Falafel may be king of Middle Eastern street food, but that doesn’t mean you have to travel to enjoy it at its best. Boasting a crisp, golden-brown exterior and a center that’s soft, tender, and packed with chickpeas and fresh herbs, our favorite homemade falafel recipe hits all those classic Middle Eastern flavors and familiar street food vibes. Never made it homemade before? Read on below for all of our top tips on making the perfect falafel at home:
What is falafel?
Falafel, at its essence, is a round, deep-fried fritter, typically made with ground chickpeas and seasoned with fresh herbs and spices. While many countries lay claim to it—including Egypt, Israel, and Palestine—most seem to agree that wherever you’re eating it, it should be accompanied by all the fixings, including fresh pita, salad, and tahini sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 c.dried chickpeas
- 1/2small white onion, coarsely chopped
- 4cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 c.fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 c.fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp.kosher salt
- 1 tsp.baking powder
- 1 tsp.ground coriander
- 1 tsp.ground cumin
- 1/4 c.all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying (6 to 8 c.)
- Tahini sauce, for serving
Directions
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- Step 1
Pour chickpeas into a large bowl and add cold water to cover by at least 2″. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Step 2Drain chickpeas well, pat dry, and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until chickpeas are halfway broken down. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, salt, baking powder, coriander, and cumin and continue to pulse until finely chopped but not pasty. Sprinkle flour over and pulse just until combined.
- Step 3Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or 2 spoons, portion chickpea mixture into 1″ balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Using clean hands, roll each ball, tossing between both hands and lightly squeezing to compress, until smooth and compact (mixture will feel wet). Arrange balls on a clean plate or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Step 4Into a large heavy pot fitted with a deep-fry or candy thermometer, pour oil to a depth of 2″. Heat over high heat until thermometer registers 350°. Set a wire rack in a large baking sheet. Working 6 to 7 at a time, gently lower falafel into oil and fry, adjusting heat as needed, until deeply browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 5Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to prepared rack to cool. Serve warm with tahini sauce alongside.
- Step 1
