Ingredients
- 1 cup dried & soaked (or 15 oz canned) Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
- 1 cup, chopped Parsley
- 2 large Garlic Cloves
- 0.5 cup, chopped Onion
- 1.5 teaspoons Salt (I use Kosher)
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 0.25 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Tablepsoon Flour (I use All-Purpose)
- 1 Lemon
- 0.5 cup (for frying) Avocado Oil
To Serve Along The Falafel Patties
- Hummus
- Tzatziki
- Red Leaf Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Radishes
- Naan Bread
- Parsley
- Fresh Mint Leaves
Directions
Homemade chickpea falafel patties are easier to make than you think!
Falafel were invented in the Middle East and are one of Israel’s national dishes.
Made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or a mixture of the two, falafel is typically served as deep-fried balls or patties.
In spring 2016, my husband and I traveled to Europe and spent 5 amazing days in Barcelona.
We didn’t have a big agenda while we were there but I did have 1 place that was an absolute must for me – Mercado de La Boqueria.
It’s a giant food market that has all kinds of produce, prepared foods and more.
The options were somewhat overwhelming so we decided on this Mediterranean stand that served falafel, rice and more.
The flavors were phenomenal and the dish had a ton of colors, which I loved.
I’ve had falafel many times before but had never attempted to make them at home before this trip.
I tested this recipe with both canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and dried that I soaked for a good 17 hours.
Both work but I much prefer the outcome with the dried and soaked beans.
This recipe makes 13 falafel patties and feeds 4-5 people.
Click below for additional recipes that pair great with these chickpea falafel patties!
Steps
1 Done | Soak Your Garbanzo Beans The Day BeforeIf you are using dried garbanzo beans, which I highly recommend, add 1 cup of the dried beans to a large bowl and add 4 cups of cold, filtered water. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow it soak for 12-24 hours. When you are ready to use them, drain them well. |
2 Done | Make The Falafel MixtureFirst, get your ingredients ready. If you are using canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them well. Roughly, chop your garlic cloves and onion. Finely chop the parsley, zest and cut your lemon in half and get your spices and other dry ingredients ready: salt, pepper, cumin, baking soda and flour. Add the garbanzo beans to your food processor or blender along with the chopped parsley, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, cumin, baking soda, flour, lemon zest and the juice of 1/2 a lemon then blitz on high until the mixture is smooth. You will need to stop your food processor or blender about 3-4 times and scrape down the sides to ensure no large chunks are being left behind. The mixture should be fine with some texture (see above image). You can now form these into patties and fry them up or cover and refrigerate this mixture for 30-60 minutes. If you allow it to rest for a bit, the flavors will develop more. |
3 Done | Pan Fry the Falafal PattiesGrab a large skillet (with high sides) and add about 1/2 cup of avocado oil to your skillet. I love using my cast iron skillet for this. I recommend using avocado oil as it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Turn your skillet to high until the oil is hot then lower the heat to medium or medium-high. Using an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out equal amounts of the mixture and form them into patties then carefully transfer them into the hot oil for frying. I recommend placing the formed patties onto a spatula then placing them in the hot oil so you do not burn yourself. Fry 3-4 patties at one time. If the oil seems too hot and is splashing, lower the heat a bit. Fry the falafel patties for 2 minutes on each side then transfer them onto a paper-towel lined plate. |
4 Done | ServeI highly recommend serving these falafel patties with hummus, tzatziki, fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber and radish as well as a ton of greens and herbs like fresh parsley, mint and lettuce. Click below for additional recipes that pair great with these Chickpea Falafel Patties! |
5 Done | StoreYou can store these falafel in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. |
17 Comments Hide Comments
I love falafel and have always been intimated to make them (idk why!) but your recipe looks very straightforward and the way you presented it along with the accompainements looks extremely healthy – very much looking forward to trying now! Thanks for sharing!
What a beautiful plate. Falafel is such comfort food! Lovely.
I love Mediterranean flavors and this recipe looks so easy to make. What would you recommend replacing the all purpose flour with for someone who was paleo?
These sound so flavorful! Great dinner change up! Thanks!
I absolutely love falafels and yours look delicious! Love the presentation as well. Just gorgeous!
I love that there’s enough fresh parsley in this to turn them green! So vibrant!
I wonder why you liked the soaked version better…was it a texture thing? Falafels are the bomb!!
Beautiful recipe Joni! So colorful and healthy!
I would love to visit Barcelona someday! You’ve captured your memories beautifully with this recipe.
I’ve never tried making falafel before but now I want to! Yours look perfect and I love how you’ve served them with hummus and fresh veggies! Yum!
I haven’t made falafels in ages! Thanks for reminding me how delicious they are. 🙂
I lived in Barcelona for a month – la boqueria was one of my fave places to visit 🙂 These patties look delish!
These falafel look amazing. I’m going to try this recipe because every time I’ve tried to make them in the past they fall apart!
I love falafel, though have only made them only a couple of times. I love that your recipe can use canned chickpeas! Pinning to try soon…
Falafels are delicious and very nutritious and I love to cook them every once in a while. Never soaked the beans though, always use canned. !:)
I’ve been using my air fryer a lot lately and wonder how they’d do, in an effort to eliminate the frying portion of the recipe
Hi Cheryl! Yes, I do believe these would work on the air fryer as well! Lightly spray with avocado oil before placing them into the air fryer. Let me know how it turns out!