Easy, homemade and authentic Lebanese falafel recipe is the best. Fried with a crispy and crunchy texture and it will give you the savory, grainy, and herbaceous flavor that will make you in love with this handheld Arab snacks. Packed with protein, 100% vegan, and gluten-free.
Today, I am super excited to share the authentic falafel recipe that I took from the Lebanese grandmother of my friend. It’s a chef's twisted recipe who sells falafel on the old street of Beirut. Popular appetizer of Middle Eastern cuisine! Purely vegan and rich in protein.
Here are some more recipe ideas for your next meal: Shish Tawook, Chicken Kabsa, Chicken Mandi, and Semolina Pudding (same as Layali Lubnan).
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What is Falafel?
Falafel is the most popular Arabic deep-fried snack prepared with ground chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) with the addition of fresh herbs and spices. Now it’s a worldwide trending appetizer that people love to make in every corner of the world due to its unique taste. Lebanese falafel can easily find on every street food as it’s a traditional fritter of Arab people and comes in one of the most popular Arab snacks.
I am a true falafel lover and tried it in every form like fried, baked, and recently made falafel in an air fryer which was awesome in taste. When it comes to preparing the best authentic falafel at home with the same texture and flavor that we eat in restaurants and street food then this recipe is perfect to share. To be very honest, before sharing this recipe, I have tried so many version and this is the best recipe for falafel.
How Falafel Looks & Taste?
Falafel is crispy from the outside and the inside is full of green chickpea which is soft, grainy, and savory in taste. The nutty taste of chickpea falafel balls pairs well with hummus and tahini sauce. So try this recipe step by step and note the important tips to fry crispy falafel. It’s best to watch video recipe to get quick directions.
Is Falafel Street Food Snack?
It's a middle eastern snack recipe that people love to eat. You can also call it a famous street food recipe available at every corner in the Arabian region. Made with ground chickpeas with the addition of herbs and spices, deep-fried in a form of balls and Patti. Served with a simple sauce (hummus or tahini sauce) or wrapped with pita bread that makes it more tasty and scrumptious.
As Ramadan is just around the corner so you can prepare this Lebanese-style crispy falafel recipe for Iftar and suhoor that will keep you filled and energetic throughout the day.
Falafel Ingredient
Dried Chickpeas: used organic dried chickpeas and soaked in water for 8 to 9 hours to get the soft grain of chickpeas. Fully soaked chickpeas will double in size and easily break with a hand press.
Onion: used red onion which is the same as yellow onion in flavor but you can also use white onion to get more strong spicier and pungent flavor.
Spices: add salt and black pepper also add cumin, coriander, and paprika which makes a perfect seasoning with chickpeas.
Herbs: Freshly chopped cilantro/coriander used with green chilies to add spice to chickpeas.
Grated Garlic: To add a garlicky flavor used freshly grated garlic. Garlic powder will not replace the flavor of fresh garlic clove.
Fresh Lemon Juice: It will add a savory and citric taste to falafel.
All purpose flour: It will help to bind the ground chickpeas to form a patty.
Baking soda: Little addition of baking soda will add a magic twist to get soft, fluffy, and chewy falafel.
Oil for frying: used any vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil for frying.
How to Make Lebanese Falafel
Making the Lebanese Falafel recipe at home is so simple and easy. You can try it even if you are a beginner. To make my recipe for falafel balls, I took dried chickpeas and soaked them in water (overnight soaking is recommended).
1) Soaking of Dried Chickpeas
Take 2 cups of dried chickpeas and soaked in water for 8 hrs. After 8 hrs, check the chickpeas if it breaks while pressing with a hand then the chickpeas are ready to process.
2) Prepare Falafel Mix
Now in a bowl, place the soaked chickpeas with other ingredients. Add onion (chopped), Coriander / Parsley, chopped green chilies, grated garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, salt, and paprika powder. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and add baking soda with all-purpose flour (maida). Mix all the ingredients properly. Now shift to the blender to give it a good blend. Make sure to coarsely blend the chickpea mixture.
Rest the mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to get settled. Take it out and make chickpea balls. (Make sure the balls are without cracks).
3) Deep Frying
In a deep pan, add oil for deep frying. Preheat the oil to 350 F and add Falafel balls one by one. Don't overcrowd. It's a best practice to fry in batches. Now fry the falafel balls until it gets a dark golden color. Take out on absorbent paper.
Take it out and serve it with hummus or tahini sauce.
Falafel Recipe Video
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Easy Tips For Homemade Falafel
- Use dried chickpeas to make authentic crispy falafel. Don't use canned or frozen chickpeas to make crispy Falafel.
- Overnight soaking of dried chickpeas will give crispy, moist, and fluffy falafel grain.
- The addition of all purpose flour will bind the grains and it will perfectly fry without melting in oil and remain in a thick shape after frying.
- Don’t skip baking powder as it will help to make thick and fluffy falafel. Don’t overuse the baking powder otherwise the falafel may break in oil.
- When making falafel patty/ball then make sure there should not be any crack otherwise the falafel may break after frying.
- Rest the falafel mixture for 01 hour at a cool place to settle all the ingredients.
- Deep fry falafel at medium heat.
- Not a big fan of canned chickpeas to prepare crispy falafel.
How to Store Falafel
You can store falafel in two ways: Before cooking and After cooking
- Before Cooking: Make falafel balls and lined them in a tray and keep them in the freezer to get hard. Once the balls get hard then place them in a plastic bag or airtight container to store in the refrigerator. You can store it for 2 to 3 weeks. When you need it, take it out and microwave it for few minutes, and then fry/bake as per your requirements.
- After Cooking: To store after cooking, keep it in an airtight container and refrigerate for 02 weeks. Once you need it, take it out and microwave it for few minutes and it's ready to eat.
What to Serve With Falafel
You can serve falafel hot and cold (room temperature) in both ways. I personally like to serve hot falafel with hummus or tahini sauce. I love to serve with baba ganoush.
You can also make,
- Falafel Wrap,
- Shawarma with Falafel,
- Falafel burger,
- Sandwich or
- try falafel pizza.
On the sides, add roasted tomatoes, baked French fries, Lebanese pickles, and Fattoush. Pita bread pairs up well if you make falafel wrap or a sandwich.
Alternative FalaFel Cooking Methods
Baked Falafel
It’s healthy to have baked falafel rather than deep-fried. To make this, place aluminum foil on a baking tray and sprayed it with olive oil. Now place the falafel balls on the tray at some distance. Preheat the oven to 220C before 5 to 10 minutes. Again spray oil at the top of falafel. Now place the falafel try in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Air fryer Falafel
Place the aluminum foil on the air fryer basket and generously spray with olive oil. Now place the falafel balls in the basket. Don’t overcrowd! Spray again at the top and close the basket. Air fry at 350°F for about 6 to 7 minutes from each side. Once the one side is done then flip it over and air fry again for 7 minutes.
The same method will apply to instant pot air fryer falafel.
Pan Fried Falafel (shallow fried)
It can be prepared easily on a thick iron skillet on the stovetop. Add a little oil to the pan and heat it up. Now place the falafel balls on the skillet and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes on medium to low heat. Then flip it and fry from another side until it turned to golden brown color. Take out on absorbent paper and serve.
Q & A
Make sure your falafel mixture is with the right consistency before making balls. If you think it’s crumbling or dry then add a little bit of water to adjust the dryness. Extremely dry falafel can break in oil while frying.
The only reason is if the chickpeas are not properly soaked. Overnight soaking is good! To have crispy and crunchy falafel. If you still feel the falafel mixture is wet or doughy then add all-purpose flour to adjust the falafel mixture. Once I had a wet mixture so I add a teaspoon of rice flour with all purpose and it goes so well after frying. It was crispy and crunchy and soft from inside.
Add all purpose flour in falafel mixture to give strength to bind the grains and don’t fry on high heat.
You know the only ingredient that can help to make thick falafel is all purpose flour. In this recipe, I used all purpose flour so the falafel texture is thick and crispy with perfect shape.
Many people feel that it's not vegan but I personally feel it's vegan as it doesn't contain any animal or dairy ingredients. It's full of protein, vegan and gluten-free!
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Authentic Lebanese Falafel Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Soaked Dried Chickpea
- 1 Onion (medium size) chopped
- Coriander / Parsley – Handful
- 1 teaspoon Green Chilli Chopped
- ½ teaspoon Grated Garlic
- ⅓ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ⅓ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- ⅓ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Paprika Powder
- 1 teaspoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon
- 2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour Maida
- ⅓ teaspoon Baking Soda
- Oil – For Frying
Instructions
- Take 2 Cups of dried chickpeas and soaked in water for 8 hrs.
- After 8 hrs, check the chickpeas if it breaks while pressing then the chickpeas are ready to process.
- Now in a bowl, place the soaked chickpeas and add other ingredients.
- Add Onion (chopped), Coriander / Parsley, chopped green chilies, grated garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, salt, paprika powder.
- Also, squeeze lemon juice.
- Add baking soda and all-purpose flour (maida).
- Mix all the ingredients properly.
- Now shift to the blender to give it a good blend.
- Coarsely blend the chickpea mixture.
- Rest the mixture for 30 minutes to get set.
- Take it out and make chickpea balls. (Make sure the balls are without crack)
- Now fry the falafel balls until it gets a dark golden color.
- Take it out and serve with hummus or tahini sauce.
Video
Notes
- Use dried chickpeas to make authentic falafel.
- Overnight soaking of dried chickpeas will give crispy, moist and fluffy falafel grain.
- The addition of all purpose flour will bind the grains and it will perfect fry without melting in oil and remain in thick shape after frying.
- Don’t skip baking powder as it will help to make thick and fluffy falafel. Don’t overuse the baking powder otherwise the falafel may break in oil.
- When making falafel patty/ball then make sure there should not be any crack otherwise the falafel may break after frying.
- Rest the falafel mixture for 01 hour at cool place to settle all the ingredients. • Deep fry falafel at medium heat.
- Not a big fan of canned chickpeas to prepare crispy falafel.
Nutrition
*This post was first published on 5th May 2019 and recently updated with more information for the reader's benefit.
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Falafel Recipe for foodies to make crispy falafel at home kitchen