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. ♥
Crispy 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).
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Stephanie
Wow, I tried your recipe for the first time and these falafels are amazing. I doubled the recipe. The fisrt ones I ate were in a pita with romain lettuce and plain greek yogourt. It might seems plain, for a pita sandwich, but it was soooo tasty! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Stephanie!
Debra Zantman
Hi Kate,
I made a trip to Whole Foods last night to buy dry organic chickpeas. I had never used them before. I soaked them for 19hrs in the refrigerator. I made the Falafel tonight for dinner. DELISH!! The mixture was nice and moist and when i flipped them not a single one fell apart. The taste was great! I now can enjoy Falafel more often at home. Thank you so much.
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Debra. I appreciate your review.
DAVE
I would “feel awful” if I didn’t write a 5-star review for these crispy nuggets. I made them exactly as the recipe calls for. I was a bit worried that the patties were too moist when forming them, but they turned out GREAT after baking. I left them in the back of the oven a bit longer to brown properly…like 5 minutes or so. They are perfectly crispy and SO much better for a salad than the hard, fried versions. Awesome, light and full of flavor..!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I’m happy you loved them, Dave.
Deborah
These falafels are simply amazing!!! Not using canned chickpeas made huge difference. Thank you Kate! What’s the best way to reheat them?
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I’m glad you like them. They reheat well in the microwave.
Aliosha
I made these falafels and we loved them. The only difficult part was shaping them… mine looked like cookies! But the taste is to die for.
★★★★★
Liz
Hey! I’ve made these a few times and I always felt the same way before today. This time, I ended up wetting my hands before forming and it turned out better!
Peggy
This is so good – made the felafel salad and dressing and absolutely loved it. Put it in a pita for my husband and he loved it too. Will definitely make it often!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Peggy! Thank you for your review.
Steph
I’ve had fantastic luck with this recipe (thanks Kate!) with canned chickpeas + a bit of chickpea flour to help dry out the mixture. I can go from plugging in the food processor to sliding a tray in the oven in less than 10 minutes. No soaking (or advance planning) needed!
★★★★★
Hannah Brown
What ratio did you use of canned chickpeas to chickpea flour?
Maria Gutierrez
This is the most amazing recipe for falafel. I loved the oven way! I made it today and my home is smell free! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Maria! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Hana
Wouldn’t olive oil used to grease the pan burn? Not recommended to expose olive oil to extreme heat I believe. Maybe sunflower oil is ok since it will only coat the outer parts of the patties.
Kate
Hi Hana, I haven’t had issues with it.
Eva
I doubled the recipe but it only made 12 patties. Maybe the 2 tbs measurement was too big? Also, I shouldn’t have doubled the salt. My mistake. The sauce to go with them is also delicious.
★★★★
Stacy
Question– I did not measure my beans before soaking. Do you have the proportion for soaked chickpeas?
Kate
Hi! Pre saoked. I hope that helps!
Jamie
I just made this and measured that 1 cup dry garbanzos made about 2 1/4 cups of soaked garbanzos.
★★★★★
Kristin
Amazing falafel recipe! This falafel recipe is spot on. They were not dry, stayed together when cooked, tasted great and the are crispy despite being baked. I served them with pita bread, tzatziki, hummus and romaine lettuce. Highly recommended.
★★★★★
Lisa
Hi, I love the way the falafels are fried on the oiled baking sheet. I haven’t been sticking strictly to this recipe, but applying the idea of adding enough oil to the mixture and the baking sheet plus a lot of fresh herbs makes a big difference with any recipe. I’ve got four kids so not frying them the traditional way saves so much time, oil and nerves. :)
★★★★★
Tammy
Wow! Great falafel. I made it this recipe for dinner tonight and the falafel came out perfectly — firm and tasty. I had my doubts when, half-way through cooking, they were still pretty moist and floppy and hard to flip over, but I ended up baking them about 10 minutes longer than the suggested time and they came out golden and perfect. Thanks for another delicious recipe.
Mabel Miller
Made these excellent falafels countless times. I include whatever is around – spinach, dill, hot peppers, spring onions – always great. A small ice cream style scooper makes prep easy. They freeze well. Thank you !
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Mabel! I’m happy you enjoyed them.
Bree
Hi Kate! These were excellent! Falafel is my favorite food and I have never attempted to make it. The flavor was amazing and I will for sure being making this again and again. I do have a question, however. I soaked my chickpeas for 8 hours and when I formed the patties I had a hard time getting them to stick together and flipping them was tricky. Perhaps, I made the mixture too wet somehow? I love this recipe and can’t wait to make it again so any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
★★★★★
Sarah Schtakleff
Thank you for an amazing recipe! We make these at least once per week and they come out perfectly every time.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Sarah! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Nona
My first try at falafel. So good!!! I made your tahini sauce recipe with it. Yum!
★★★★★
lisaannjohnson
This is the most awesome dinner I have made in a long time… and NO meat since it is Good Friday! Thanks!!
lisa j.
Jacqueline
They are super yummy! I just struggle with them sticking to the pan and then I try to get them off and they fall a part a bit. :( Tips?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that Are you sure there is oil getting under the patties? That should help. Let me know how it turns out next time!
Cheryl Kline
Truly awesome recipe, the falafels with your Tahini sauce. I usually don’t write reviews, but just wanted to let you know that I’ve prepared several of your recipes and they have always been TOPS. Thank you.
Kate
I’m glad you did! Thank you for your review.
Judy
Absolutely amazing!!! It definitely makes a difference not using the canned chickpeas and baking them not frying. Thanks!!!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Upali Peiris (Mr.)
A huge thank you Kate from Singapore. Wonderful recipe. Delicious. Being a vegetarian and a health conscious person, I loved the baking part instead of deep frying. I also just brushed a bit of olive oil on the baking tray instead of a 1/4 cup. Thanks again. Cheers
Andrea
Made these for dinner tonight and they were really delicious! Had them with a big salad and made the tahini dressing to go with it (used leftover parsley rather than dill) and it was a great combination! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Peter Hardingham
Made these three times and can never get the mixture to hold together! Always so much liquid that squeezes out when I try to form the patties. Every single time they’re tasty, just not the desired consistency. Help appreciated :)
★★★★
Kate
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. Are you using fresh chickpeas? How long are you soaking them for?
Tanaz
Thanks for the recipe. However, it didn’t really hit it for me. I have tried many different falafels and this just didn’t taste the same. The texture was good. I am not sure if it was the flavour or the fact that it wasn’t fried. It also got stuck to my pan even though I put a lot of olive oil. So I am not sure what it was.
★★★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one, Tanaz. Thank you for your review.
Ana
Every single recipe I tried from you is outstanding, sometimes I don’t even check which website it is and when the food is done and realise it’s sooooo the best thing I had I’m like …searching who it was and… oh yeah that was Cookie and Kate again!
★★★★★
Joy
These are so, so good. The flavor is great and easy to bake. Love that I can freeze them. Yum!!
★★★★★
Kate
Yes, they are a great freezer option!
Deborah
Thank you! All the crispy deliciousness without deep frying!
Deborah
Thank you! All the crispy deliciousnes without deep frying!
★★★★★
Kat
Amazing recipe!!!! Adding to my personal recipe book, and will never need to look for another falafel recipe again. Thank you!
★★★★★
Mara
I’m not sure what I did wrong, I checked the recipe and ingredients 4 times, but mine disintegrated in to puddles. They were tasty puddles, but it ended up being more of a baked falafel spread…
Kate
Hi Mara, it sounds like you had too much liquid. Did you drain the chickpeas after soaking?
Serin Thorp
Hi I want to make these a few days before? Will the mixture last 2 days in the fridge?
Kate
Hi, I don’t recommend letting the mixture set for that long, it will likely change how they bake up. These do make great leftovers so I suggest making them and then reheating as needed. Enjoy!
Brittany
Can you make this recipe with ‘jar’ chickpeas? We live in Portugal where the jar chickpeas are incredible. I usually use them to make homemade hummus… Will they be too moist?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Brittany, Thank you for your feedback! This is really the best method I have found for falafels. Canned do work well for The Best Hummus.
Rosana W.
The best falafel recipe ever! They’re delicious and easy to make! I made some tabouli as well ( btw, got the recipe from your website too and it’s amazing). Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Rosana!
Bekka
Wonderful! We’ve made these baked falafel twice now. I found that it worked better in my food processor to add an extra drizzle of olive oil (maybe an extra teaspoon) to get the chickpeas smooth. My husband doesn’t like cilantro, so the first time we just used more parsley and the second time substituted dill; both were delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing your variations, Bekka. I’m glad these falafels are a hit.
Carol G.
These were fabulous. I ate them with a salad with tahini/tamari dressing and loved them. My husband ate them with sour cream and loved them. Definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds delicious, Carol! Thank you for your review.
Frances White
Please carify: you DON’T cook the chickpeas even after soaking?
I soaked mine all night (but forgot to put them in the fridge). They’re raw, edible (al dente!) but taste kind of green. Go ahead and make the felafel without cooking?
Kate
Hi, no need to cook before. They will cook when you put them in the oven. I hope you enjoy them!
Alexy
Amazzzzzing taste!!! However, I think I may have done something wrong as the consistency of my falafels are a bit ashy. I looked back on the ingredients and everything is right, so I have no clue what I did! Have any tips for me or ideas on what I did wrong? Thanks!!!
★★★★
Shravani Bobde
So ridiculously salty! I normally love cookieandkate’s recipe but this was a bust. Very salty, terrrible!
★
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this one. How much salt did you add?
angie
Any suggestions as to how to make these without oil? I’m oil free at the moment, but craving falafel!
Kate
I don’t, sorry. I hope you can find something that works!
Joan
Hello, am I missing something?! The chick peas are soaked but surely they also cooked before putting them in the food processor with the other ingredients and .along the patties? Tks.
Kate
Hi Joan, the are cooked in the oven once they have become patties. I hope this helps!
Quinn Adams
I made this recipe today and was so amazed at how awesome the falafel turned out! I was a little concerned that my chickpeas didn’t soak long enough (I soaked them roughly 6 hours), but they turned out perfectly! I plan to pass this recipe along to everyone I know! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Quinn! I’m happy you liked them.
Hayley Anderson
Yum! Made this and chopped up veggies and lettuce and some of your tahini sauce to go with! I loved it! Pretty easy too- I just had to remember to get the chickpeas soaking.
★★★★★
elizabeth hirst
Hi there! I am looking forward to trying to make this recipe. I am wondering if I double it, do you think the falafel’s would freeze well? I am thinking of freezing before cooking. Suggestions?
Kate
Hi! Yes, just double everything and need more baking sheets. These do freeze well once baked. Enjoy!
Clara
Can you make this recipe with canned chickpeas?
Thanks!
Kate
You won’t have the best results. This recipe requires dried and then soaked chickpeas.
Katie
I have made this recipe about a hundred times. I figured I should leave a review. I normally don’t review recipes but I needed to let you know how much I love this recipe. It comes our perfectly every time. I know it’s going to be great but I am still so happy every time it tastes so delicious. Also I love that it’s not fried so I feel so much better about eating it. Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
George Bennett
Nice blog
★★★★★
Erica
I’ve probably left a comment about these before, but just in case – folks, you will NEVER try and make falafels from those store bought mixes again. I’m all for convenience but I always found falafels kind of “meh” or I’d eat them the first day when fresh but find them gross the next day. THESE are gorgeous, fresh, delicious little balls of protein and happiness that are truly a gift. I am about to make a second batch now that my parsley has come in (survived through the winter in this Ontario, Canada garden)! Thanks Kate for always having the best vegetarian recipes for this girl who struggles to pick her 1-2 vegetarian meals every week. You’re a life-saver!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Erica! Thank you for your review.
Lisa Weaver
Love your recipes!
Can these be made without oil?
Kate
Sorry, you need the oil to get these crispy.
Wendi
These were amazing! I lived in the Middle East for a long time and have been searching for a way to recreate falafel without frying them! These were perfect. These are now on regular rotation in our house along with your tabbouleh recipe.
★★★★★
Jennifer
These are fantastic! Super-easy and healthier with less oil. I used my #40 cookie scoop and then pressed each mound down – so speedy. I’m happy to have this recipe!
★★★★★
Molly J.
Perfect in every way! I have made these twice in the last week – once with your Greek salad and once with your broccoli salad. Thank you, as always, for the great recipes!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Molly! Thank you for your review.
Yukti Rao
I have been making these falafels for years now and I have tried other recipes but nothing tastes like this and I love them and so does my son.
★★★★★
Suzanne Algie
I can’t tell you how many recipes i have tried for falafel, all were epic fails until this one, thank you so much!
Kate
I’m delighted you loved this one, Suzanne!
Becca
As I was shaping these and putting on the pan I really thought they were a total write-off. I was so wrong though! The mixture was quite wet after blending. I even tried to add a bit of chickpea flour. As I put them in the oven I figured that they’d fall to pieces when I flipped then and I’d end up with falafel crumble, but I was pleasantly surprised that they were firm when I flipped them. They turned out crispy on both sides with good flavor. I’ve been proven wrong! I may have soaked my chickpeas too long, so will soak for a shorter amount of time on the next try. I’ll also add that the first time I made these I didn’t have soaked chickpeas so made them with canned plus some chickpea flour. They came out “OK”, but I can tell the difference with using soaked chickpeas this time around.
★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you ended up enjoying them, Becca!
Susan Cuthbert
Hi Kate,
Last time I tried to make these the felafel fell apart, but this time I paid closer attention to your method and they worked out very well – held their shape and baked well. I had doubled the recipe (with some guesswork about the volume of chick peas as I soaked a whole packet full) and had to blend it quite a while in the food processor before it got smooth enough (not what I would call smooth – just less rough). Thank you! Great not to have to deep-fray.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you tried them again and enjoyed them, Susan! I appreciate your review.
Lynne Marie Sullivan
This healthy falafel using uncooked garbanzos is amazing. It has a nice mild flavor, but would use more parsley and less cilantro next time, and increase the herbs a bit.
A blender or bona fide food processor would work a lot better than my wand blender really which struggled with the beans. I placed parchment paper on the baking sheet and reduced the amount of oil to 2 Tablespoons. I think I could have used even less and still gotten the golden brown color. I served them on pita with tzatziki sauce… perfect!
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your comment and review, Lynne!
Catherine Mandel
Wonderful taste, didn’t fall apart when flipping!! Only thing is making the patties was messy, I had to use a large spoon to help get it on the baking sheet. Is there anything I can add to help the mixture stick a bit more?? Otherwise, my husband and I loved it!!!
★★★★
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you loved it, Catherine. Thank you for your review.
Helen
I cooked a pound of chickpeas that I had soaked overnight. So, how much of those cooked chickpeas should I use for this recipe?
Kate
Hi, this is meant to be used with soaked and not cooked. That’s how it worked the best for me.
Krystyna
Thank you so much for wonderful recipes that are easy, nutritious and delicious! I’ve already made a couple of your dishes and they all turned out amazing. Made these falafels the other day and they were great. Now I’m actually planning to make them for my wedding reception as appetizers.
Will they be as flavorful and delicious if I freeze them?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! I find they taste great, even frozen. I love the idea of a wedding appetizer!
Gloria Shah
These came out crisp and tasting great!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Gloria! Thank you for your review.
Allison
Two questions: how many adults does 1x the recipe feed? I’m looking at feeding a of about 10 and not how many times the recipe to make.
Also, can these be baked ahead of time and reheated or better to make and bake right before eating? Can they be warmed in the oven to keep their crispness of will they dry out?
Kate
Hi Allison, that is in the description before the recipe ingredients. I also have more about freezing in the the post and comments. :)
Rycia Cardenas Mantua
Curious, should i bake before freezing? Or can i freeze right after forming them into patties?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi, bake first and then freeze. I hope this helps!
owl
do you cook the chickpeas after soaking ?
Kate
Hi! They cook once you make them into the patties and place them in the oven. I hope you enjoy them!
Anonymous
Thank you. I tried them and they where very nice and my sisters licked them (tho they where crumbly because I’d already cooked the chickpeas). Have a nice day :)
Emma
I was shocked at how easy and delicious these were. I must admit I was skeptical because how could a healthy baked version be as good as the traditional fried one? It really is!
I read many of the comments and found the tips helpful. I soaked the chickpeas 18 hours, I added a tbsp of fresh lemon juice and increased the added olive oil from 1 tbsp to 2. Once everything was buzzed in the food processor I stuck it in the fridge for ½ hour while I made the Miso and Tahini sauce (also a winner). I used convection bake for extra crispiness. I had no problem with them holding together and they didn’t fall apart when turned, used a scooper and parchment paper. Thank you for the great recipes!
Jessica WintonLi
Hi I have tried this recipe a couple of times and they taste great but can’t get the mix to stay together for actual falafels. Any thoughts?
Kate
Hi, how long are you soaking the chickpeas for and are the newer chickpeas or fresher chickpeas? Chickpeas can vary so much.
Jessica Li
The first time was for four hours but the next time was overnight! Not sure how new they are as they are in a package; is there a way to tell?
Kate
Hi Jessica! I would check the date on the package. That should help some.
Samantha
I haven’t made falafel before as my youngest son doesn’t like them, but thought I’d try this recipe. I often find some have a weird aftertaste. So, I made these last night and they were absolutely delicious and my son loved them, as well as the rest of my family. Very fresh tasting, no aftertaste, and very easy. Thank you, and I’ll definitely be making them again. I’m also happy that the internet does conversions for pounds to grams, this really helps.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad they were a hit with your son too! I appreciate your review, Samantha.
Suze
Messed this up spectacularly! I thought the mixture was too dry when I rolled the balls, but I thought ‘hey ho, let’s see how it goes’. Moral of the story: trust your instincts! Flavour … fabulous. Finished product … disaster! I’ll give it another go and up date you!
★★★★★
Kate
Oh no! yes, please try and get and let me know how they turn out.
Shreya
Love this recipe!
Can this be fried as well if I want?
Emma
I managed to make these perfectly with canned chickpeas – just added 2 tsp of cornstarch to hold it together a bit more. Also I didn’t have cilantro or parsley on hand but used near equal amounts of mixed spice, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, sage, moroccan seasoning with black pepper and salt. soooo yummy!!
★★★★★
Aviva
Hey Kate! My chickpeas have been soaking already for about 15 hours, and they are really hard still! Like marbles. They have doubled in size, but I am worried they will be too tough. Usually when I cook with dried chickpeas I cook them first… Are they supposed to be this hard still?
Kate
They sound like they may be older. I’m sorry you are having difficulty!
Joli
I love this recipe. Made several times. I do not have a way to get to grocer but once per month. I have lighthouse freeze dried cilantro and dried parsley. Can I use these in lieu of Fresh? It so would 2 1/2 Tablespoon each be equivalent or need more?
★★★★★
Kate
I haven’t tried with dried, so I can’t say for sure. Sorry! If you try, please let me know what you think.
Paul
Hi, any idea how this would turn out using dried cilantro and parsley instead of fresh?
Kate
For best results, I recommend fresh herbs.
Aviva
Mine all fell apart during baking :( They still tasted good, although were a little dry and very crumbly. Any idea what I may have done wrong?
I soaked the chickpeas for about 15 hours…they were still pretty hard when I put in the food processor
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that! Chickpeas can vary sometimes.
Carly
Hi! Great recipe! I am freezing mine, how would you suggest I defrost (fridge or counter) and reheat? Thanks!!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! Defrost in the refrigerator for food safety and you can gently reheat oven, stove or microwave.
carly
thank you! how long do you recommend in the oven to avoid drying out and what temperature?
Kate
Hi Carly, all the instructions are in the recipe card below the post.
AP
These were phenomenal! I recommend soaking the chickpeas for no less than 24 hours. I’ve made these twice (first time soaked for only 8 hours, second time 24 hours) and the 24 hours one were much better. I also increased the olive oil in the mix a little bit the second time and added some fresh lemon juice and cut down the cinnamon a smidge. Love these, will be making them again!
★★★★★
Viva
Great method, these turned out excellent!
I spiced them differently (personal taste) and I added some baking soda to the soaking water to soften them further. A 24 hour soak is best, makes a big difference.
Thank you for another fantastic recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Viva! I’m delighted you enjoyed this recipe.
Lisa
Don’t think I can go back to store bought falafels after this. Great flavour and never dry! I like to make them a little bigger and use them as burger patties
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Lisa!
Susan
I love cilantro but my family hates it. Can it be replaced with basil or something else?
Kate
Parsley can be a good alternative to cilantro. I hope your family loves them!
clare howe elliott
If the mix is too loose:mix in some liquid from a tinned chick peas…it acts as a binding.
Gina
How would you reheat these. They are amazing!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Microwave works great with these!
Carolyn
I loved this! Instructions are so explicit, it was a success!
Nicole
Found this recipe today and tried it. One of the best falafel recipes I have made, worked perfectly. I was dubious of the cinnamon addition as I thought it might be overpowering (I also added some paprika) but I added it as the recipe suggests and found it created a good depth of flavour. I didn’t add all the oil on the tray, I used some baking paper and just brushed the paper with oil in the beginning and the falafel after turning half way. Still crispy enough for me without too much oil.
Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you will make this falafel recipe again, Nicole! I appreciate your review.
Destiny Trejo
Is all of the olive oil combined with the ingredients in the food processor? 1/2 cup
Kate
Hi Destiny, see step 1 and 2. You only need 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon for a single recipe.
Chloe
This falafel recipe was so yummy! Highly recommend adding garlic powder, onion powder, a little bit of cayenne pepper (decided to not add cinnamon), and juice of one lemon to the falafel mixture. My husband and I ate these in pitas with tzatziki sauce and pickled cucumbers and onions :p
★★★★★
Jackie
I’m from Israel and I love your recipie! It is so easy to make and freeze to have on hand :)
Its so great that they are baked!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Jackie!
Shashi
Love this recipe. I have made falafels few times now and my family loves it. It is crispy and tasty. Could not believe that homemade falafels can be so good. We make falafel wraps every fortnight now.
Could you help me know how to freeze them, thanks!!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! Bake, cool and then freeze in a freezer safe container.
Rebecca
Delicious! I’ve made this recipe 3 times already and bookmarked it for future reference. I’ve used a combo of whatever herbs are looking good in the garden, usually parsley, dill, and chives. I love falafel wrapped in warm flatbread with tzatziki, onions, tomato, and lettuce (+/- feta if I have some). Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Rebecca! I’m glad you love it.
Allison
These are so great! I love that the recipe doubles or triples easily so my family can pack leftovers for lunch! A tip for others – if you forget to soak the beans ahead of time, use the instapot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes then natural release. Voila! Presoaked beans!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved them, Allison! Thank you for your review.
Kristen
Oh my god this was delicious. My food processor is really small so I had to do it in batches and it didn’t completely mix,but still. I could not stop eating!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you enjoy these falafels, Kristen!
Sylvia
Sounds good but can I use canned chick peas instead?
Kate
This recipe is meant for dried. Canned won’t work the same way and hold together.
Bonnie Crickett
Hi,
just to confirm, Do I cook the chickpeas after soaking?
Thanks
Kate
Hi Bonnie, they will cook once they are in patties in the oven. I hope you love it!
Emily
I make these on a regular basis. I have yet to taste a better falafel (and I’ve been to many a falafel joint). I have even converted a few falafel haters with these. Highly highly recommend this recipe.
★★★★★
Blanca
Oh my gosh Kate, so okay I made the crispy falafel and I have to say, “THEY ROCK !!! “. They’re so delicious and easy to make. I cook a lot of Lebanese food and this recipe is a must keep recipe.
Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Blanca! Thank you for your review.
Elana Marks
This falafel recipe has to be the best one I’ve ever made. We doubled the recipe for a little Football Sunday falafel party, and it was a huge hit and is so easy. I used dried and soaked chickpeas for the first time, and it was a game changer. They crisped up amazingly well in the oven and tasted great! We paired with homemade pita, pickled veggies, tzaztiki, tahini, and a salad. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
Sabrina
Made this recipe and it came out awesome! Tasted amazing and I actually made it in a rush and forgot the cinnamon, but was still delicious. One change I made though was boiling the soaked chickpeas before putting them in the food processor or blender, so that I could scoop out the white soap stuff from the chickpeas and make them easier to digest. Would definitely recommend that step, and it also helped make it easier on my blender!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad they still worked out well for you that way, Sabrina! Thank you for your review.
Joel
These are so good! Like I’m obsessed. I will make these many times. I added a bit of cayenne as well. I love this blog.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Joel! I appreciate you sharing your experience.
Katherine
Hi Kate, how can I make these without a food processor? Would a blender work?
Kate
Hi! Yes, be sure not to over blend. I hope you love it!
Katherine
Could you please confirm the amount of red onion?
The recipe states: ½ cup roughly chopped red onion (about ½ small red onion)
Isn’t 1/2 cup of red onion very different to 1/2 a small red onion? For half a cup, wouldn’t I need a whole large red onion?
Kate
Hi Katherine, For what I used, it was roughly the same quantity. Be sure to use 1/2 cup.
Rocky
[n]ever made it but going to give it a try tonight…√••✓`
Kate
Let me know what you think, Rocky!
Phuong Hoang
Hi! Can I use canned chickpea?
Thank you so much
Kate
Hi, unfortunately this doesn’t work well with canned chickpeas. If you try it as written, let me know what you think!
Luberta
I liked the air frying with these. We did not do all the same spices since my hubby has been having digestive issues. Definitely do the 13 minutes per side for better results.