Falafel are a delicious culinary creation that has captured the hearts and palates of people around the world. These small, crispy balls, made mainly from chickpeas and aromatic spices, are a flavorful, textured vegetarian option. Originating from the Middle Eastern region, falafel have become an iconic dish enjoyed in countless ways: inside a stuffed pita, alongside a fresh salad, or as an appetizer.
Making your own falafel at home is easier than you think and lets you customize the flavors to your liking. You can make them in the KitchenAid chopper, a very versatile attachment, or in a food processor or chopper. As for cooking, we present 3 ways to do it: fry them the traditional way, roast them in the oven, or use an air fryer. You decide!
Follow this simple recipe to discover how to create these golden, aromatic bites that will satisfy your hunger and delight your palate.
Ingredients:
- 750 g of dried chickpeas
- 1 handful of fresh parsley
- 1 handful of fresh cilantro
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour
Preparation
-
Soak the chickpeas: Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. This will soften them and make them easier to process.
-
Drain and rinse: After soaking the chickpeas, drain them and rinse well. Press lightly with absorbent paper towel to dry them.
-
Process the ingredients: In a food processor or in the KitchenAid Chopper attachment, place the drained chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, garlic and onion. Process all the ingredients until a homogeneous mixture forms and the chickpeas are well crushed.
-
Add the flour and spices: In the same KitchenAid bowl, or in a mixing bowl, add the ground cumin, salt, black pepper and the 3 tablespoons of flour. Mix well with a spatula until the flour is fully incorporated. The flour will help the mixture have a better consistency for forming the falafel.
-
Let the mixture rest: Ideally, let the mixture rest: cover the bowl with a clean cloth and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour. This resting time will allow the flavors to meld and the dough to firm up a bit.
-
Shape the falafel: After the resting time, take small portions of the mixture and form balls or flat discs. You can make them whatever size you prefer (note that larger sizes require longer cooking time).
-
Cook the falafel: You have several options, depending on your preferences:
- Fry them in oil (traditional method): Heat a large skillet or wok with enough oil for frying. When the oil is hot, fry the falafel until they are golden and crispy on the outside. Make sure they are cooked through. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side.
- In the oven, without oil: Arrange a baking tray with parchment paper, spray the paper with a release spray, place the falafel on the tray and bake for 20 minutes at 190 °C (you can spray them with oil spray for an optimal golden finish). Instead of a flat baking tray, I like to bake them in the Nordic Ware Ball Baker, it is perforated and yields wonderfully round, crispy falafel.
- In the air fryer: Place the falafel in your air fryer, spray with a single tablespoon of oil or with release spray (works great for even frying using very little oil) and fry using the fries or frying program.
-
Serve: Place the fried falafel on paper towels to drain any excess oil from frying in a skillet. Then serve them with pita bread, fresh salad, yogurt sauce or tahini, and enjoy your homemade falafel!
These falafel are delicious as a main dish or as a filling for pitas or wraps. Enjoy!
Notes
- The charm of falafel is that they are crispy on the outside. Therefore:
- If you opt to cook them in the oven, it is useful to use a perforated tray (either the Nordic Ware ball pan mentioned or a perforated baking tray), and to spray the balls with release spray (which is oil-based) or brush with oil. You will see that all this, despite not frying them, helps you achieve crispy, well-formed balls.
- If you use the air fryer, use oil spray or release spray to apply a little oil evenly.
- Chickpeas vs. Fava beans: The original falafel recipe is made with chickpeas, but in some regions, especially in Egypt, fava beans are used instead.
- Spices and Aromatic Herbs: The most commonly used spices include cumin, ground coriander, fresh cilantro, garlic, parsley and cayenne. These provide the characteristic flavor and freshness to falafel.
- Other Ingredients: Although the basic recipe is vegetarian, some variations add ingredients like onion, chives, hot pepper or sesame seeds for a special touch.
- Shape and Size: The shape and size of the falafel balls can vary. Some make them small and round, while others flatten them slightly to get larger, thinner discs.
- Accompaniments: Falafel are commonly served in a pita bread with various accompaniments, such as tahini, yogurt sauce, fresh salads, pickles, tomatoes, onion and more.
