What is Falafel?
Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas and/or fava beans. Traditionally, it is deep fried to yield a crispy texture and often served in a pita. Since I eat falafel so often at restaurants, I wanted a recipe I could make at home and really enjoy. I wanted it to taste traditional, but without being deep fried or labor intensive. I believe I’ve gotten as close as humanly possible without busting out the fryer – a feat I have yet to attempt.
How to Make Falafel
This recipe really threw me for a loop! But after multiple rounds of testing, I believe it’s perfected and ready to be enjoyed by all of you. Simply add chickpeas, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices to a food processor or blender and pulse the mixture until combined. All-purpose flour (or your flour of choice) is added to soak up some of the moisture. Hands on prep is minimal, and the only waiting period is 1-2 hours for chilling the dough (which is optional but recommended). Otherwise, these little gems come together with minimal effort and time. Then they are ready to cook in a large skillet until perfectly browned, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. These falafel are simple:
Require just 10 ingredients (give or take a spice) Come together in a blender or food processorSauté up beautifully in just 5 minutes
What are the ingredients?
Traditionally, falafel is made from dried chickpeas and/or includes fava beans. I opted for a more simple version, using canned chickpeas so you don’t have to wait for the chickpeas to soak overnight or worry about not being able to find ingredients. For flavor, we included fresh parsley (or you can use cilantro in a pinch), garlic, shallots, sesame seeds, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cardamom and coriander can be added to step it up a notch. The magic ingredients for making it crisp up are all-purpose flour (or see recipe for gluten-free alternatives) and avocado oil (for cooking). Panko breadcrumbs are optional and can be used for an even crispier coating.
Flavor Variations
If you want to try other flavor variations, consider adding ground turmeric, DIY Shawarma Spice Blend, or DIY Curry Powder. Or, try cayenne or ground chilies for spicier falafel!
How to Eat Falafel
What is a falafel without a good sauce? My 4-ingredient garlic-dill sauce is not to be missed. While your falafels are cooking, whip this up in just 5 minutes to elevate this dish to the next level of awesome. Trust me on this one – you’re gonna want that sauce. For more sauce & dip ideas, try our:
3-Ingredient Tahini SauceHow to Make Hummus from ScratchMicrowave Hummus Recipe
Serve these in a pita with tomato, onion, lettuce and my garlic-dill sauce and you’re seriously good to go. Hummus and vegetables make an excellent side dish. Otherwise, serve these atop a bed of greens for a lighter option. For more serving ideas, try these recipes:
Ultimate Mediterranean BowlKale Falafel Hummus Wraps (30 Minutes!)
I hope you all love this recipe! It’s: SimpleFlavorfulCrispy on the outsideTender on the insideGarlicky& Super satisfying Who needs take-out when you can make perfectly delicious falafel at home? Prior to this recipe, I’ve made two other falafel recipes for the blog. First were my Better Than Restaurant Falafel, which still rank up there as one of my all-time favorite plant-based recipes! And more recently I made these Baked Falafel Burgers, which are all kinds of hearty and delicious. And since then, I’ve gone falafel-crazy and come up with recipes for Classic Vegan Falafel (Gluten-Free), Kale Falafel Hummus Wraps (30 Minutes!), Simple Vegan Falafel, Smoky Quinoa Black Bean Falafel. Friends, that’s how much I love this stuff. If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment and rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!
