Homemade Falafel Recipe

Ingredients

• 200 g (1 cup)dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (see Note 1)
• 1 bunchfresh parsley
• 1 bunchfresh coriander
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 tspground cumin
• 1/2 tspground black pepper
• 1/2 tspsweet paprika, or hot paprika for spicy falafel
• 1/4 tspground allspice
• 1/2 tspground turmeric
• 1/2 tspgarlic powder
• 1/16 tspground cardamom
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tsplemon zest
• 30 ml (2 tbsp)extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tspbaking powder
• as neededcooking spray or vegetable oil, if frying
• 120 g (1/2 cup)tahini (sesame paste)
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 tspsalt
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)cold water
• 300 g (2 cups), choppedtomatoes, multicoloured if available
• 150 g (1 cup), choppedcucumbers, preferably Persian or seedless
• 25 ml (1 tbsp plus 2 tsp)extra-virgin olive oil
• 30–45 ml (2–3 tbsp)freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4–1/2 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   If baking the falafel, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). If you plan to fry them, skip this step.

2. 2

   Prepare the tin

   Generously coat a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

3. 3

   Chop the herbs

   Put the parsley and coriander in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped.

4. 4

   Make the mixture

   Add the remaining falafel ingredients to the food processor and process until they form a slightly coarse dough.

5. 5

   Chill the dough

   Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, refrigerate and leave it to firm up for 20–30 minutes.

6. 6

   Shape the falafel

   Use your hands or a small ice-cream scoop to form small balls or patties.

7. 7

   Fill the tin

   For baking, place each falafel in a cavity of the mini muffin tin. The mixture may be loose, so squeeze it together in your hands and pass it from hand to hand to form a ball. Use about 2 teaspoons of mixture per falafel; a small ice-cream scoop can help you pack and release each portion into the tin (see Note 3).

8. 8

   Oil the falafel

   Generously spray the falafel with cooking oil.

9. 9

   Bake until crisp

   Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.

10. 10

    Deep-fry the falafel

    For frying, fill a small saucepan or deep fryer with oil and deep-fry the falafel for 5–6 minutes, until crisp.

11. 11

    Pan-fry if preferred

    Pan-frying is another option for cooking the falafel.

12. 12

    Note on air frying

    The recipe source says it has not tested cooking these falafel in an air fryer.

13. 13

    Mix the tahini

    To make the lemony tahini sauce, combine the tahini, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl, mixing with a fork. The mixture will thicken into a paste; add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition, until it reaches your preferred consistency. If made ahead, the sauce may thicken in the fridge, so mix in a little more water to loosen it.

14. 14

    Make the salad

    Put the chopped tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and salt, then mix well.

15. 15

    Serve the falafel

    Serve the falafel in pita bread with pickles, tahini sauce and the cucumber and tomato salad. Schug or hummus can also be added to the sandwich.

What is falafel?

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish of seasoned chickpeas shaped into small portions and cooked until crisp. It is often served in pita with sauces, pickles and salad.

This version uses dried chickpeas rather than canned ones, along with plenty of fresh herbs. Baking in a mini muffin tin is offered as an alternative to deep-frying, and the tahini and fresh salad make it easy to serve as a complete sandwich.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 182 calories, 8g protein, 24g carbs, 7g fat.

The chickpeas provide most of the carbohydrates and contribute protein, while tahini and olive oil account for much of the fat. Serve the falafel with the cucumber and tomato salad, and add extra vegetables alongside the pita to round out the plate.

Why use dried chickpeas?

Dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, are the foundation of this recipe; canned chickpeas are not a direct substitute here. The soaked beans are processed with herbs and seasonings into a slightly coarse mixture.

Fresh parsley and coriander bring colour and herbal flavour, while the ground spices add warmth. Lemon zest lifts the mixture, and baking powder is included in the falafel dough.

Getting the mixture ready

Chop the herbs very finely before adding the rest of the ingredients to the food processor. Stop when the dough is slightly coarse rather than completely smooth.

Chilling the mixture for 20–30 minutes helps it firm up for shaping. If it still feels loose, squeeze each portion together and pass it between your hands as directed.

Shaping and cooking

Small portions are easier to shape and cook. The recipe suggests about 2 teaspoons of mixture per falafel, with a small ice-cream scoop as a helpful way to portion and pack it.

For the baked method, place the portions in a generously sprayed mini muffin tin and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes. For deep-frying, cook in hot oil for 5–6 minutes, until crisp; the source also mentions pan-frying but gives no timing or temperature for that option.

Making the tahini sauce

Mix tahini with lemon juice and salt first; it will thicken into a paste. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition, until the sauce is as loose as you like.

The sauce can firm up in the fridge, so stir in a little extra water before serving if needed. Taste and adjust the consistency gradually rather than adding all the water at once.

The salad and serving

The tomato and cucumber salad needs only olive oil, lemon juice and salt, so it can be prepared while the falafel cooks. Mix it shortly before serving to keep the vegetables fresh.

Tuck the falafel into pita with the salad, pickles and tahini sauce. Schug or hummus are suggested extras for a more substantial sandwich.

Recipe notes & tips

• Soak the dried chickpeas overnight before starting the recipe.
• Pulse the herbs finely, but keep the finished falafel mixture slightly coarse.
• Give the mixture the full 20–30 minutes to chill before shaping.
• Use about 2 teaspoons of mixture for each falafel if following the recipe's mini tin method.
• Add water to the tahini sauce one tablespoon at a time so you can control its consistency.
• If the tahini sauce has thickened in the fridge, loosen it with a little more water.

Variations

• Make it spicy: Use hot paprika instead of sweet paprika.
• Use the oven: Bake the portions in a sprayed mini muffin tin at 200°C for 15 minutes.
• Deep-fry: Cook in hot oil for 5–6 minutes, until crisp.
• Add schug: Serve the falafel sandwich with schug for an extra condiment.
• Add hummus: Include hummus in the pita alongside the tahini sauce and salad.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using canned chickpeas: The recipe calls for dried chickpeas soaked overnight, so don't swap in canned ones.
• Skipping the chill: Rest the mixture in the fridge for 20–30 minutes so it can firm up before shaping.
• Making the mixture too smooth: Stop processing once the dough is slightly coarse.
• Adding all the tahini water at once: Stir it in one tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.
• Expecting a firm sauce from the fridge: Tahini thickens when chilled, so mix in a little water to loosen it before serving.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover falafel, tahini sauce and salad separately in covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the falafel in an oven until warmed through; stir a little water into chilled tahini sauce if it has thickened. The recipe does not specify whether the falafel freezes well.

Frequently asked questions