My family’s secret recipe for the Best Authentic Falafel, made with chickpeas, fresh herb, and the right spices! And, I’m sharing my complete step-by-step tutorial and important tips for baking or frying falafel. Be sure to also watch the video to see how I make it!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy falafel? I love them in warm pita sandwiches with tahini sauce or hummus, along with my lazy Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad. But you can enjoy it alongside other plates or as part of a mezze spread (lots of ideas below!)
Growing up in Port Said, Egypt, one of my favorite foods ever was falafel!
My father’s friend owned a small falafel shop that was located in the heart of the souq (market). Our weekends often involved a trip to see Mr. Bishay and partake of his fragrant falafels. You could smell them from miles away!
Over the years I have learned how to make my own authentic falafel and I am super excited to share my recipe with you! It’s as authentic and delicious as you’d find on the streets of the middle east. And easier to make than you think!
What is Falafel?
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern “fast food” made of a mixture of chickpeas (or fava beans), fresh herbs, and spices that are formed into a small patties or balls. It’s thought that falafel originated in Egypt as Coptic Christians looked for a hearty replacement for meat during long seasons of fasting or lent. It has also become a popular vegan food in Egypt and throughout the Middle East.
Falafel continues to be the people’s daily grub in Egypt and you can find it from street vendors in almost every neighborhood. It’s often served in sandwich form with a generous drizzle of tahini and loads of Mediterranean salad, along with slices of roasted or fried eggplant.
This vegan dish is made with simple, everyday ingredients and you won’t believe how easy it is. Great ingredients are key to great falafel so be sure to purchase high quality spices like cumin and coriander for your falafel mixture. I’ve got a few more tips for you below…
What I love about this recipe
– No canned chickpeas (very important!) If you’re after the best texture and flavor, you need to start with dry chickpeas. Many falafel recipes use canned chickpeas which is not authentic and will cause the falafel patties disintegrate in the hot cooking oil.
– Hearty and flavorful. Falafel patties are packed with plant-power and protein from the chickpeas that will leave you feeling full and satisfied. My recipe also uses the perfect blend of spices —cumin, coriander, and a hit of cayenne–and fresh herbs to give them bold authentic flavor.
– Make ahead and freezer friendly. I love that this recipe can be prepped ahead of time, and you can freeze uncooked falafel patties for later use.
Ingredients
– Dried chickpeas: AVOID using canned chickpeas! Dried chickpeas (that have been soaked in water for 24 hours) are an important ingredient that will give your falafel the right consistency and taste. (Tip: I usually add about 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the soaking water to help soften the dry chickpeas.)
– Fresh herbs: fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill are key to this authentic recipe.
– Onion: I typically use yellow onions, but white or red onions would work.
– Garlic: for best flavor, use fresh garlic cloves.
– Kosher salt and pepper: to taste.
– Spices: cumin, coriander, and a little cayenne pepper. Along with the fresh herbs, this trio of spices is what gives falafel it’s bold authentic taste.
– Baking powder: this is what gives falafel an airy, fluffy texture (many recipes skip this, causing the falafel to come out too dense.)
– Sesame seeds: these are optional here, but I do like the added nuttiness.
How to Make Falafel: Step-by-Step
1. Soak chickpeas for 24 hours. Cover them in plenty of water and add baking soda to help soften them as they soak. The chickpeas will at least double in size as they soak. Drain very well.
2. Make mixture. Add chickpeas, fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, and dill), garlic, onion, and spices to food processor and pulse a little bit at a time until the mixture is finely ground. You’ll know it’s ready when the texture is more like coarse meal.
& Refrigerate (important.) Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. The chilled mixture will hold together better, making it easier to form the falafel patties.
3. Form patties or balls. Once the falafel mixture has been plenty chilled, stir in baking powder and toasted sesame seeds, then scoop golf ball-sized balls and form into balls or patties (if you go the patties route, do not flatten them too much, you want them to still be nice and fluffy when they’re cooked.)
4. Fry. Frying is the traditional way to cook falafel and yields the most authentic and best result. Heat the oil on medium-high until it bubbles softly (your oil should be hot enough around 375 degrees F, but not too hot that it causes the falafel to fall apart.)
Carefully drop the falafel in the oil, using a slotted spoon, and fry for 3-5 minutes until medium brown on the outside. Avoid over-crowding the falafel; fry them in batches if necessary.
Tip: it’s always a good idea to fry one falafel first to make sure the oil temperature does not need to be adjusted.
You can serve falafel for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Most Egyptians, and others throughout the Middle East actually start their day with falafel, much like many here in the States start with a bowl of cereal.
Important Tips
I shared some of these earlier in the post, but just in case you missed them:
1. Always use dry chickpeas. Dry chickpeas, that have been soaked in water for 24 hours, will give you the best texture and flavor. Dry chickpeas are naturally starchy and will help your falafels to stay well formed. If you use canned chickpeas, your falafel will disintegrate in the frying oil.
2. Chill the falafel mixture. Chilling for at least 1 hour helps with the shaping. And good news is, you can make the falafel mixture one night in advance and chill overnight.
3. Add baking powder to the falafel mixture before forming into balls/patties. As a raising agent, baking powder here helps make the falafel on the fluffy side.
4. Fry in bubbling oil, and do not crowd the saucepan. For perfectly crispy falafel, sadly, the best option is deep frying. The cooking oil should be hot and gently bubbling, but not too hot that the falafel disintegrate. If you need to, use a deep fry-safe thermometer (affiliate link); it should read around 375 degrees F (for my stove, that is medium-high heat.)
5- Once cooked, falafel should be crispy and medium brown on the outside, fluffy and light green on the inside.
For baked falafel
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and lightly oil a baking sheet. Give each patty a quick brush of extra virgin olive oil before baking; bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning the falafel patties over halfway through baking.
Make ahead and freezing
To make ahead: Prepared falafel mixture will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days ahead of time. Form it into patties when ready to fry.
To freeze: Place uncooked falafel patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 1 hour. Once hardened, transfer the patties into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Falafel can be cooked from frozen by frying or baking.
Choose how to serve falafel
Middle Eastern Style: On the streets of the Middle East, falafel are typically served hot with a generous amount of tahini sauce.
As a Sandwich: To make a mean falafel sandwich, garb some warm pita pockets, load them with falafel, drizzle with tahini and add fresh greens (like arugula), fresh diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles.
On a brunch board: Serve your flalafel with an array of fresh veggies, cheese, and dips like I have don’t on my brunch board.
As a side: serve falafel next to small plates like Turkish-inspired fried eggplant, tabouli salad, or Balela Salad.
Dip it: If you’re looking to dip your falafel, definitely try my Classic Creamy Hummus or Baba Ganoush!
Watch video for this authentic falafel recipe
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How to Make Falafel
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 Patties 1x
Description
Ready to learn how to make authentic falafel from scratch? My family’s secret recipe for the Best Authentic Falafel, made with chickpeas, fresh herb, and spices is all you need!
Be sure to check out the complete step-by-step tutorial, important tips for baking or frying falafel. And watch the video just above.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy falafel? I love them in warm pita sandwiches with tahini sauce or hummus, along with my lazy Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad. But you can enjoy it alongside other plates or as part of a mezze spread (lots of ideas below!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas (Do NOT use canned or cooked chickpeas)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, stems removed
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 7–8 garlic cloves, peeled
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Oil for frying
Falafel Sauce
Fixings for falafel sandwich (optional)
- Pita pockets
- English cucumbers, chopped or diced
- Tomatoes, chopped or diced
- Baby Arugula
- Pickles
Instructions
- (One day in advance) Place the dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl filled with water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Soak overnight for 18 hours (longer if the chickpeas are still too hard). When ready, drain the chickpeas completely and pat them dry.
- Add the chickpeas, herbs, onions, garlic and spices to the large bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Run the food processor 40 seconds at a time until all is well combined forming a the falafel mixture.
- Transfer the falafel mixture to a container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or (up to one whole night) until ready to cook.
- Just before frying, add the baking powder and sesame seeds to the falafel mixture and stir with a spoon.
- Scoop tablespoonfuls of the falafel mixture and form into patties (1/2 inch in thickness each). It helps to have wet hands as you form the patties.
- Fill a medium saucepan 3 inches up with oil. Heat the oil on medium-high until it bubbles softly. Carefully drop the falafel patties in the oil, let them fry for about 3 to 5 minutes or so until crispy and medium brown on the outside. Avoid crowding the falafel in the saucepan, fry them in batches if necessary.
- Place the fried falafel patties in a colander or plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Serve falafel hot next to other small plates; or assemble the falafel patties in pita bread with tahini or hummus, arugula, tomato and cucumbers. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: You need to start with dry chickpeas, do not use canned chickpeas here. You will need to begin soaking the chickpeas overnight, allow up to 24 hours.
- Falafel Recipe variations: Variations of this recipe may call for flour or eggs. If you prefer, you can add 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp of flour to the falafel mix or 1 egg. I did not use either, and the falafel mixture stayed well together.
- Pro Tip for Frying: When you fry the falafel patties, you want to achieve a deep golden brown color on the outside. More importantly, the patties need to be fully done on the inside. Your frying oil needs to be at 375 degrees F, for my stove, that was at a medium-high temp. Be sure to test your first batch and adjust the frying time as needed.
- Have an air fryer? Try this air fryer falafel recipe.
- Popular falafel sauce: tahini sauce is what is traditionally used with falafel. I use organic tahini paste by Soom, and here is my tahini sauce recipe.
- Baked Falafel Option: If you prefer, you can bake the falafel patties in a 350 degree F heated oven for about 15-20 minutes, turning them over midway through. Use a lightly oiled sheet pan, and you might like to give the patties a quick brush of extra virgin olive oil before baking.
- Pro-Tip for Make-Ahead: To make ahead and freeze, prepare the falafel mixture and divide into patties (up to step #6). Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. When they harden, you can transfer the falafel patties into a freezer bag. They will keep well in the freezer for a month or so. You can fry or bake them from frozen.
- Visit our online shop to browse all-natural and organic spices, including cumin and coriander; organic tahini paste; extra virgin olive oils and more!
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Fried or Baked
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.
this was my first time eating or making a falafel. i do not have a food processor so i used my cheap-o blender and because of the thickness of the batter i had to add some water in order to not break my blender. this, of course, made the batter thinner and i ended up adding some cake flour to keep the batter together. ive been on a journey of discovering foods from other cultures and ive been wanting to make these for a while! again, ive never had a falafel before so i cant compare tastes or textures with my adjustments but i would definitely use this recipe again! my toddlers and i liked them. did not have the tahini sauce so we ate them with some of my homemade ranch! thanks for this authentic recipe!
You very welcome, Amanda! So glad you enjoyed it!
375°F. It’s easy too hot for the oil. The outside will go brown and crisp long before the inside has had time to cook a bit. You should have the oil around 350°
I meant way too hot 😖
I have just made this recipe and because I was unsure of the outcome I only made 1/2. I ate 3 of them for lunch with tomato and cucumber chunks drizzled with fresh lemon and vegan mayo and dill. They were the best things I have eaten in quite some time so now I will process and cook the other half of my ingredients. I do believe it was the added dill and extra cumin that brought this dish to life. Thank you for sharing your recipe
You are very welcome, Julie! So glad you enjoyed it!
I thought I left a comment but didn’t see it here,so it probably got lost.
This is a great recipe! I had no idea making falafel was that easy!
We prefer vegan food and I found that the amount of fresh herbs determines if the mixture will stay together. Yesterday I put a bit less parsley and that did not help.
Suzy, does it matter how wet the herbs are? Was it because I used previously washed herbs that the balls were falling apart?
I might add some flax “eggs” next time to make sure they stay together.
Hi, Rumy. It’s hard to say about the herbs. Mine are thoroughly washed and dried before I add them to the mixture and it holds together fine every time.
I had the same problem but I figured it was because I soaked the chickpeas for about 36 hours My mixture was so watery, I literally squeezed out about a cup of excess fluid. After that, I added close to a cup of garbanzo bean flour, adding in quarter cup increments until the balls held together. The came out perfect!
I have made the recipe and it’s in the frigde – up to step 6. It won’t hold together at this stage. is this normal. If not, what can I add to make it hold together.
Hi, Carol. Some people have found adding 1 to 1 ½ tbsp of flour or 1 egg to the falafel mix help it to stay together. There are also some suggestions in the “Important Tips” section of the blog post that you might find useful.
Is a tablespoon of pepper correct? I used half that and it still seemed overpowering.
That is correct, Shannon. That is what my family loves, but I understand that some people prefer less.
I also fund ithe pepper too much,so I cau it in 4 the secind time and it worked great!
I ended up soaking the entire bag and just now realized I should’ve only soaked 2 cups. How do I know how much to use now?
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I usually don’t watch the video, I just make the recipe but you are adorable and entertaining! Call Food Network and tell them you need your own show!!!
You are too sweet, Amy! Thank you!
I soaked my Chick Peas for 24 hours. They did get larger but are still very firm. Are they supposed to be that way, or should they be soft?
Hi, Tracy. They will still be a bit firm.
It was a delicious result of such an easy to make recipe! I love all the fresh herbs needed to make one of my favorite dishes!
I froze some of the falafel balls and then used air fryer to cook them – they tasted better than the first batch of baked ones. Fried is still the best but not when you are trying to avoid fried foods. So air fryer it is!
Thank you, Suzy!!!
What was the temperature you used and time on the air fryer? 😊
I love falafel & salad wraps.
This recipe is fabulous! Thanks so much!!
I didn’t realize I needed to soak the chickpeas overnight and I want to make this today. What do you suggest?
Suzy I love falafel and this recipe is outstanding! First time making it, followed your instructions exactly and they turned out perfectly. Wrapped them in a pita with your tahini sauce, hummus and Mediterranean salad and it was so good! Thanks for this!
So glad you enjoyed them, Josh!
After soaking the garbanzo beans, were they still hard? Are they supposed to be soft? I’m not sure what the consistency should be.
Hi! I’m trying to convert the herbs quantities to grams but I keep finding contrasting results.. Could you maybe tell me how much 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, ¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves and ½ cup fresh dill equal to in grams? Thank you! 🙂
And one more thing, for those who think canned chickpeas are ok, they are not OK for good falafel. Using soaked dry beans gives you a texture to the falafel, something you do not get with canned beans. Canned may be ok for hummus, but not for these. I have used that shortcut many times in the past, and my falafel never came out like this. Plan ahead, it is worth it!
100% agreed 🙂
All I can say is WOW. I have been trying different falafel recipes, some at home, some at restaurants, since I had my first taste of a delicious falafel wrap at a Lebanese restaurant in Syracuse, NY in 1977. With this recipe, I have completed the circuit. It is the best. The nutty/sweet taste, the texture, the crispy brown surface, it is everything I have been looking for. The ingredients are so balanced, nothing overcomes the other. You can taste everything inside. One thing I never had before was toasted sesame seeds in the recipe, I think that is one of the reasons this is so good. I usually eat falafel with pita, cucumber/tomato salad, white sauce, and hot sauce. Not so with these little brown beauties. These are so good, I have to eat them alone. All those other things cloud the taste. These are fantastic by themselves. Congratulations on a 10 star recipe!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this very kind review, Craig! So glad this was such a hit for you!