Best 2 No Fuss Falafel Recipes
Falafel is a delicious Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas or fava beans. It is typically served as a sandwich or wrap with tahini sauce and various toppings such as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and pickles. Falafel is a popular street food and can also be found in many restaurants. This article provides three different recipes for making falafel: a classic falafel recipe, a baked falafel recipe, and a falafel burger recipe. The classic falafel recipe is made with chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt. The baked falafel recipe is a healthier version of the classic recipe that is made without frying. The falafel burger recipe is a delicious and satisfying meal that is perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. The article provides detailed instructions and helpful tips for making each recipe.
Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!
HOW TO MAKE FALAFEL
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!)
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Entree
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- (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!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 93 calories, Sugar 0.1 g, Sodium 131.1 mg, Fat 3.8 g, SaturatedFat 0.5 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 1.4 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 3.9 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
HOW TO MAKE PERFECTLY CRISPY FALAFEL
How to make delicious and crispy falafel at home rivaling your favorite restaurants. After lots of kitchen tests, this falafel recipe has become our favorite way to make falafel. The recipe is straightforward, 100% plant-based (vegan), and the falafel tastes incredible. In addition to the active prep and cook time, you will need to soak dried chickpeas overnight. This can be done a couple days in advance, simply drain and pat dry the soaked beans, and then store, covered in the fridge until ready to make the falafel mix. Note on using canned chickpeas or cooked chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are cooked chickpeas. After testing, we have determined that canned or cooked chickpeas do not work as a direct substitute for soaked dried beans in this recipe. The falafel will fall apart in the oil. Recipe adaptations for using canned chickpeas or cooked chickpeas are shared in the article above.
Provided by Adam and Joanne Gallagher
Categories Appetizer, Main Dish
Time 8h30m
Yield Makes approximately 18 falafel, 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Rinse the dried chickpeas then place into a large bowl and cover with cool water by about 4 inches. Cover and soak overnight or until the beans triple in size. Drain the soaked chickpeas, rinse, and then pat dry or add to a salad spinner to spin dry.
- Add chickpeas, scallions, garlic, herbs, salt, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne, black pepper, and the baking powder to a bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture until very finely minced, but not pureed, scraping the bowl down as necessary. You should be able to press a handful together and have it hold it's shape (it will be loose and a little crumbly). See our video and photos above for reference.
- Transfer the falafel mix to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to help the balls hold together when cooking. If making ahead, you can refrigerate the mixture for a few days.
- Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to scoop out 1 1/2 tablespoons of the falafel mix then gently shape it into a ball and place onto a clean plate. Repeat with as many falafel as you plan to cook. The mix will not act like dough, but will hold its shape. Watch the video to see how we do this. Optional step: As an extra fail-safe for preventing the balls from falling apart when they hit the oil, rest the falafel balls in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes before cooking.
- Add at least 3/4 inch of oil to a deep saucepan, cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. The smaller the pan, the less oil you will need. The wider the pan, the more falafel you can cook at one time).
- Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to between 350 degrees and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fry the falafel in batches, placing them gently into the oil and without crowding in the pan, until they are browned on the bottom sides. Using two forks, carefully flip the falafel to brown the other side, 3 1/2 minutes to 4 minutes total.
- Transfer the cooked falafel to a plate lined with paper towel, sprinkle with a little salt, and then repeat with the remaining falafel balls. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 3 falafel, Calories 151, Fat 2.4g, SaturatedFat 0.3g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 408.3mg, Carbohydrate 25.8g, Fiber 7.4g, Sugar 4.5g, Protein 8.3g
Tips:
- Use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas for a more authentic flavor and texture. Remember to soak them overnight or for at least 8 hours before cooking.
- If you do not have time to soak the chickpeas overnight, you can use a quick-soak method by boiling the chickpeas for 1 minute, then removing them from the heat and letting them sit, covered, for 1 hour. After that, drain the chickpeas and proceed with the recipe.
- To make sure the falafel is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, make sure the oil is hot enough before frying. The ideal temperature is between 350°F and 375°F.
- If you don't have a deep fryer, you can also shallow-fry the falafel in a large skillet with a generous amount of oil.
- To make the falafel more flavorful, add some chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, or mint, to the mixture before frying.
- Serve the falafel hot with your favorite dipping sauce, such as tahini sauce, tzatziki sauce, or hummus.
Conclusion:
Falafel is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, main course, or snack. It is a great source of protein and fiber, and it can be made with a variety of ingredients to suit your taste. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make falafel at home that is just as good as, if not better than, what you would find in a restaurant. So next time you are looking for a healthy and satisfying meal, give falafel a try!
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