This Authentic Fried Falafel Recipe Is Simply Amazing (9 Ingredients) Middle Eastern Recipes Vegetarian Dinner Vegan Lunch Appetizers Snacks Gluten-free

Here I am, an Italian-American, trying to grasp the depths of an authentic falafel recipe. How did I do it? I turned to my favorite falafel expert and adapted it from Joan Nathan’s book, The Foods of Israel Today. Amazing book and amazing falafel recipe!

This is my favorite falafel recipe. To make the falafels you only need nine simple ingredients. Here is your shopping list: dried or canned chickpeas (check out the health benefits of chickpeas), an onion, fresh parsley, salt, fresh garlic, ground cumin, baking powder, flour (all-purpose or gluten-free) and vegetable oil for frying. If you're making pitas, grab some pita bread and whatever you like in your pitas. I gave some of my suggestions below.

Serve these crispy on the outside and moist on the inside falafel balls for a vegetarian or vegan lunch or dinner. This Middle Eastern recipe is also delicious served as an appetizer or snack with a dipping sauce. 

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 3 hours to refrigerate dough, plus overnight if soaking chickpeas
Cook Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 to 50 minutes plus refrigeration and soaking time
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas or canned chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 - 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
• vegetable oil, for frying

Optional Ingredients for Serving

• chopped tomato
• diced onion
• diced green bell pepper
• tahini sauce
• pita bread
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Here’s how to make it:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Alternately, you could use drained canned chickpeas. 
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, salt, hot pepper, garlic and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed. You could add some fresh cilantro, too, if you're a fan.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for about 3 hours or until firm.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees F in a deep pot or wok and fry one ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about six balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
6. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper or whatever you like in your pitas. Drizzle with tahini thinned with water, if desired. Store any leftover falafel balls in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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