. They are savory, crispy, and packed with flavor. You can make them in advance and make the final move right before eating them.

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I declare myself addicted to a couple of dishes, meaning I can't say no to, even on a fasting day; Hot Crispy Falafels is one of them. So here is my Go-To recipe, the one my addiction has perfectioned over time.

We love having the best Falafel with Hummus, (or roasted bell pepper hummus) some nice and creamy Eggplant Babaganoush spread, Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad, and a nice Roasted Bell Pepper Dip (Muhammara Dip) or Pumpkin Hummus.

If you feel more adventurous, go for our white bean pink beet hummus, which is absolutely delicious and put together in less than 10 minutes.

The Origins of Falafels

It's a well-debated topic. It is a Middle East staple dish, but it most likely originated in Egypt with its Fava Beans version and has made its way to every corner of the world as food truck fast food. You can find it in all kinds of versions; just take a look inside: they are green when you use lots of parsley, orange when you use lots of turmerics. I like the “Green and Chickpeas version,” mostly eaten around the Levant region.

Hummus is always a great Crispy Falafel companion. Although you can eat Falafels without it, I highly recommend pairing them; it does make a big difference; they constitute a match made in heaven.

So, being such a popular snack, there are also many versions, meaning many versions of Hummus and Falafels give you plenty of combinations to have fun with and pick your favorite. Here I present you with my two favorite versions of them. As a cherry on the top, both are naturally vegan.

Bringing people to the kitchen

They are easy, delicious, and fun to make when you have extra hands in the kitchen. You may feel like you are just back to the industrial revolution: assign the task and get them going.

Homemade Falafel recipe ingredients

• Dried chickpeas
• Yellow onion (or red onion)
• Chickpea flour or other gluten-free flour
• Fresh parsley
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Cumin
• Cilantro
• Turmeric
• Cardamom

Instructions

• Put the chickpeas to soak for a minimum of 8 hours. I prefer to soak them overnight. Make sure it has enough water and is sitting on a large bowl. They will grow to double or even triple their size.
• Blend the soaked chickpeas on low speed with the rest of the ingredients, except for the oil, on a food processor, little by little. You may have to stop the processor and mix the ingredients 2 or 3 times. Don’t overmix it! The mix should be crumbly; that’s why we don’t use pre-cooked chickpeas.
• Make balls with the falafel mixture. They should be about 2-3 cm in diameter and placed on a tray. If you find it hard to compress them in your hand, add some extra chickpea flour. Don’t worry; they will tighten up after placing them in the refrigerator.
• Let them rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, ideally 2 hours.
• Put the oil on high heat, preferably on a flat pan, and optionally add a roughly smashed garlic clove to infuse it.
• Set a bowl with paper towels to place the fried falafel balls.
• As the oil starts smoking, throw a pinch of the mix, to test for heat, it should emerge immediately and brown in two seconds.
• Add falafel balls in batches of 6 (depending on how large is your pan). Just ensure you have about 2 cm between each other. Remember, don’t overcrowd the pan. It should take about 1-2 minutes per side.

This one is the kind of recipe that is very filling, everyone can repeat as much as they want, and surely you will end up with more for later in the week since it can last for as long as four days in the fridge.

Tips

Use only fresh herbs.

Top tip: don't use canned chickpeas. The key to getting the falafel balls' texture right is to use soaked dried chickpeas. Otherwise, you end up with a paste, like hummus!

Try to use the recommended grapeseed oil. It does make a big difference because it has a high smoke point and plays very well with other flavors.

This point is crucial as the key to achieving crispy falafels is to fry them for very little time and get them out after a couple of seconds. Avocado oil works well too.

Ensure the balls are small and placed in a single layer; therefore, they cook well both on the inside and the outside. You are aiming for golden brown falafel.

I recommend not to overcrowd your frying pan as it would mean mushier falafels.

Enjoy!

Variations

Flavor

Include a bunch of mint leaves in addition to the parsley.

Try different spices, making some of the more prominent like Turmeric. Changing the ratio between parsley and turmeric will deliver a yellow falafel that is more commonly found in an Egyptian mezze platter.

Cooking Method

It is easy to make a healthier version of this dish. Simply place the falafel balls on a baking sheet; optionally, drizzle them with just a little olive oil to make baked falafel.

Bake the falafel balls in the oven on medium-high heat for about minutes.

Try one before removing the baking sheet to ensure they are evenly cooked.

You can also air-fry these balls. In fact, making them in an air fryer will help to make an equally crispy falafel recipe.

Another great use of the uncooked falafel paste is to make small patties fo make vegan sandwiches.

Pairing

You can make a falafel sandwich with lemon tahini sauce and pickles. Otherwise, you can try these Falafel balls with some nice Middle Eastern Dips and Spreads.

• Hummus 3-ways
• Babaganoush Eggplant Spread
• Tabbouleh Salad
• Muhammara Dip (Roasted Red Bell Pepper Dip)
• Creamy Vegan Sauce (the green sauce in the pictures)

And why not? Add a delicious Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad

As a cherry on top, chickpeas are a great protein source. Check out the great health benefits of chickpeas.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

Recipe

Food safety

We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

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