Falafels! Traditional, vegan, flavorful chickpea patties! Usually eaten as a sandwich or a snack, these flavor-packed patties are famous in the middle-eastern countries. This is always my go-to dish when ordering from Halal restaurants, and sometimes Greek restaurants. Falafels are made with chickpeas, fresh herbs, and the right spices.
What is Falafel?
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish, typically considered fast food. People are saying it was originated in Egypt with a fava bean version, then was later adopted by Middle Eastern countries with chickpeas. Falafels today continue to be seen in Egypt and Middle Eastern countries as street food from vendors.
What can I do with falafel?
- You can serve this over basmati rice that has been boiled with chicken broth and lemon juice. Warm up a piece of pita, chop some lettuce and tomatoes, sprinkle feta on it and slather that in tzatziki sauce. I have a recipe for tzatziki right here!
- Serve with a Mediterranean tomato-cucumber salad, or serve by itself with some hummus or tahini! It’s a great vegan dish.
- Serve on a brunch board. Think about it. It’s brunch time and these falafels come into play with an arrangement of fresh veggies, cheese and dips.
Can I make this ahead of time?
- You can make this ahead. Prepared falafel mixture will stay in the fridge for 1-2 days ahead of time. When you’re ready to make them, form into patties.
- You can freeze the patties. Form the mixture into patties, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for one hour. Once they are hardened, transfer them into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Falafel can be cooked from frozen by frying or baking.
Some tips before making this deliciously popular Middle-Eastern dish
- If you use dry chickpeas, do this first: Soak them in water for 24 hours. It will give you the best texture and flavor. Dry chickpeas are naturally starchy and will help your falafels to stay well formed.
- Fry in bubbling oil, and do not crowd the saucepan. For perfectly crispy falafel, 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. To reach that temperature, I had my stove on medium-high heat, though it will vary for everyone else. Otherwise, you can bake them, though they might not turn out as crispy as you would hope. It’s healthier though!
- 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.
The best part of the falafel is the flavor. When you use fresh herbs as compared to dried, it packs the patty with more flavor and you really get that feeling that you’re in an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant. The smell of cumin, coriander, and lemon lets you know it’s going to be love at first bite. Hearty and flavorful, the protein from the chickpeas will leave you feeling full and satisfied. This recipe can be made ahead as well.
You can have this delicious recipe by clicking the link below and printing it from my AllRecipes account!
Print the recipe here from my AllRecipes page!
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Falafel Patties
Ingredients
- 1 ½ (15 ounces) cans chickpeas, drained
- 1 ½ onion, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
Instructions
- Mash chickpeas in a bowl using a masher. Combine mashed chickpeas, onions, parsley, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Mix eggs, cumin, coriander, salt, lemon juice, baking powder, black pepper, and cayenne together in a bowl. Add chickpea mixture and mix together. Add bread crumbs slowly and combine using your hands until the mixture isn’t sticky, but will hold together when frying.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Form mixture into about 12 patties about as wide as the palm of your hand. Fry patties in the hot oil until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
119.48Fat (grams)
3.38Sat. Fat (grams)
0.65Carbs (grams)
17.63Fiber (grams)
2.63Net carbs
15.00Sugar (grams)
2.47Protein (grams)
5.11Sodium (milligrams)
441.10Cholesterol (grams)
31.00
Miss Raven's Kitchen 
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