Are you looking for a delicious and easy way to enjoy falafel at home? Look no further than this homemade falafel recipe! With just a handful of ingredients, you can make crispy and flavorful falafel that is sure to impress your family and friends. Plus, making it at home means you can customize the seasoning and spice level to your liking.
Falafel can be served on its own or with accompaniments such as tahini sauce, hummus, pickles, vegetables, and pita bread. It is also often used as an ingredient in salads and wraps. Additionally, falafel can be used to make burgers or sandwiches for a healthy alternative to traditional fast food options.
What is Falafel?
Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish that is made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. It is usually served as a vegetarian appetizer or main course and can be found in restaurants and street vendors around the world. The ingredients are typically mixed together with herbs and spices such as cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, and parsley before being deep-fried or baked. The result is a crunchy exterior with a soft interior that makes for a delicious snack!
Origins of the Falafel Recipe
The exact origin of the falafel recipe is unknown, but it is believed to have been around for centuries. From a lexical perspective, the word falafel really originates from the Arabic words felfel or mlaaff.
The earliest known reference to falafel can be found in Egypt from the 13th century CE. It was likely brought to Egypt by Coptic Christians who migrated from Israel. From there, the dish spread throughout the Middle East, becoming popular in countries like Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
Falafel is found all over the world. It has become so ubiquitous that it’s even been adapted into vegan recipes using ingredients like black beans or mushrooms instead of chickpeas or fava beans. No matter how you make it though, one thing remains true: falafel is delicious!
The smoke point of olive oil is not high enough to use it to fry falafel. To preserve the falafel when making homemade falafel recipe, use a condiment with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, avocado, or canola oil.
Preparing homemade falafel recipe requires a few particular steps to ensure the falafel is flavorful and seasoned to perfection.
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Delicious Homemade Falafel Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6
Description
Making your own falafel is actually quite simple and requires only a few ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Chickpea
- 2 tablespoons Falafel Spices Mix
- 1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tablespoons Flour
- 3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
- 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, stems removed
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- Graines de sésame
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp ground coriande
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4–6 cups Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- It’s important that your chickpeas are soaked for at least 12 hours prior to making your homemade Falafels. Chickpeas should be easy to crunch and waterlogged.
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Chop the onion, garlic, parsley, mint into small pieces. Place all of the vegetables into a large bowl and mix them with a spoon.
- Use a food processor or chopper and add the chickpeas, falafel spices, and add the mixture from the bowl, baking soda and salt and grind or process until the mixture reaches the consistency of a paste. You can add more water or flour if it is too hard or too liquid.
- Once the ingredients have been ground or processed, turn off the food processor and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Cover and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes so the flavors can meld together. After the 20 minutes have passed, your homemade falafel mixture is ready to be shaped and fried.
- Using your hands, form the paste into small patties. Alternatively, you can also use a spoon to scoop out small amounts of the paste and form them into small patties. Make sure that the patties are uniformly shaped and about the same size.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and place the formed patties onto making sure to leave some space between each one or use a deep fryer.
- Serve them hot with yougurt sauce or spread mint leaves on top with pita bread and diced tomatoes.
Notes
Form small patties with your hands or use an ice cream scoop to portion out the mixture into balls.
Soak your chickpeas in water for at least 12 hours the night before!
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Homemade Falafel Recipe FAQs
What is falafel mix made of?
Falafel mix is a combination of spices, herbs, and dried chickpeas or fava beans. It is typically made up of a blend of cumin, coriander, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. The mix can also include other ingredients such as onion powder, red pepper flakes, parsley flakes, and baking soda. This combination of spices creates a flavorful base for the falafel that can be further enhanced with fresh herbs like cilantro or mint.
The chickpeas or fava beans are usually soaked overnight in water before being blended with the spices to create the falafel mix. The mix should be blended until it reaches a thick paste-like consistency that can easily hold its shape when formed into patties. Once the mixture is ready, it can be used to form falafel patties that can then be fried in oil or baked in an oven.
Why can’t you use canned chickpeas for falafel?
Canned chickpeas are not ideal for making falafel because they are already cooked and soft. Falafel is traditionally made with uncooked, dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight. This is because the dry chickpeas absorb more liquid, resulting in a firmer texture and a better flavor when fried. Additionally, the canned variety can be too soft and mushy when fried, resulting in a less pleasant texture. Therefore, if you want to make authentic falafel, it is best to use uncooked, dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight.
Is falafel healty food? Is it good for you or bad for you?
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern food that is high in protein and fiber. It can be a healthy choice when made with whole grains and fresh ingredients, such as chickpeas, herbs, and spices. However, it can also be unhealthy if it is deep-fried in oil or made with processed ingredients.
Overall, falafel can be a healthy option when prepared properly. It is low in fat and calories and provides essential nutrients like iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and B vitamins. Additionally, the chickpeas used to make falafel are a good source of plant-based protein.
If you are looking for a healthy meal option, try making your own falafel at home using whole grains and fresh ingredients. This way you can control the amount of oil used in preparation and ensure that your falafel is as nutritious as possible.
Why does my falafel taste bitter?
Bitter-tasting falafel is usually the result of one of two issues. The first is that the ingredients used in the falafel mix are not fresh. If you’re using pre-packaged or canned ingredients, they may be past their prime and thus impart a bitter flavor to your falafel. The second issue could be that you’re overworking the dough when forming it into balls.
Overworking the dough can cause bitterness because it breaks down the starches in the flour and releases bitter compounds. To avoid this, try to work with the dough as little as possible when forming it into balls. Another main reason could be if you use olive oil for fry is it has a low smoke point.
Why do you add baking soda to homemade falafel recipe?
Baking soda is a key ingredient in falafel because it helps to make the mixture light and fluffy. The alkaline nature of baking soda helps to break down the proteins in the chickpea flour, which gives the falafel a lighter texture. Additionally, baking soda helps to neutralize any acidity in the ingredients, resulting in a better flavor. Finally, baking soda is an effective leavening agent that helps give falafel its signature airy texture. Overall, adding baking soda to falafel is essential for achieving the desired result of light and fluffy patties.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. If you have specific healthcare concerns or questions about the products displayed, please contact your licensed healthcare professional for advice or answers.
