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 ½ teaspoon 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)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
- ½ 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 (½ 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 ½ tablespoon 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.
Thank you! Thank you! This recipe is amazing! It was my first time making falafel, and it turned out perfect. Your instructions were very clear and detailed. I wasn't sure if I should pack down the herbs in the measuring cup, or if I should leave them loose. Being a lover of those flavours, I decided to pack them down, and it worked out great. I also wasn't sure about the salt, so I put in about a tablespoon. There was soooooooooo much flavour! We brought some over to our neighbour who is a vegetarian, and he said it was the best he's ever had. My husband and I thought so too!
Oh, fabulous, Amy! So glad this was such a success!
These are delicious and quite easy to make because of the detailed instructions! I love the use of all of the fresh herbs (I put a little extra because I love the flavor and the green color they bring to the patties). In previous recipes I’ve tried, the falafel comes out kind of dry, but my family was so pleased with how moist and flavorful these turned out.
This recipe is now a keeper in my family- thank you!
This recipe is awesome!! Can I still fry the frozen patties if I added the baking powder to the mix before freezing?
Yes, Gabriel! That should be fine!
Hi,
We tried making this recipe but when we tried forming the balls it didn’t stick. The falafel kept breaking apart. How do we fix this?
Hello! If you are having a hard time getting the actual falafel mixture to form well, you can add a little bit of chickpea flour or one egg.
When making it I thought the same thing, that chick pea flour might come in handy. But while my batch seemed a bit crumbly, with a gently press between the fingers, they held, and never fell apart when frying.
This recipe was amazing! I did have a lot of leftovers.. is it okay to freeze the patties if the baking powder already is mixed in?
Hi, Gabriela! Yes... they should be just fine.
I’m excited to perfect my falafel making skills. I just made this recipe. It tastes good but a little bland. I added more salt but to no avail. What do you think I might have done wrong. I did the frying version first. And then, after feeling a little “meh” from the fried food feeling, I tried the baked version. It seems even more bland. Please help!
Hi, Nicole! I would just try upping the herbs and spices a bit to suit your taste.
Suzy! I did the recipe again and the taste was PHENOMENAL!
That's wonderful to hear, Nicole!
Thanks Suzy for sharing this fabulous receipe. I'd never made falafel before but got inspired after having some terrible take away.
This receipe makes plenty for a family of five, plus extras.
This has become a family favourite and I have shared your receipe with friends.
Thanks for sharing.
Oh, wonderful, Anne! So glad this recipe worked well for you!
What kind of oil do you use to fry these in?
You can use any healthy frying oil you like that has a neutral taste. Grape seed oil, for example.
Enjoyed your video. So I made the falafel, just pulled it out of the processor, covered and put in fridge.
But I accidentally added the baking soda in the processor with all the rest of the ingredents. I see now - I was supposed to add it at the end, just before making the balls and frying. Oh Vey. Did I blow it ? Do you think it will still turn out okay ? When I tasted a little bit of it, I did taste that baking soda, it was a little strange, but I am just hoping it all comes out great in the end. If you think I should add something else, please tell me; What ?
Hi, Surati. Just to clarify for the next time you make this... the baking SODA should have been added while soaking the chickpeas (it aids in that process). Baking POWDER is what should have been added right before frying. They are two totally different ingredients. Its hard to say how they will turn out, but I would still give baking/frying them a try, since you've done all the hard work! Good luck!!
Made this yesterday, I baked the patties and they turned out great and soft on the inside, thank you for the amazing recipe and detailed instructions.
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!
I like your recipe ! I may not be able to find fresh dill. Is dried a suitable substitute ?
Yes, you can use a little bit of dry dill. The typical substitution of dry to fresh herbs is 1 teaspoon of dry for every tablespoon of fresh. And you can adjust to your liking.
I've always been intimidated by anything involving dried beans for some reason, but we bought a bunch of them at the start of the pandemic and decided to give this recipe a shot. I made giant patties out of the mix and pan-fried to make falafel burgers and it turned out so good. Will definitely be making this recipe again! I'm less scared of dried beans now. 🙂
p.s. This makes A LOT of falafel mix, so if you have a small household like me (2 people) maybe cut the recipe in half. We're about to have our 5th batch of leftovers tonight haha.
Thanks for sharing, Claire! So glad you gave it a try! No need to be intimidated by dry beans. So many uses, and extremely reasonably priced!
DELISH!
This was my first time making falafel and these turned out so well! I was super intimated, but it was a fairly easy recipe. They are delicious and left me feeling very satisfied when I had them with pita and your tahini sauce! Ty!
My pleasure, Emily! Great to hear the recipe was a success!!
Have not made yet but confused. You list baking soda in ingredients, then say add baking powder in recipe. Can you clarify. Thanks
Hi, Wendi! I actually use both in this recipe. The baking soda is used when soaking the chickpeas, and the baking powder is used in the falafel mixture.
This is my first falafel attempt and it was somewhat of a disaster. I’ve reread the directions over and over and I don’t see what I did wrong, but mine all disintegrated in the oil in nothing flat. I even tried to bake them and they still fell apart. In the end I just fried them like hamburger patties and that worked a little. I still ate them in pita pockets with all the fixins. It was kind of like the consistency of hash browns, and although the texture was way off, the flavor was on point!. I read somewhere else that my mixture may have been too wet (although it seemed very dry to me, unless it picked up moisture from being refrigerated over night). I also used coconut oil for frying, but will try another oil next time. In the end, I gave four stars because I understand that I’m a novice and most of the fault is surely mine, but when you soak overnight and refrigerate overnight and look forward to your rewards on the third day...well, let’s just say I was a little frustrated 😉 I will not be discouraged though and will continue my quest for the perfect falafel. Also, I really appreciate people like you who share your recipes and ideas with others, otherwise I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Thank you!
I'm so sorry you had some issues this first time! There can definitely be a learning curve with falafel. I hope you do give it another try!
Hey. One solution to that is to not add salt to the mix... The salt makes everything release water. So you won't be able to shape the falafel but just refrigerate the mixture. Can shape it just before frying. Can also add flour to dry up the mix if needed.
If baking frozen - how long and at what temperature do I bake the falafel?
I would bake the patties from frozen still 350 degrees F for the same amount of time and then check to see if you need to add more time from there.