Raise your hand if you love falafel! I’ve gone back into the archives to highlight my all-time favorite homemade falafel recipe. Making falafel at home can be tricky, but this recipe is easy.
Six reasons to love this healthy falafel recipe:
- These falafels are golden brown and crispy on the outside. The insides are tender, delicious, and full of fresh herbs.
- They’re baked instead of fried, so they contain significantly less fat than fried falafel. And your house won’t smell like fried food for days. Winning!
- Once your chickpeas are sufficiently soaked, the falafel mixture comes together in no time. If you have someone to help shape the patties, they’ll come together even faster.
- These falafels are gluten free and vegan, so they’re a great party appetizer.
- These falafels freeze well, so they’re a fantastic protein-rich option to keep on hand for future salads and pita sandwiches.
- On that note, this recipe is easily doubled! See recipe notes.
Are you convinced yet? Let’s make some falafel!
How to Make the Best Homemade Falafel
Bake it, don’t fry it. I say this because frying requires a lot of sizzling hot oil, and that scares me. I also don’t have a good vent over my oven to take the fried food smell far, far away. Plus, you can use a reasonably amount of heart-healthy olive oil in the baked version.
Coat your rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. That way, you get a fried effect in the oven, and you don’t have to brush the little falafels individually with olive oil. Winning!
Use dried chickpeas, not canned. Canned chickpeas do not work for falafel. They’re far too wet. If you try to use canned chickpeas instead of dried and soaked chickpeas, you’ll end up with sad falafel pancakes. Some recipes try to counteract the wetness by adding flour, which significantly dulls the flavor and makes the texture more doughy.
Soak the dried chickpeas for at least four hours. If your chickpeas aren’t sufficiently softened, you’ll have unpalatably tough pieces of chickpea in your falafel. There’s just no workaround here.
Choose your dried chickpeas wisely. Try to buy your dried chickpeas from a store with high turnover, because old chickpeas need longer to soften. If you have options, pick the chickpeas that are the smallest, since they’ll soften faster.
Watch How to Make Crispy Falafel
Falafel Serving Suggestions
Serve falafel as an appetizer, wrap it into a pita sandwich, or add it to salad for a protein-rich topping. Falafel goes great with any of the following ingredients:
- Pita bread, warmed or toasted (tear it up for pita “croutons”)
- Fresh greens (such as spring greens or chopped romaine)
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Bell peppers, cut into strips
- Cucumber, thinly sliced
- Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- Raw red onion, thinly sliced, or quick-pickled onions
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Sauce: Something creamy like tzatziki, hummus, or tahini sauce, and maybe a spicy sauce like zhoug or shatta, too
Here’s a tahini dressing recipe that goes great with this falafel, too:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Pinch of cayenne
- 1/3 cup water
In a small food processor, combine all of the ingredients and blend well. You can also whisk the ingredients together by hand in a small bowl, just note that you’ll need to chop the fresh herbs and zest more finely than you would if you were using a food processor.
Please let me know how you like these falafel in the comments! I hope you love them as much as I do. ♥
PrintCrispy Falafel
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes (plus 4-hour soaking time)
- Yield: 12 falafels 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
This homemade falafel recipe is absolutely delicious, and remarkably crispy! Be sure to allow 4 hours soaking time for the chickpeas, preferably overnight. Then, the falafel mixture is super easy to make in a food processor. Recipe yields 12 to 13 falafels (see notes on how to double).
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dried (uncooked/raw) chickpeas, rinsed, picked over and soaked for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator
- ½ cup roughly chopped red onion (about ½ small red onion)
- ½ cup packed fresh parsley (mostly leaves but small stems are ok)
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro (mostly leaves but small stems are ok)
- 4 cloves garlic, quartered
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon (about 25 twists) freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- With an oven rack in the middle position, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour ¼ cup of the olive oil into a large, rimmed baking sheet and turn until the pan is evenly coated.
- In a food processor, combine the soaked and drained chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Using your hands, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time. Shape the falafel into small patties, about 2 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Place each falafel on your oiled pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, carefully flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until the falafels are deeply golden on both sides. These falafels keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for several months.
Notes
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
Make-ahead option: I haven’t tried this, but the original recipe notes that the uncooked falafel patties can be refrigerated on a parchment-lined baking sheet, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours before baking.
How to double this recipe: Preheat the oven with two oven racks near the center of the oven. Double all of the ingredients. If you have a large food processor (guessing 11+ cup capacity), you can mix all of the ingredients at once. Use two baking sheets, and swap their positions (top to bottom, bottom to top) when you flip the falafel halfway through baking.
Recommended equipment: I love my 11-cup food processor (affiliate link).
Caitlin
This recipe looks lovely! Even if summertime weather is starting to arrive and no one wants to use their oven in the heat, I really appreciate that the falafel is baked rather than fried!
Oh, you’re one-upping me on counteracting the computer bum syndrome. I hadn’t even considered doing lunges around the perimeter of my little one bedroom apartment!
Katrina
This salad looks mad delicious. Love those falafel balls!
Cassie
I know what you mean in regards to spending too much time in front of the computer. I hate it sometimes. the falafel looks amazing!
erin@fromcitytofarm
We’ve been on a falafel kick ourselves, and have found that just pan frying in some olive oil works wonders. Our recipe is pretty similar to yours, so delicious!
NicoleD
This looks incredible! Your hard work will pay off, but I know how hard it is to be in the middle of it all. You can do it :)
Heather
Keep working hard and it will pay off! The progress you’ve made on this bloggidy-blog in the past year and a half has been incredible. I’ve never made falafel before…you eat so healthy!!
kate
Thanks, Heather! You’ve been following along for a long time and your support means a lot to me. You should try making falafel, it’s easy!
adrienne yancey
Ah I wish I was having this for lunch today! Oo can’t wait to see the magazine :) I also spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Lately I’ve been forcing myself to get outside for a walk during the early afternoon. It’s a nice way to clear the mind and get a little bit of exercise in (in addition to my exercise routine). I always seem to get inspired or solve a problem during those walks too.
kate
You know, I think my walks with Cookie are what are keeping me sane. We go out on a brisk walk around the block at least a couple of times a day and that’s when I get my best ideas!
Andrea
Oh, man! My heart goes out to you. Sucks when you feel like that. Were I a doctor, my prescription for over worked-ness would be to take a long walk in the sunshine with a good friend! Or maybe just cookie. Anywho, wish this salad would pop out of the screen and get into my belly right now. I’m haangryy.
Bev Weidner
I WANT THIS. And omg, “computer bum.” That’s it! I’ve been wondering how this gigantic sack of goo ended up my backside and ohhhhhh blooogggiinnnngggggg.
Cassandra
So interesting – why do you use only soaked chickpeas and not cooked ones?
kate
Good question! I think that cooked chickpeas have absorbed too much moisture. When I used them in place of dried chickpeas, the mixture was way too wet and flattened out while cooking (hence falafel pancakes).
michelle
I’m confused, you usually have to soak a dried bean before cooking. Are you suggesting not to cook them after soaking them???
Kendra
They get baked, that’s the cooking :)
Pinch and Swirl
Yes, computer bum. I feel I’m forever in a race against it.
Thanks for being here, tiring as it is. You add an important voice. Can’t wait to see what else you’ve been up to (magazine etc.) + Falafel looks fantastic!
kate
Thank you, Marissa, that is quite a compliment!
Lauren
Thanks for posting this! I’m not a huge falafel fan myself (I knew when I didn’t like it in Israel, I wouldn’t like it ever haha) but my friends LOVE it. This recipe looks simple enough so I might have to use it for a party soon!
Margarita
Ok, so this may sound super weird, but one thing you can do is booty lifts. When I’m cooking or doing dishes, I balance on one leg and lift my other leg back, hold for 2 seconds, let go, and hold again. Repeat 10 times, 2-3 sets each side (I also make sure to tighten my abs when doing this). Sorry to hear about being swamped with work, it happens! I’m a slacker and so when I’m swamped, I can’t breathe! Good luck and can’t wait to see the new things coming up in your blog!
kate
Booty lifts! I’m on it.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Clearly I need a cast iron skillet. Love your deconstructed pita sandwich creation!
Gina
I’m experiencing computer bum right now while I type this. It’s been 2 hours since my last break from this chair. Luckily, my home gym is about 20 steps away and I’ll be heading there shortly!
Falafel is something I’ve only experimented with once at home. It was good, but not great. I love the stuff though so I’m definitely up for trying this! I just need a cast iron skillet. Somehow I’ve gotten this far in life without one but it’s that one “gadget” I often wish I had.
kate
You definitely need a cast iron skillet! Thank goodness for my pilates mat, I know I’d never make it to the gym regularly!
EverydayMaven
This is one of my favorite meals! I am with you though – I have a hard time with baked falafel because they are sooooo dry. I usually cook them in a non-stick fry pan with just a touch of oil. I can’t wait to see what exciting things you have going on!
kate
Maybe try adding a bit more oil to the pan next time? A little bit more fat, a lot of more flavor, I would assume! Can’t wait to share what I’ve been working on, it will all be out next month!
Beth {local milk}
I can so relate. I put an insane amount of work into teaching myself photography & learning new, mad kitchen skillz. For $0. I’m a big fan of being an autodidact (free education when you do it yourself!) especially with the current state of educational institutions, culinary included. My philosophy/creative writing degree isn’t gonna do me much more good than blogging. Probably less! Working hard for free + a day job in the mean time in the hope that it will lead to opportunities to do what I love for a living is scary. I try to remind myself that what I love is very far from a computer screen: food, art, relationships. The computer screen is merely a modern means to an end. Ok. Enough!
I have a big bag of dried chick peas in my pantry destined for falafel along w/ tackling homemade pita for the first time. Soon my pretties.
kate
Yes yes yes to everything you just said! Your hard work and persistence will pay off, I know it. It’s really about time I learned how to make my own pita bread. Smitten Kitchen has a rather tempting recipe so I’ll try hers first!
Marcia
I hear what you’re saying about being done with certain cookbooks! I’ve been dealing with one such volume myself. Kept thinking it was me! Live and learn, eh?
As for life being off-balance, seems to be something in the air lately, because boy, can I relate! I find that good food like this is a solid step toward turning such times around. Love the deconstructed approach! Thanks for a great post, Kathryne.
AnnaBanana
Computer bottom…I hear ya sista. Nothing a shot of tequilla and a cup of coffee can’t fix.
-A former Okie via Seattle
ASHLEA
I have to try this! I love falafels, but they always feel a little heavy being fried in all that oil. And I can’t agree with you enough, but it good to hear other people feel like they spend way too much time with their computer!
Elissa
Looks delicious – can’t wait to try these out! Also love that you say pup-a-lup….I call our dog that all the time, and have never heard another person say it :)
kate
Oh that’s funny! I think I heard my friend call Cookie a pup-a-lup and it stuck. I have so many names for her… it’s pretty silly.
Kasey
Oh that feeling is the WORST. Even though I just got back from a fabulous trip, I’m definitely feeling like this summer is going to be a lot of work. I’m trying to avoid that dreaded burnout (like you, I’m excited on everything I’m working on, but slightly overwhelmed!). This is my kind of recipe – love falafel but really like the idea of making it a little healthier!
Katie
I had to comment because I am totally in the same place right now. Every time I find myself still at the office at 9pm my first though is “I miss my liiiiife” quickly followed by “this job is going to make me fat.” Maybe hourly lunges are the trick… hopefully my coworkers don’t think I’m too weird if I adopt your habit!
baker in disguise
“Computer bum” …i always have to look out for it!!! **groan** I love the idea when one makes a baked version of a fried foodstuff.. makes you feel less guilty especially when I have to worry about a computer bum!!! :)
Rachel
Grandmothers sure know their kitchen gadgets, don’t they?
Some sort of baked falafal has been on my Want To Make list foreeeevvverrrr. This looks like the perfect recipe to finally try!
kate
Try it, try it! I’ve experienced a falafel fail before but this one is just right.
Maureen
holy cow this salad looks good. I love the baked falafel idea. I’m SO hungry now.
thelittleloaf
I love making my own falafel – it’s the perfect packed lunch to take into the office. Sometimes I use broad beans instead of chickpeas, or mix in some baked pumpkin or squash – it’s also delicious with green peas or even made with split peas. Such a delicious and versatile recipe and yours looks gorgeous :-)
marissa @ the boot
haha, this was awesome. beep bee boop boop is how i communicate too sometimes after hours of looking at the screen, dry-mouthed and forgetting all of my italian. congratulations on all of your side projects, can’t wait to see, and hang in there!
Jessica
Wow! I love this blog, it’s so clean and the photos look lovely. Also, I’m so pleased to find a vegetarian blog as I am also veggie :) I’d love it if you would take the time to check out my blog also!
Kim Daly
I’ve been looking for a homemade Falafel recipe. Love them on a Greek-style salad. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sonja/A Couple Cooks
Oh, these look delicious! We’ve had several falafel fails, but this one might convince us otherwise :)
Maria
My kind of meal! Love it!
Ashley
Dark chocolate and cheap champagne always seem to develop household chores into a little more of a glamourous Saturday night – work it, girl.
As busy as life gets, i’m always delighted to stop by and read what you’ve been up to, and it makes me giddy to see your well deserved success beginning to blossom.
kate
Thank you, Ashley. :)
Joanne
I kind of majorly love that we were both craving falafel this week (I have a stuffed eggplant version on the blog right now!). It must be in the air. Or a too-much-computer-induced craving. Cause I’m feeling a lot of that right now.
Sydney @ The Crepes
I made baked falafel once, but they came out terribly. These look gorgeous, and I think using the cast iron may just be the thing I was missing. Thanks for the inspiration!
Georgia
What a great Greek recipe! I’ve been craving nothing but Meditteranean lately, and this looks right up my alley!
Jocelyn @ Peace Love
Yum! Clean and healthy
Aggie
I actually used the term computer butt to my friend just this morning. I know what you are feeling, and lunges & this salad are exactly what I need.
Sarah
Is it weird that your Saturday actually sounded sort of wonderful? Can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on…super-star! :)
kate
Champagne makes cleaning so much more fun. :)
Alissa
I love falafel! I also need to invest in miso. Question…why white miso? There are so many types. I get overwhelmed.
kate
Miso is magic! So far I have only tried white miso. I think I read somewhere that white miso is the most mild flavored. It’s also the type specified by the original dressing recipe and I think that a colored miso would turn the dressing a funky color. I just googled miso to make sure that yellow miso is indeed yellow and found this article on the kitchn: http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-white-yel-79637, that explains it all better than I can!
Jessica
I love this healthy idea! Yum!!
Sylvie @ GitK
Stay sane and get outside for a walk and some fresh air! That’s my two cents and what I try to do when I find myself spending too much time in front of the computer screen. And as far as those lunges go I’d say about 9. ;-)
kale
I absolutely agree with you. A food processor and a cast iron skillet. Total essentials for any kitchen! (And cheap champagne! Obviously.)
kate
Obviously! :)
Kerry
I can’t wait to try this! I just had my first falafel a few days ago, and I loved it! I’ve been thinking about how I would make it at home ever since. This recipe looks great, and probably a lot healthier than the deep fried version!
BusyWorkingMama
Looks so fresh and perfect for summer dining!
jacquie
these look wonderful and i so want to try making them. however, i do not have a food processor. Any suggestions on how to make them w/o one? or is it essential to have one?
thanks.
kate
Hey Jacquie, that’s a great question and I wish I knew what to tell you. I’m not sure how you could chop up the chickpeas by hand like a food processor would. You might be able to use a blender’s pulse setting to chop up the ingredients, in which case you’d probably want to work in small batches. I googled it and it other suggestions included using a meat grinder, a mixer with a paddle attachment or a potato masher. Sorry, I wish I could give you a better answer! I wasn’t sure what to do with my food processor when I got it, but I just keep finding more and more uses for it! It’s really an indispensable tool in my kitchen, hope you can get one someday soon!
Kelsey
What a fantastic summer salad. I love falafel and your lighter version looks heavenly!
Katie @ OhShineOn
Great recipe, Kate. I love how simple it is!
Lucie D'Alessandro
Kate, this is one of my fave quick meals, but I would love to try your baked method and the tahini + miso dressing – yum! My hubby and I did a riff on a falafel salad like this every week for about a year, and I can’t wait until my diet allows me to have a little more of the good stuff like this!
I’m a first time visitor and am loving – and so, so appreciate – your recipes with beautiful, whole, natural foods. Got to go, to read more! Lucie x
kate
Thanks for the sweet comment, Lucie. Hope you’ll come back soon!
Jessica
Ooooh! This looks super yummy! *bookmarks*. I love falafel and my favourite bar/restaurant does an amazing falafel burger but it’s not something I’ve ever tried to make myself. I may give this a shot this weekend :)
Kate
Hope you get a chance to try the falafel, Jessica! I tried making larger (almost burger-sized) versions of these and definitely preferred the smaller size, because it meant more crispy edges! Yum.
Ofelia
I doubled the recipe, added nutritional yeast and found that I liked the batter as a raw spread. I’m going to blanch some kale leaves and wrap them up inside with nutritional yeast salad dressing from the Hollyhock cook book and eat them with tomatoes from the garden.
Kate
Great idea, Ofelia! I was surprised that I liked the raw batter since it uses soaked (instead of fully cooked) chickpeas. I wonder if it would be easier to digest with cooked chickpeas?
Alice
I found your blog by searching for “baked falafel” and I’m glad I did. I just made this and it was awesome, the other recipes look great as well. Thanks!
Kate
Thanks for commenting, Alice! I’m glad you enjoy the falafel and please let me know if you try any of the others!
eric
dried chickpeas+cast iron+baked=exactly what i was looking for. thank google.
i must be demented because i only looked up this recipe as something to do on a sunday, not because i necessarily need or want food.
sans food processor (i agree with your statement that it is a very useful appliance but there is no chance of that kind of available real estate in this kitchen) i will be using a chef’s knife and/or my molchete to grind up the chickpeas but again, i was just looking for something to do.
marisa
i initially came across your blog looking for whole wheat muffins- i made your recipe for whole wheat blueberry muffins w/yogurt and it was AMAZING (i made several more batches this past weekend). this was the second one of your recipes i have made and you are 2 for 2! this was a perfect healthy dinner for my family! thanks!
Kate
Hooray! I’m so glad to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes, Marisa. Thank you for commenting to let me know!
Josephine Sadis
Thanks for the recipe. I tried it out tonight and it came out great. Awesome tips.
Kate
So glad to hear it! Thanks, Josephine.
Michelle
I can’t wait to make this whole recipe for a girls night I’m hosting soon! I don’t know if this is somewhere in the post but I couldn’t find it, can you tell me how many falafel patties this makes? I just want to make sure I make enough for 8 girls to enjoy!
Kate
I’m so sorry for the delayed response, Michelle. If I’m counting correctly, I think the recipe yields 13 to 14 little patties, so you’d probably want to double it at least.
Shawna
I loved the idea of these and they tasted great but I found it SUPER hard to get the mixture blended up. I tried my sister-in-law’s Vitamix which is like an industrial food processor and we still had to add extra oil and give the machine a rest when it was overheating. Anyone have any ideas on how to make this part easier next time?
Kate
Hey Shawna, I’m sorry you’re having trouble blending up the falafel mixture. You are soaking the chickpeas first, right? I know older beans can take longer to soak up water and cook. I didn’t have a hard time blending them up in my hand-me-down food processor, so I’m not sure what to suggest. I’m sorry!
Danielle
AWESOME tahini dressing!!! I just wanted to drink it. Great recipe. Next time I will soak the chick peas overnight for easier blending…but I could only wait 1.5 hours because I just wanted homemade falafels NOW lol. mmmm…soo good. I love you Kate.
Kate
Why thank you, Danielle. I love this dressing, too—it’s been too long since I whipped some up!
Sudha
Awesome! I tries this for dinner today. Everybody liked at home.
Kate
So glad to hear that you enjoyed the falafel, Sudha. Thank you for commenting to let me know!
Angela
Thanks Kate,
I have never attempted baked Falafel before,and this was so easy and delicious. Just what I was looking for. So happy to find your site as I am in desperate need of some culinary inspiration!!
Kate
Thanks, Angela! I’m glad the baked falafel turned out well for you. I much prefer baking falafel to frying them at home—I’d probably catch my kitchen on fire! Please let me know how my other recipes turn out for you.
Mark
Love love love this recipe!! Tried other baked falafel recipes before but had not that were this good! I think it’s the cinnamon which seems to make them seem a little bit indulgent!
Awesome recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Kate
Thanks, Mark! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. It’s about time I made some more falafel myself!
Janelle
I made the mistake of boiling the hell out of my chick peas and was terrified they would come out disgusting. They were pretty mushy, but I was able to neutralize it by adding breadcrumbs. I would def recommend the stated directions , but if you screw up, you can fix it with breadcrumbs. I also recommend more cilantro but that’s just my preference. Taste wise these came out great! Texture – my fault, but still delicious with pita!
Kate
Thanks for your comment, Janelle. I’m glad you managed to fix the recipe after the boiling fiasco.
Ashlyn
What if the grocery store I shop at only has canned garbanzos & no dry? Is there anything I can do/add to the mixture to compensate for only having canned?
Kate
I’m sorry, Ashlyn, I’m really not sure how to compensate for the difference. I can usually find dried chickpeas in the dried goods section (by the rice) at grocery stores or in the bulk sections at health food stores, if that helps.
Sherry
I just made this with canned chickpeas and added breadcrumbs to help avoid the pancake effect. It worked well and was delicious!
Kate
Sherry, I’m glad you made the recipe work with canned chickpeas! I’m impressed.
Rena
I just made the baked falafel and loved them! I cut down on the olive oil and blended the mix with an immersion blender because I don’t have a food processor. It turned out great. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
Kate
Thank you, Rena! I’m so glad you enjoyed the falafel. I could go for some right now!
Phebe
Have you tried making these with fava beans or a mix of chickpeas and fava?
Kate
Hi Phebe, no, I’m sorry, I haven’t! I have never cooked with fava beans.
Larry
Thanks for the recipe. I found them pretty dry, however. I followed the stated ingredients verbatim with the exception of subbing basil for the cilantro & parsley (simply based on what was on hand). Good flavor but definitely a little dry. I will say, WAY better than the attempted batch using canned beans last night (ugh, what a nightmare fit for only the trashcan or as a dip).
Kate
Hey Larry, I have experienced a similar recipe fail with canned beans before. I’m sorry you thought these were dry. Not sure what caused the problem. I tried making large falafel patties with this recipe before but the larger size made them seem dry in the middle. Maybe make them a little smaller next time?
Shabs
Hi Kate
I made them first as small falafels and they turned out great. I did bake them at about 200 C and they were lovely and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. I then froze the remaining uncooked mixture after shaping it into burger-size patties. Today, I took them out of the freezer, straight into a pre-heated at 220 C (turned down after 5 minutes to 200 C) oven, and they were done in 20 minutes. And the exact same result as the small one. This one is for keeps as I love falafels.
PS – I did add one rather hot fresh red chilli pepper in the mix to give it a kick, and had it with tabbouleh and a yogurt dressing!
Kate
This is great to know, thanks Shabs!
Liz
This is my go-to falafel recipe now! Thank you so much for this. I recently discovered an amazing falafel place which has rekindled my desire to make these, so I’m about to embark on a falafel making extravaganza.
Kate
Thanks, Liz! So glad you enjoy the falafel. It’s about time I made another batch.
Lidiya
Is this one cup of cooked chickpeas?
Kate
No, one cup of dried chickpeas. Cooked chickpeas will turn the falafel patties into mush.
Sarah
Omg i obviously dont know how to read. -_-” the whole time i was like thinking of cooked chickpeas when it says in the directions that its supposed to be dried and soaked! im having a diaster right now! I cant seem to flip my falalel! I was looking on google and some people put the temperature up to 400F so i tried that now…its almost getting crispy. *crosses finger* hopefully this will work!
Kate
Uh oh! I’m so sorry about that, Sarah. I had a similar experience with canned chickpeas one time. Hope your falafel was salvageable!
Sarah
Kate, it actually worked! I just turned up the temp to 400 F and cooked it a bit longer and it was great! It wasnt as crispy as I hoped but I used coconut oil instead so maybe thats why? I dont know but I just had it with some ezekiel tortilla bread (bc I have eczema and I’m sensitive to gluten!) and I topped it with some homemade tzatiziki sauce and some cucumber and onions and it was delish! the only problem i had was it was kind of too salty but that was my fault haha bc i used cooked chickpeas so im sure there was salt already in it! But otherwise, it was good! I had the leftovers for lunch today haha!
Kate
Sarah, I’m glad the falafel turned out alright! I think you’ll really love the falafel with soaked dried chickpeas. I bet your falafel just had too much moisture in it to get really crispy.
Juliana
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the recipe! I’m going to make them tonight, they seems delicious.
Just one question… Have you ever tried to freeze them? I know they will lose their crispiness but I’m trying to have some to-go friendly meals for my toddler and thought this could be a hit. Even better if i can freeze them and pull it out as needed.
Thank you!
Kate
Hi Juliana, great question! I vaguely recall freezing some of my first batch of falafel and I thought they were still very good once defrosted. High five to your toddler for liking falafel!
Kristin
I just made your baked falafel and ZOMG, they were truly amazing! I have vowed to make these weekly now…it’s like, little crispy bits of Mediterranean paradise in your mouth!
I also blogged about them, giving you credit, if you’re interested. Thanks for the inspiration, I love your blog!
Rana
Sadly this was a complete waste of time! No where does recipe say the state the chickpeas need to be in afte soaking. I soaked mine for 20 hours and started recipe but now that i taste it i see they still are raw. I wish you and mark bittman who i confirmed with on his site mentioned this. I wish u said to cook them.
( two hungry kids and a tired sleep deprived mama sure is miserable:(
Any way to save it?
Kate
Rana, I’m sorry you’re frustrated! The chickpeas are just meant to be soaked (not cooked!), then processed as directed. When you bake the falafel, the chickpeas will lose their raw flavor and texture. They do not need to be cooked before you make the falafel.
rana
So sorry to be a pain, but i would have attempted to bake them had they been malleable. But unfortunately they were just bread crumby. Perhaps the kind of chickpeas here…istanbul…takes longer?
So last question before i throw it all away…should the chickpeas soaked be the same kind of rawness as chickpeas that come from a can? The kind that is ready to toss on a salad? Becuse mine definately were not.
Kate
Rana, sorry again for your troubles. It sounds to me like your chickpeas are plenty soaked to proceed with the recipe. They will be pretty tough, but they break down a bit in the food processor and then they soften up as they bake. They should not be as soft as cooked canned chickpeas—those cooked chickpeas turn the falafel into mush!
Rana
Thanks for quick response and support kate! Well i ended up having to throw the whole thing away… With a heavy heart… And hubbys disapproval. He thinks we could have made falafel omelettes. I still have hope cu i love the idea of baked falafels especially since ramazan is fast approaching. So now my last last question… What kind of consistency does thefinished product need to possess? Mine could not form a ball, just fell apart in hands like rough bread crumbs…hence i didnt even attempt to bake them.
Kate
Rana, it’s been a while since I last made falafel, so I’m not sure how to verbalize how it should feel. I think the photos provide a pretty good idea of the consistency. Unless your chickpeas were really old, they should have been plenty soaked. Maybe you just needed to process the mixture more? Or add a little splash of water? No one else has reported the same problem, so I’m not sure what to suggest. I’m sorry!
Chelsie
Second time I made these and they turned out perfect!! Absolutely loved your recipe as it is very easy, and delicious!! You should make a cookbook!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Chelsie. We’ll see about that cookbook. :)
Allana
I recently made these and while they were crunchy and tasty; they were a tad dry. Besides that, there was the problem of gas issues the next day. I was a bit hesitant using uncooked chickpeas for that reason, but the idea of baked falafels intrigued me. With that in mind; I used chickpeas that were fresh and soaked overnight; so I’m not sure why there was still an issue with gas. I’ll try the recipe again and partially cook the chickpeas instead with some kombu to help with digestion. Nevertheless; a delicious recipe….thank you for sharing!
Dan
My first try for falafel. I’m very impressed. I usually follow the recipe the first time and adjust accordingly. I’m one of those weirdos that thinks that too much cilantro tastes like soap, so my next batch I’m going to cut back a bit but overally very happy. Thank you so much fo rthe recipe! And like Seinfeld says, “cinnimon makes everything taste better.”
Kate
Thanks, Dan! Glad you enjoyed the falafel!
Splashing in Puddles
Oh my Kate – I made these tonight and they are fantastic!!!! You have the seasoning adjusted perfectly. I think they are just as good as the best fried ones I’ve had in restaurants & so much healthier. I made homemade pita bread (which is much easier than it sounds) and so worth the effort. I used this recipe for the pita bread: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pita-bread-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-90844. I’ve never made falafel or any kind of bread before & it all turned out delicious.
Kate
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed them! I have been meaning to try making pita bread for ages. Thanks for sharing your link!
Angela
Do you think it would be ok to blend up the falafel and cook it the next day?
Kate
Yes, I think so!
Aimee
Hi there, just wanted to say thankyou for posting this recipe, I will put this in my “Favourites” recipe book that I have reserved only for the ones I really love! Was easy to make and follow your instructions, I did not have white miso or know where to get it so I just put in some sweet chilli sauce and sour cream, seemed to work!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Aimee! Miso is usually in the refrigerated section near the tofu, but your dressing sounds pretty great without it! :)
amy
I admit to a giant fail with this recipe. Time starved, I both used an equivalent amount of canned (3ish cups) AND neglected to read the comments here, which would have revealed that soaked were essential. I ended up making “falafaritos” with falafel mush, shredded romaine, diced grape tomatoes, diced cucumber and the lovely dressing here. The kids liked it and didn’t realize it was an epic fail and I though it was darn delicious, actually.
Kate
Sorry to hear that, Amy! Glad you made it work, though. This falafel really does depend on soaked beans.
Galina
The best ever falafel recipe! I made triple batch today :) Very tasty and easy to make!
Kate
Thank you, Galina!
Darlene
This looks amazing! I would definitely try making these in the near future! I love falafels but always thought they’d be too complicated to make. I just want to ask where can I get the tahini and white miso? Are they in paste form? Thanks!
Darlene
This looks so good and seems simple enough! I love falafels but always thought it’ll be too complicated to make. I just want to ask where can I find tahini and white miso? Are they in paste form? By the way your blog is like my obsession haha Im so glad I found it! Thanks!!
Kate
Hi Darlene, I’m glad you found my blog! Tahini is either near the peanut butter or in the Middle Eastern section. It’s like peanut butter, made from sesame seeds. Miso is in the refrigerated area near the tofu. It’s a fermented soy bean paste that lasts forever in the fridge. Enjoy!
Al Catraz
Hi,
I know this is an old post…. but I have to correct a mis-concept
You say:
“..I also put a Greek spin on my latest obsession, creamy tahini dressing…”
The word and the product TAHINI is not Greek per-se. The word is from the Arabic T’HINEH or T’HINAH which mean GROUND – as ground sesame seeds.. also T’HIN means FLOUR (which is ground wheat) in Arabic..
I am sure that ground sesame seeds are OLD food – and may have been used around the ancient world, including Greece. But as I stated the word TAHINI is originated in Arabic…. and T’HINEH is more prevalent in Arab/ Middle Eastern cuisine thanit is in Greek… The Greeks prefer TZAZIKI — which is a word from the Turkish… LOL
Kate
Great points, thanks Al.
Maha Abdel-Kawi
In Egypt we make it with cracked broad beans its much lighter. Another tip is to add a table spoon of baking soda it makes it fluffy. You can also make a big amount and freeze the uncooked mixer in individual portions for when you next crave falafel.
Kate
Great tips! Thank you, Maha.
Holly
Do you have the nutritional facts for this recipe?
Kate
I’m sorry, I don’t!
Catherine
Hi Holly – try My Fitness Pal or Calorie Counter for info on nutrition in each ingredient.
Brittney
Another fabulous recipe! Loved everything, great flavor .. baked the falafel on a pan but am totally going to steal a friend’s cast iron next time to try that out. I think the dressing would also be lovely with other salads, or maybe lentils + some raw veggies. Thanks!
Kate
Thank you so much, Brittney! I bet that dressing would be fantastic with lentils and veggies… hmmm….
Mary
Our falafel is in the oven right now and it smells like heaven! They are not very firm though and really wet. We used canned chickpeas. The only think I can think of is maybe I didn’t dry the herbs enough before I added them? Do you think canned vs dried chickpeas really makes a difference? I don’t care how they look we are still eating them they smell soooo good.
Mary
Duh I am so sorry I just saw your note about falafel pancakes. My bad! Do you find it makes a difference how long you soak the chickpeas for?
Kate
Mary, I hope your falafel turned out ok! I just soaked the dried chickpeas for an hour, so I’d stick with that if possible. I bet you could let them soak for a while longer without problems.
Tina
Maybe the dried chickpeas I’m using are a bit old, but I soaked them overnight and they were still too tough to create a smooth (not crumbly) mixture like yours. This is my first time cooking with falafel (or with chickpeas in general) so it’s been a lot of trial and error!
Tom
I made this for the first time tonight. Im not a great cook, but I was making another fried falafel recipe that I wasn’t happy with due to them being mushy. Plus, I’m trying to eat healthier so I was happy to try baking. I was pleased that these were not mushy.
I doubled the recipe and it made 12-2 inch pieces. I think I pulsed a little too long in the food processor because the color was more green than brown. The taste was still great and I would make them again.
I served them with the dill tahini sauce, Greek olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, red onion on romaine lettuce leaves. I thought they were great and I received a few compliments on them.
Kate
Hi Tom! So glad the falafel turned out well for you! Thanks for letting me know. :)
Marsha
I never thought about putting parsley or dill in my tahini sauce. Thanks for the idea. I’m looking forward to making this falafels.
Kate
They really add some delicious fresh flavor! Hope you love the falafel, Marsha.
Jane O'dell
Found your lovely website by chance while looking for a Vegetarian alternative to a Hog Roast at a party we had at the weekend. Made these Falafels with the dressing and they proved so popular that even non-veggies were eating them!! I also tried your Lebanese bean salad with the addition of some Edamame beans and green beans – also delicious.
Thank you – I will be trying some other recipes and have passed on your website to some friends who asked for the recipes!!
Kate
Jane, so glad you found my blog! Happy to hear that the recipes were a hit with your crowd. Thank you for sharing my blog with your friends! :)
Marie-Claire
Now my GoTo recipe for falafel! Excellent. I baked mine on a large round stone, lightly sprayed with olive oil and it worked really well!
Thank you!
Kate
Thank you, Marie-Claire! That’s great to hear!
Nicole
So, I made some falafel so few days ago using another recipe and canned chickpeas. I can honestly say they were the worst thing I have ever tasted and ruined my perfect record of everything I have ever cooked has always tasted great.due to the fact that I love falafel and am on a diet at the moment I decided to give it another try using this recipe with a few tweeks. I can honestly say they were absolutely fantastic. I reduced the garlic to 2 cloves and used spring onion instead to keep it low carb. Cannot recommend this enough but a tip for everyone is don’t use canned chickpeas ever.
Kate
Thank you, Nicole! I’m glad these falafel turned out well for you!
Gayatri
Hi Kate :) Just wondering, do the chickpeas not need to be cooked after soaking? Are the ground as is with the rest of the ingredients?
Kate
You’re correct!
Gayatri
It turned out just amazing!!!! Such good falafel :) Thank you so much for giving us this incredible recipe :)
Kate
Yay! Thanks, Gayatri!
Rajul
I have a falafel recipe on my blog too and will try yours next time!
Emilu
Has this wonderful recipe been tried using black beans? I have some dried black beans and would love to use them. Thanks!!
Kate
That’s an interesting idea! I haven’t heard from anyone who has tried. Please let me know if you do!
Meagan | LifeOutsideOfTexas.com
This turned out soooo good!! I used your recipe and tweaked it based on what I had on hand. I only had canned chickpeas so I ended up using 2 cans and added an egg and 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs. I only had cilantro (no parsley) so I doubled it up and added some lime juice. I also used coconut oil instead of olive. I’ll have to try your recipe when I have those ingredients, but even with the tweaks these were amazing! My fiance said they are the best filafels he’s ever had.
Kate
Hooray, thanks Meagan! Glad you made it work with canned beans!
Frances
I made these a couple of months back and loved them so much that I made another batch to freeze (in two-person portions – I defrost, shape and bake as required). They are perfect as written..
Anyway, so I was having a clear-out of my freezer and found bags of what looked like pesto… so I defrosted and tossed with fusilli and cauliflower. When I tasted it the mint gave it away (I’ve never made pesto with mint!) and I was thrilled to realise that this is also an awesome sauce for pasta or steamed veg, when thinned down with some water.
High five for the multipurpose recipe! Many thanks :)
Kate
Well, that is good to know! Thanks, Frances!
Etie
isnt it funny how you posted this recipe over 3 years ago and you’re still getting rave reviews? I’m going to make it today for the crew and I’m sure they’ll love it. You are a true inspiration! I hope I can get it together and make my site as appealing as yours!
Kate
Thank you, Etie! :)
Cindy
I want to try and make this but for lunch for work. I don’t see any notes about preparing them the day before and storing for lunch the next day. Is this possible? It seems these are meant to be eaten immediately, when warm. Thanks!
Kate
Hi Cindy, I think these will still taste great the next day! I would be happy to eat them reheated or at room temperature.
Rajiv
Hi Kate. 2 to 4 tbsp of oil in a 12″ skillet sounds like there will be a shallow pool of oil at the bottom. Is that fine?
Red
I think that’s fine because they get really nice and crispy with the oil.