Falafel Recipe: Easy They Are To Make. This Is An Easy To Follow Falafel Recipe With Step Photos

Falafel Recipe | RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.
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Home Cuisines Middle Eastern Recipes
Falafel Recipe
BY: Nagi PUBLISHED: 5 Sep '18 UPDATED: 9 Sep '20
330 Comments
RECIPE V VIDEO V DOZER V
Every chickpea dreams of being transformed into a falafel! Ultra crispy on the
outside, moist and fluffy on the inside, everybody loves them but few know how
easy they are to make. This is an easy to follow falafel recipe with step photos
AND a recipe video!
The best part is breaking open the golden brown balls to reveal the dazzling green
insides. Dip them in tahini sauce and pop them straight in your mouth, or make
wraps!
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Falafel Recipe | RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.com/falafel-recipe/
Falafel recipe
There are many things I do not know, but I do know this: Falafels are the highest
and best use of chickpeas.
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use of chickpeas, falafels win every time.
And if you’re a falafel fiend like me, you’re going to be blown away how easy it is to
make falafels at home!
This falafel recipe takes me back to my travels through

the Middle East, where I enjoyed freshly made falafels
almost every day!
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Canned chickpeas don’t work!

In the falafel world, canned chickpeas are not only illegal, they flat out don’t
work. Reason: falafels are made with dried chickpeas that are soaked but not
cooked before forming the falafel balls.
Other than the dried chickpeas rule, there’s nothing unusual that goes into falafels.
Baking powder is the only point of contention – you won’t see it in all recipes and
it’s not endorsed by Kenji over at Serious Eats, one of our references for this recipe.
But it’s a trade secret we managed to extract from Hijazi’s Falafel in Earlwood, one

the best falafel joints in Sydney. So we tried it with and without, side by side, and
the baking powder version was noticeably more fluffy – and moist.
So it’s in. Fluffy insides to the max!!!
Falafels MUST be made with soaked dried chickpeas

that are NOT cooked. Canned chickpeas don’t work!
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For this falafel recipe, I deep-deep fry them in the video, using enough oil so
they’re mostly submerged. But you don’t need to – you can use far less oil than I
did and they can be shaped like discs rather than balls which will mean even less
oil required for frying.
Speaking of discs – you can unleash your wild side when it comes to shaping
falafels. I chose balls because for me, that’s the shape that first comes to mind. But
other common shapes include: disc shape (slightly flattened ball), dome (ball with
underside flattened) and torpedoes (evil looking shape, like a football).
How to make falafels

I promise you this falafel recipe is straightforward, and I did not exaggerate! Here’s
how to make falafels:
Soak dried chickpeas overnight (seriously, remembering to do this is the

hardest part!)
Blitz with herbs, spices, garlic, flour and a touch of water
Form balls, refrigerate to firm up
Fry until deep golden brown and super crispy
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How to serve Falafels

The thought of having a whole bowl of freshly cooked falafels to dunk into sauce
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rolls sold at Kebab shops in Australia).
In all 3 of these options, I use: tabbouleh and/or shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato
and onion slices and drizzle the Falafels with Tahini Sauce. Hummus also makes an
appearance 99% of the time – a very big dollop of it!
Falafels also make a terrific gluten free meal by making falafel plates using a
flavoured rice instead of bread – such as Mejadra (Middle Eastern Lentil Rice).
Falafel sauce options

A sauce is a must for falafels – you need the wetness. Tahini Sauce is the standard,
but it’s also terrific with a simple yoghurt-lemon sauce or even a thinned down
hummus. Recipes for all these options are in the recipe below.
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Making ahead
Falafels are one of those foods that are truly at their best fresh out of the fryer,
when they’re super crispy on the outside and the inside is piping hot and moist.
Once refrigerated, the crust softens and the inside loses moisture. But! The good
news is that they can be resurrected to a near freshly-cooked state using a
combination of a microwave (gets the insides moist again) and a hot oven to recrisp
the surface.
They’re good for 5 days in the fridge – probably longer.
Imagine that! Getting your falafel fix day after day after day….. – Nagi x
PS Couple more things homemade falafels has going for them: they’re super
economical compared to store bought (dried chickpeas are the main ingredient
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Falafel Recipe
Watch How To Make It
Falafel
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Falafel
Author: Nagi Prep: 25 mins Cook: 10 mins Soaking: 12 hrs Total: 35 mins Mains, Sides
Middle Eastern
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Recipe video above. Deep bronze and crispy on the outside, vivid green, moist and fluffy on the
inside. Delicately spiced with a beautiful fresh herb flavour, these falafels are the perfect balance
of flavour, texture and can't-stop-eating-them delicious! Best served fresh out of the fryer. Recipe
requires 12 hrs+ soaking time.
Ingredients
FALAFELS:
225 g / 8 oz dried chick peas (Note 1)
1 cup parsley leaves , roughly chopped
1 cup coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped
6 scallions/shallots , white and light green part only finely chopped (Note 2)
2 cloves of garlic , minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder (Note 3)
4 tsp flour (plain/all purpose) OR chickpea flour
5 tbsp water
FOR FRYING:
500 ml / 2 cups+ vegetable oil (Note 4)
TAHINI SAUCE (OTHER SAUCES NOTE 5):

4 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
SERVING (NOTE 6):

Pita bread or other flatbreads
Tabbouleh (recipe below)
Hummus (optional extra)
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1 Place chickpeas in a large bowl and pour over plenty of cold water. Leave to soak 12 +
hours (even 2 days is fine).
2 Drain chickpeas well. Place in food processor, add remaining Falafel ingredients.
3 Blitz for 2 to 3 minutes on high, scraping down sides as necessary, until the chickpeas
are very small grains. Mixture should look like smooth guacamole from the outside (see
video).
4 Scoop up heaped tablespoons and shape into balls (or dome, disc or torpedo), place on
a tray. Should make around 20, about 2.5cm / 1" wide.
5 Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6 Pour oil in a skillet or large pot - at least 1.7 cm / 2/3" depth (Note 4). Heat on medium
high to 180 - 190C / 355F (or drop a bit in, should sizzle energetically).
7 Place a ball in a large spoon (or tongs) and slide ball in. Cook in batches for around 4
minutes, using 2 forks to roll, until deep golden and super crusty on the outside.
8 Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining falafel.
9 Serve fresh out of the fryer with Sauce of choice! Make falafel wraps or plates with
tabbouleh, tomato, onion, and Sauces of choice. See Notes 5 and 6.
TAHINI SAUCE:
1 Combine tahini and lemon juice, and mix well. The mixture will stiffen.
2 Stir in the water 1 tbsp at a time and it will loosen again. The final consistency should be
like a thick drizzle sauce (see video). Season to taste with salt.
Recipe Notes:
1. Dried chickpeas cannot be substituted with canned! Won't work - read in post. Weight
equates to just shy of 1 1/4 cups.
2. Shallots (green onions / scallions) - use only the white and light green part (oniony flavour),
not the dark green part. You need about 3/4 cup - don't need to be exact here.
3. Baking powder - not all recipes use this. We did a side by side taste test of a batch with and
without. Hands down, baking powder is better - fluffier and more moist inside, without baking
powder it's more dense and a bit dough-like. Trade secret we picked up from a great falafel
store in Sydney (Hijazi’s Falafel in Earlwood).
4. Oil quantity - You don't need to fully deep fry, as I do in the video. You can just use 2 cups /
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it adds wetness when you eat it - eg you don't want a thick hummus.
6. How to Serve:
* Falafel wraps / rolls - Use large or small flatbreads. Smear a good dollop of hummus or
yoghurt (or Yoghurt Lemon Sauce, below) down the middle. Top with tabbouleh and/or
lettuce, tomato, onion and falafels broken in half. Drizzle with Tahini Sauce or other sauce of
choice (I love adding hot sauce). Either roll or fold and devour!
* Falafel plates - with tabbouleh and/or shredded iceberg lettuce with tomato slices, onion
(red or white), Tahini Sauce with optional hummus with pita breads on the side. I love hot
sauce too! A spiced pilaf like Mejadra (Middle Eastern Lentil Rice) is a terrific addition as well
(and GF option).
Tabbouleh: 2 tbsp Bulgur soaked in 3 tbsp boiling water then fluffed. 2 cups roughly chopped
parsley, 1/2 cup roughly chopped mint, 1/2 red onion finely chopped, 2 large red tomatoes,
deseeded & chopped. Dress with lemon juice and sprinkle of salt - adjust to taste depending
on what you're serving it with. For falafel, I use very little salt and lots of lemon juice.
Serving size: 2 - 3 halved falafels in pita pockets, 3 - 4 halved for a large roll, 4 to 5 for a plate.
7. Reheating: Falafel is one of those foods that's truly best served fresh out of the fryer. But
the best way to store / reheat cooked falafel is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5
days (really!). Microwave to reheat (really!) THEN spray with plenty of oil and bake at
200C/390F for 5 minutes just until the surface is crispy again.
Make Ahead: Balls can be rolled then kept uncooked in the fridge for 24 hours OR frozen. If
frozen, fry from frozen - just add another 1 or 2 minutes to the frying time.
8. Nutrition per falafel:
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Amount Per Serving

Calories 76 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 3g 19%
Sodium 179mg 8%
Potassium 139mg 4%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 1%
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 295IU 6%
Vitamin C 5.3mg 6%
Calcium 25mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie
diet.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories: 76cal (4%)

Carbohydrates: 7g (2%) Protein: 2g (4%)
Fat: 4g (6%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Sodium: 179mg (8%) Potassium: 139mg (4%)
Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 295IU (6%) Vitamin C: 5.3mg (6%)
Calcium: 25mg (3%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
Keywords: Falafel recipe
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330 COMMENTS
Su
JANUARY 12, 2022 AT 10:10 PM
I have tried a lot of falafel recipes but this beats them all hands-down. They looked
and tasted beautiful! Thanks, Nagi!
Has anyone tried freezing these?
20 of 28 18/01/22 21.02
Made and loved these and to be honest I didn’t think they’d work (my fault entirely
not the recipe) I made the mix too wet but just added a bit more gram flour and
they came together beautifully, refrigeration before frying definitely helped too,
they were light and fluffy and so flavorful and that Tabbouleh with some
flatbreads, lettuce, toms, red onion, Tzatziki and siracha and I am in heaven. Thanks
for another winner Nagi.
REPLY
Peta
JANUARY 1, 2022 AT 4:39 PM
Hey Nagi,
I can’t find a tabbouleh recipe on RTE other than the white bean one
(https://www.recipetineats.com/white-bean-tabbouleh-salad/) is there a plain
tabbouleh recipe you’ve published?
Thanks! Love RTE btw, hanging out for your book
REPLY
Lena iannuzzi
DECEMBER 29, 2021 AT 5:23 AM
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, its my go to for falafel after trying boxed
a mix. Every time I pull up this recipe I smile so much. Crispy yet moist and
delicious every time. Thank you
REPLY
Aisling Fleury
DECEMBER 27, 2021 AT 8:50 PM
These are the best falafels I’ve had. I was so happy with the results. I made roasted
cauliflower with tahini sauce, zhoug and tomato/cucumber salad to go with them.
Yummy!
21 of 28 18/01/22 21.02
These went down a treat on Christmas Eve. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside
and full of flavour. Everyone loved them! Will definitely make again.
REPLY
Kim
DECEMBER 17, 2021 AT 1:10 PM
Gotta say this is just the best. Every time we make the hubby keeps asking me if I
have saved this recipe.
REPLY
Leanne
NOVEMBER 19, 2021 AT 3:45 AM
Can you bake the Falafels instead?

REPLY
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Falafel Recipe | RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.

Home Cuisines Middle Eastern Recipes

RECIPE V VIDEO V DOZER V

use of chickpeas, falafels win every time.

This falafel recipe takes me back to my travels through

Canned chickpeas don’t work!

But it’s a trade secret we managed to extract from Hijazi’s Falafel in Earlwood, one

So it’s in. Fluffy insides to the max!!!

Falafels MUST be made with soaked dried chickpeas

How to make falafels

Soak dried chickpeas overnight (seriously, remembering to do this is the

Blitz with herbs, spices, garlic, ﬂour and a touch of water

Form balls, refrigerate to ﬁrm up

Fry until deep golden brown and super crispy

How to serve Falafels

rolls sold at Kebab shops in Australia).

Falafel sauce options

They’re good for 5 days in the fridge – probably longer.

HUNGRY FOR MOR E? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook,

TAHINI SAUCE (OTHER SAUCES NOTE 5):

SERVING (NOTE 6):

8. Nutrition per falafel:

Amount Per Serving

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories: 76cal (4%)

Keywords: Falafel recipe

DID YO U M A KE THIS R ECIPE?

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MORE MIDDLE EASTERN RECIPES

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!

Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment.

Has anyone tried freezing these?

Can you bake the Falafels instead?

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

Privacy Policy & Terms · Site Credits

AN ELITE CAFEMEDIA FOOD PUBLISHER

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