How many falafel recipes can one person have on their blog?
Five. The answer is five. Proof: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4.
Either I’ve lost my mind or I’m getting really good at making falafel. Fingers crossed it’s the latter.
We’ve been exploring our new Portland neighborhood for about a month now, and we’re getting to know our favorite food spots (very important on our list of priorities).
One place I’m loving is Wolf and Bear, which serves up vegetarian and vegan Middle Eastern food with lots of gluten-free options. My go-to has been the gomasio salad with falafel. You can add two but I ask for three, because obviously.
Now that I’ve had this falafel a few times, I’ve studied its flavors and texture and was convinced it was time to up my falafel game. I think you know where this is going.
Origins of Falafel
The origin of falafel is an ongoing and heated debate. Some would say it’s a quintessential Israeli food, while Palestinians claim its Arab roots, and still others claim it originated in Egypt, Lebanon, or Yemen.
While we claim no expertise on the origins of falafel, we do know we absolutely love its crispy texture and rich flavor. Falafel is traditionally a fried ball or patty made from fava beans, chickpeas, or both. What’s not to love?
Those looking for a deeper dive into the much-debated history of falafel can find more information here and here.
The following is our inspired version made with a shortcut! For a more traditional version of falafel, check out this recipe from Tori Avey, or this recipe from The Kat Chef.
How to Make Falafel
This recipe requires just 10 ingredients and is expedited with the help of a quick-soak chickpea method I borrowed from The Kitchn.
The primary differences between this recipe and my previous attempts are that I start with dry chickpeas, and instead of baking, they’re pan-fried – two improvements I believe make all the difference.
The ingredients are so simple, and the flavors are complex and wonderful.
Soaked chickpeas are blended with onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, cardamom, coriander, and sea salt. A little gluten-free oat flour keeps these gluten free while also helping them bind/form into a dough. After letting the mixture chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, simply form into balls or discs and pan fry. Look at the crispy, golden perfection. Swoon! Find my selection of go-to sauces in the instructions.
We hope you love these falafel. If you try them, let us know what you think! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Classic Vegan Falafel (GF)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry chickpeas
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 4-7 small cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free oat flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2-3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- Grape seed (or other high smoke point) oil for pan frying
Instructions
- Rinse (uncooked) chickpeas in a fine mesh strainer and add to a large pot. Cover with 2 inches water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Then cover, remove from heat, and let set for 1 hour. Then drain and lightly rinse and dry thoroughly (method from the Kitchn).
- In the meantime, add parsley, onion, and garlic to a food processor. Mix until well processed. Set aside.
- Once the chickpeas are slightly cooled and dried, add to the food processor, along with gluten-free oat flour, salt, cumin, cardamom, coriander, and cayenne (optional). Mix to combine thoroughly, scraping down sides as needed. This may take up to 4-5 minutes to fully incorporate all of the spices and herbs. You’re looking for a near paste with only very small bits of chickpeas and herbs.
- Sample a small bit and adjust spices/salt/herbs as needed. Then cover and set in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to become more firm.
- Once cooled, remove from refrigerator and scoop out 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts (using this scoop or a Tablespoon) and gently form into small discs using your hands. If the falafel isn’t sticking together the mixture may need to be blended more thoroughly, or dusted with a bit more oat flour if too wet.
- Once your falafels are formed (~24 total // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), heat a large metal or cast-iron skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough oil to create a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and wait 1-2 minutes for the oil to heat up. Then place only as many falafel as will fit comfortably in the pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the bottom side is browned, flip gently as they can be fragile. Continue until all falafel are cooked. Adjust heat as needed if they’re browning too quickly, or aren’t cooking quickly enough.
- These falafel are delicious on their own with hummus,garlic dill sauce or tahini sauce. I also love garnishing them with chili garlic sauce for heat. Serve over greens, in pita, or enjoy as is!
- To freeze, pan fry falafel and let cool. Then add to a freezer safe container and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a 375 degree F (190 C) oven until warmed through.
Notes
*Recipe adapted from the talented Tori Avey.
Nutrition (1 of 24 servings)
Heidi says
I’m a relatively new cook, so this is the first time that I’ve made a recipe with a ‘pinch’ of spices. After a taste test, I realised that I had a big cardamom issue — oops. I decided to add another can of chickpeas, which helped a bit, but the cardamom was still overpowering. I then decided to go a different direction altogether and add tri-colored, cooked quinoa. I didn’t have sesame seeds, so I thought this would add a nutty flavour and also help downplay the cardamom further. I think the quinoa may have saved this dish; I am so relieved! I made a few into patties vs. the traditional shape and they turned out really delicious! I am really pleased and will come back to this recipe again and again. Thank you. =)
Hi Heidi, We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe with some modifications! Thank you for sharing! xo
Susan Sherman says
Hello!
This looks like a great recipe. My question is whether I can sub canned chick peas, and if so, what quantity would I use?
Thanks!
Hi Susan, this recipe works better with dried beans. Perhaps try this one instead?
Cillian says
These were wonderful. I ended up using all-purpose flour because I’m not GF, and air fried them at 375 for about fifteen minutes in batches. They came out perfectly crispy and held together really well. This is definitely going into my regular rotation for lunches and dinners, thank you!
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Cillian. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Patricia says
These were delish!!! I’ve tried other raw chickpea recipes before but the texture was not right. I was a little worried they were going to be too hard to form (i.e. too dry) but the ground mixture came together perfectly. These falafel looked and tasted fantastic on a bed of greens, a pita side, and a healthy drizzle of tahini lemon dressing. Wonderful–thanks for the recipe!!
Yum! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Patricia. Thanks so much for the great review!
Inna says
Best falafel and easy to make.
We’re so glad to hear it, Inna! Thank you for sharing! xo
Magali says
I made it with cilantro too. Delicious!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Magali! xo
Magali says
If I wanted to bake them, how long please and at what temperature?
Hi Magali, these are best when pan-fried, but if you want to bake them, we’d suggest 15-20 minutes at 400-425 F. Spray them with a little cooking oil for crispness. Hope that helps!
Jill says
Can these be frozen after they are prepared? Would you suggest before or after pan frying?
Hi Jill, these can be frozen before cooking or after!
Chan Zhao says
Made these with 2 cups of cilantro and man they were delicious. I skipped leaving the batch in the fridge for an hour as I did not want to wait that long.
YUM
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Chan! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Laura says
I LOVE falafel and used the dry chickpeas. They came out so so crunchy that it was too much. I’m guessing they needed to be soaked longer. Otherwise the taste was delicious. Next time I’ll either cook the chickpeas longer or use canned.
Sorry to hear that, Laura! It does sound like the chickpeas needed to soften more. Hope it goes better next time!
Emily says
Hi I made this recipe and used a 1:1 gluten free flour mix and I thought they came out just fine. I let the mix sit over night in the fridge, then fried them in avocado oil. These falafel were very tasty! The next time I will try the oat flour.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Emily! xo
Sophia says
I enjoyed this recipe however u can see why other people thought that it was extremely garlicky. I used 5 small cloves of garlic and the taste of garlic was extremely overpowering for my brother who is not as fond of garlic as I. I highly recommend less garlic.
Sorry to hear that, Sophia! Thanks for the honest feedback!
Eliza says
I usually love all of your recipes, but this one had way way too much garlic or something and I’m usually all about the garlic! The flavor was just overwhelming! I tried to salvage the batter, but ended up throwing it out! Going to try again with less garlic!
We’re so sorry that happened, Eliza. Did you use 5 garlic cloves or the full amount? Is it possible your garlic cloves were on the larger side? Again, so sorry that was your experience and hope it goes better next time!
laura says
I made falafel before but I have an doubt, Can i make it with chickpeas flour instead of the chickpeas?
We don’t think it would hold together well.
Lin Leong says
Hi. I love this recipe! Is it possible to use the liquid from the chickpeas as aqua faba when doing this quick cook method?
Hi Lin, we haven’t tried that, but maybe. Let us know if you try it!
Anna G says
I usually love minimalist baker recipes, but we almost couldn’t eat this one. This recipe calls for SO MUCH garlic. If I were to use it again I’d use maybe 3 cloves. As is, it was not good, and not representative of other minimalist baker recipes.
Hi Anna, we’re so sorry to hear that was your experience! We do love garlic, but we wonder if your garlic cloves were on the larger side? We ask because it seems other readers have really enjoyed this one! Either way, we’ll take another look and see if we can add a more specific amount.
Summer says
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and LOVE it. I always use canned chickpeas because the dry ones are almost impossible to find near me. My trick to get the same texture: for every can of chickpeas I use (2 are needed for the whole recipe) I boil them with half a teaspoon of baking soda for about 20 minutes and then drain in a fine mesh strainer. I do the same thing to chickpeas when I make hummus as I find it just really softens them and gives them a bit of a creamier texture when cooked!
I’ve also made this with oven roasted garlic (I just use the whole clove), and have added spinach and different herbs (my favorites being dill, mint and basil based on what I have). It’s such a simple and versatile recipe that you can really change up based on your mood/ingredients!
Thanks so much for sharing your tricks, Summer! We love making hummus that way too!
pg says
you’ve said oat flour keeps it gluten free – it doesn’t – it must be specifically gluten free oat flour as if not will contain gluten which coeliacs like myself can’t have
Ah, yes- good point! We’ll modify the language to make that clear. Thanks for pointing that out!
Katherine says
I am trying the recipe just now. It is setting in the fridge before I make discs of them.
I was wondering for the chickpeas, after doing what was written, I found the chickpeas still hard. Was it supposed to be? They were still easily edible but wayy more crunchier than the canned ones!
I tried the 1 pot curry yesterday with the carrot cake smoothie and it was deeeeliish!!
I am happy I came across your site. I feel this time my weightloss journey might actually work because these recipes are healthy and delicious! I am motivated to try new meals!
Aw, we’re so glad you are enjoying our recipes, Katherine! Thanks so much for sharing! The chickpeas will be harder than canned when cooked this way, but it sounds like they could have used a little extra time?
Maddy Frank says
Is there a hack to get the chickpeas ready a bit faster in an instant pot at all?
Have you tried soaking them?
Kay says
I’ve made this following the instructions exactly, and with canned chickpeas and no food processor when I was in a bind. Both were fine. Soaked chickpeas do have a better texture in the falafel but using canned tasted delicious as well! Don’t be discouraged from this recipe if you can’t find dry. I used 2 cans drained/rinsed chickpeas and did less salt. Flavors were the same, difference was just texture.
Thanks so much for sharing, Kay!
Griffen says
Hi, I love the flavor of this recipe! Falafel is one of my all-time favorite foods. I’ve had to go fully gluten-free recently, and I cannot seem to get my gf falafel to stay together when I fry it. I never had this issue when I used to add regular wheat flour to my recipes instead of oat, chickpea, or an all-purpose gf blend. I made this recipe last night and it seems to disintegrate even if there’s only a thin layer of oil. After testing a couple in my cast iron skillet, I ended up baking it instead. What could I be doing wrong? Thanks for any suggestions you might have :)
Hmm! They definitely shouldn’t fall apart. Typically that means they need additional flour as it acts as a binder. Otherwise, you could try letting them chill for 1-2 hours to firm up. Hope that helps!
mia says
Hi Griffen, I’m Middle Eastern and have making falafel since I was a kid. If they are disintegrating it might be bc there is too much moisture. Letting it dry out a bit might help. The traditional way to make falafel does not use flour or any binding agent, we just control the moisture. If not when you went to fry it would disintegrate in the oil. I normally puree the onions separately and then squeeze out the excess moisture as well as making sure to use dry instead of canned. I know this is an extra step and falafel made the traditional way is more time consuming. If you want to avoid flours as a short cut maybe this adjustment will help. Best!
Very helpful! Thanks for sharing, Mia!
Griffen says
Thanks Mia! I actually tried again and has this exact realization. It works beautifully! Falafel is my favorite food ever I think, and I’m painfully gluten intolerant so the fact that there’s no flour involved in making it properly is the best news I’ve gotten since I found out I can’t eat bread anymore. Cheers!!
Michelle Connor says
So delicious! The entire family enjoyed these falafels. I serve them with baba ganoush, tahini sauce and sliced radishes.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle!
Aleesia says
I’m glad to have found a recipe that I can use! I have been following the Instagram page for some time now and have also noticed that you have moved to Portland! Welcome! I love to call this place home and I’m glad to hear that you are exploring!
Cheers!
Emma says
Hi can I bake these falafel rather than fry?
Hi Emma, Pan frying is best. But if you try baking them, we’d suggest 15-20 minutes at 400-425 F. Spray them with a little cooking oil for crispness. Let us know if you try it!
Catherine Lok says
DO NOT USE AS MUCH SALT as the recipe says. Use .5 tsp salt not 1.5. It was so salty I had to add lemon and more chickpeas. I used normal table salt not sea salt so idk if there’s a difference.
Hi Catherine, normal table salt does tend to taste more salty, so that’s likely the issue! We’ll take another look at the recipe though and make modifications, as needed. Thanks for sharing!
Ca says
Hi,
Thanks so so much. Otherwise, I LOVED these. So healthy and tasty. I made heart shapes out of them and gave them to my partner, brother and flight instructor. Such a loving gift. Thank you!
Dharma says
Hi! I would love to do this recipe, but in the ingredients list you use dry chickpeas. I was wondering if I could use can cooked chickpeas instead? If it’s possible, how many cups would I need?
Thanks!
Hi Dharma, we’d recommend this recipe instead: https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-falafel/. Hope that helps!
Deanna says
I thought I read the recipe wrong when it said 1.5 tsp of salt, and I second guessed it. However, instead of making a change I just went with it. OH my goodness. That is WAY too much salt! I tried doubling the batch and leaving the salt out of the second and combining it with the first so it would help, and it didn’t. I tried cooking them and hoped it would be better once they fried, and it didn’t. I will probably try them again but will need to use 1/2 tsp salt.
Hi Deanna, sorry to hear they were too salty! We wonder whether you were using sea salt or another type?
Deanna says
Yep! Pink Himalayan sea salt.
Trish says
Made as per recipe but soaked my chickpeas for 24hrs. Also used spring onions and a generous helping of onion powder as didn’t have any onions. I pan fried mine in olive oil. Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Trish! Thanks for sharing!
kj says
I’ve been making felafel using dry chickpeas for years. So authentic. I like to add just a bit (maybe 1-2) tbs. of tahini and lemon juice to the mix before frying. Love your website and all your recipes.
Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes!
Poornima Pillai says
May I know if you used flat leaf parsley or the curly kind?
Either should work, but we used curly!
Rachael says
Can these be made into larger discs for burger patties? If so, how long should I either fry or bake them?
Also, would it work to use ground nuts instead flour?
Thanks.
Hi Rachael, we think larger discs would work! And either cooking method should work. We would say follow this recipe as a guide for the baking method: https://minimalistbaker.com/baked-falafel-burgers/. Flour will help soak up moisture and hold them together better than nuts. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Maggie says
These were delicious. I soaked my chickpeas for 24 hours instead of using the boiling method and used regular flour since we aren’t GF. They turned out perfect.
Elissa says
Hello,
I cooked way more chickpeas than I need for this recipe ( I like having extra). What is the equivalent of cooked chickpeas instead of 1.5 cups dry?
Thank you!
Love your recipes. :)
Thanks Elissa! About 4 1/2 cups cooked.
Karla says
Best falafel recipe ever! It’s more flavorful than some restaurants I’ve been to! And the texture is divine. I bought a food processor for this because I loved it so much! Now I make it for ever New Years Eve. Thanks for sharing!
Whoop! Thanks, Karla!!
Kiri says
This recipe is amazing! I didn’t have coriander but it still tasted just as good as my favorite store-bought falafel. I ended up baking the falafel at 375F for ~30 minutes, flipping halfway through so that both sides would brown.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kiri. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Kelsey M says
You are an absolute genius in the kitchen! My main rotation of recipes are almost exclusively yours and this one is a top favorite! I love that you have 5 falafel recipes but this one is my fav! Thank you for sharing!
So kind! xoxo
Jenn says
The last and first time I made falafel, they were baked. I just made these and they are delicious. I probably used a bigger scoop than I should have, because I’ll only get 12, lol, but that’s okay. Thank you for this recipe. I’m definitely making these again. :)
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jenn! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Cara Lenz says
Hi- thank you for sharing this recipe! Why are the chickpeas only boiled for 1 minute (vs hummus chickpeas that are boiled until soft)? Thank you!
It helps the falafel stay more firm and hold together :D
Aran says
I have never made “real” falafels before. I took the plunge since this is definitely a weekend recipe and I had all the ingredients. Wowsers!!! It was delicious! I feel so accomplished today!
Linda says
When they say dried, uncooked, does that mean not canned in liquid and bagged dry?
Hi Linda, yes, that means bagged dry.
Andy says
Delicious recipe and surprisingly easy to make. Like someone else said below, the chickpeas felt a little hard after boiling for a minute, so just to be safe, I boiled for another minute. After combining the ingredients in the food processor, I thought it looked/felt dry but they actually formed into perfectly solid disks and stayed together throughout the frying process. I made these to go along with the tomato-onion-parsley base and I could not be happier. Excellent with hummus and/or tzatziki. Thanks for the great recipe!
Randa says
So delicious, even my carnivore husband loves these falafels! Will be making again!
These are my favorite falafel, too!
Kim says
Fantastic recipe. I reduced the garlic down to 3 cloves and I increased the cayenne a bit. This is a keeper!
Thanks, Kim! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers :D
Sandi Bellack says
I have not made this yet but saw another similar recipe with oat flour added. Do you think that would help the consistency?
Sarah Kiser says
I have made falafel so many times and its always been good, but nothing fantastic. Until this recipe. Absolutely amazing!!! I will never make falafel any other way than this method..followed your recipe and how to prepare the chickpeas to a T. Thank you so much! Falafel is one of my very favorite foods and it’s so wonderful to know how to make it right. Thank you thank you!!
Thanks so much for the sweet note and lovely review, Sarah. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Sandi Bellack says
I have not tried this yet but also saw another similar recipe only with oat flour added. Do you think this would help the consistency or not?
You can add oat flour if desired. It will dry out the dough a bit.
Heather says
Have you tried this with canned chickpeas? Can’t seem to find dry at any of my local stores!
I have, but this recipe in particular works with dried beans better. Perhaps try this one instead?
Lindsay says
These are the best. Whole family loved. My two year old wants more “fawafels”.
One question— have you doubled the recipe? I’d rather make a large batch but I felt like the spices probably shouldn’t be doubled. What do you think??
Hi Lindsay, so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! We haven’t doubled the recipe, but another reader has done so with success- she doubled all ingredients except salt. You could certainly try with the lesser amount of spices and add more to your preference. Hope that helps! Let us know if you give it a try!
Mikka says
Can you make the paste a day ahead of time and then pan fry the next day? I’m wanting to make these but I’m not sure I have enough time to do it all at once. Thank you!
That should work! Let us know how it goes, Mikka!
Janelle says
Can I make this with cilantro instead of parsley? I only have dried parsley. Can I add some dried parsley and fresh cilantro? Thinking about making this falafel for friends on Tuesday night!
Hi Janelle! Fresh parsley gives these falafel their classic taste, cilantro would also be delicious, just different!
Ingrid says
I like to add a cup of grated beets and a little oil. I then form them into small rounds and bake them, to keep the oil content down. They’re lovely, thank you.
Thanks so much for the suggestion and lovely review, Ingrid. We are so glad you enjoy these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Christine says
These were perfect! I added in more water as I was processing. I wasn’t getting a paste like consistency, probably about an extra 1/4 cup added slowly. Next time I would soak the chickpeas overnight rather than the quick soak method. The spices were perfect! Thanks you for sharing this delightful treat.
Emily says
These are so good, my partner and I have made this at least 3 or 4 times since it was posted. The only things I did differently were, add a little oil into the mixture to help it stick, and after whirling everything in the food processor I hit it with the immersion blender in a bowl to get it into more of a paste. I think my food processor might be kind of lame, it just doesn’t ground this stuff up fine enough on its own to stick together.
Thanks for sharing, Emily!
Courtney says
These were so good and relatively easy! They definitely require some planning ahead though with the soaking of the chickpeas and refrigerating the dough (lots of hands off time, just need to be sure to start early enough!). I made the recipe as is, but had to add a little bit of water to get the dough to come together. I also skipped the cayenne since I was feeding them to my 11 month old as well. Still super flavorful!
Thanks for sharing!
Kelly says
1 tablespoon of cumin is way too much. It overpowers the other flavours
Thanks for the feedback Kelly. We’ll include a note to adjust to taste.
Gabriele says
I made these yesterday. They were easy and super delicious. I made them so I could have falafel wrap sandwiches at work all week for lunch. I put hummus, garlic aioli, falafel, lettuce, banana peppers, cucumbers and feta on my whole wheat wrap and it’s SO GOOD. Will make these falafels once a week from now on :)
Thanks for sharing, Gabriele!
Janet says
Are the chickpeas cooked or left raw after soaking
After soaking they’re left as is. If you’re looking for a cooked chickpea version, try these!
Noura says
Hello There,
I’m from Saudi Arabia so I know how original Falafel done. It’s always made with soaked uncooked bean (falafel are mad with chickpeas. Tameyah “Egyptian virgin of flafel” made with 1:1 chickpeas and peeled faba bean) mixed with onions and herbs. Meat mincer is the machine for it, generous amount of dried coriander and hint of nutmeg and tablespoon of white vinegar and baking soda and you will not need the oats.. deep fried, but pan fried will do yo good ??
Thanks for sharing! So helpful.
Ria says
Can u bake these for an oil free version ?
Check the comments, I believe others have done it. They aren’t as good, but yes it works!
Darrien Sherman says
Hi Dana! I’ve been craving falafel lately and wanted to give homemade falafel a try! I had followed two other recipes before coming across this one. For some reason, I had followed the other recipe twice and the batter tasted somewhat bitter. I was still determined to perfect my falafel game and I was kicking myself as to why I didn’t turn to my favorite baker and cook (you!) to find a recipe. So, I made this recipe last night and it still tasted a bit bitter to me. I’m wondering if I may be adding too much parsley…can parsley turn a dish bitter? Any suggestions to reconcile this? I have the batter in the fridge and plan to make this after work today so hoping that maybe the flavors melding together overnight will change the taste!
Hmm, did you perhaps add too much lemon? Or maybe your parsley was bitter….did you go ahead and cook it? It does deepen the flavors when it’s cooked.
Darrien says
Thank you for your quick reply! I did not add any lemon to the dish, but do you think that would help balance out the flavors? I also bought fresh parsley before I made this last night because I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t going to mess this up again! haha
Hmm, well in that case I’d just suggest going ahead and cooking them because it could just be some bitterness in the uncooked dough.
Suzanne says
Hello! I struggled with cooking these in the pan because the sides never got crisped. It was all very squishy/doughy. I did coat pan with oil and more and more oil. Eventually I took the cast iron and put it in the oven hoping to cook them up some more. Any suggestions on what to do for next time are appreciated! Thank you
Hi Suzanne, it sounds like the batter may have had too much moisture. We would recommend adding more oat flour next time. Hope that helps!
lee says
Perhaps one of your spices are stale or out of date. ?
jackie says
yum yum yum. Came out so good that I made them two days in a row for guests. Served them with the hummus dip and they were gone in seconds. So easy to make. I made with tinned chickpeas and had no problem with them coming together.
Thanks for another great recipe.
Sandra says
I’ve made several falafel recipes over the
Past 2.5 vegan years and this is THE bomb! The consistency is perfect and taste is also. I think this is as good as my favorite Mediterranean restaurant.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sandra. We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Lindsay says
Amazing. My food processor is terrible so mine were vert lumpy, but I didn’t even care. Doubled the recipe but only put in salt for one batch and it was great!
Dede says
Made these falafel last night (no substitutions/modifications) and they were amazing! We ate ours in pita with some spinach, tahini sauce, and some grilled onions. Yum, will be making these on the regular!
Maddie Meigs says
They are just disintegrating on me when I fry them… I don’t know what I’m doing wrong! Followed the recipe, my oil is hot, I’m doing them 3 min on each side but by the time i flip them they have just disintegrated into the oil… any ideas?
It sounds like they ended up a little too dry. We would recommend using tahini, oil, or some other type of moisture to get them to bind better. Hope that helps!
Azi says
Hello, when I panfry the falafels,will inside of them be cooked through?Sometimes inside will be uncooked if we dont deep fry them.
They turn out firm and slightly moist on the inside, but not uncooked. Hope that helps!
Nurdan Karakurt Tobolski says
I love it! it’s a bit spicy for me but the taste was so good! love your recipes, and photos! ?
Annette says
I have tried many falafel recipes and they didn’t quite make the cut…but this one sure does! It was easy, especially the dried bean cooking method, delicious and tasted amazing. This is my new go-to recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Tess says
Delicious! I made it and it was wonderful. I’m not gluten free so I just used some whole wheat flour I had on hand. It only took 1 minute to mix everything throughly. Would definitely make again.
Juan Carlos fine Mexican cuisine says
What’s the sauce?
Tahini sauce- you can find the recipe here. Hope that helps!
Natascha Winkler says
This recipe was sooooo easy and even more delicious. I am picky with Falafels but my hubby and I both agreed they are pretty damn good. I will surely make them over and over again.
Ronica says
I made this AGAIN-so yummy-kids proclaimed as favourite meal! (With Moosewood’s pita bread)
I used trick from vegan meatballs to dry two cans of chick peas and worked like a charm! (I forgot to buy dry ones) thanks so much for the awesome recipe!
Hannah says
What is the trick?? I can’t find dry ones.
Natacha says
Can I use dry parsley?
Yes, that will work in a pinch!
Kaley says
Made exactly as directed except did not use flour. Was not necessary. I fried some and baked some because I can’t eat a lot of oily things, I have heart problems and certain foods make my heart go crazy. Anyway, both varieties held together great and were very tasty! The fried ones are definitely better and I served those to my family. I ate the baked ones on a salad topped with your tzatziki sauce. It was delicious! I might cut down on the salt next time. I also might use canned garbanzos next time if I BAKE them, as suggested by another reviewer because they were quite dry. I know you don’t recommend baking for this recipe, but that’s just what I have to do, so I will try cooked chickpeas for that reason.
Trish says
Wow! Wish I’d read the whole recipe before starting. I thought the timing for ‘cooking’ the beans was incorrect & cooked my dry garbanzo beans. Uugh. Figured I’d try cooking them anyway. They fell apart in the pan. Any way to salvage? Thanks.
Shelby says
can one use canned chickpeas instead or do they have to be soaked overnight and just processed from dried?
You can, but the recipe will not turn out as good!
Shelby Bettencourt says
So, ultimately I would.be better off with the flour or dried form??
Ideally dried, yes.
Danielle says
Made this and it was really good. But I couldn’t get the patties flat enough to brown up nicely like in the photos. I feared that if I added more flour it would be too dry. Any suggestions? I used regular flour since that’s what I have and I’m not gluten free.
I’d recommend using more oil and cooking them for a bit longer!
Mary says
I enjoyed them and they were easy to make.
We are glad to hear that, Mary!
Ronica says
Great recipe! Just made them and everyone ate them including kids :-)
I added smoky paprika as we use to at NF deli I use to work at! Thanks for the recipe!
Ronica says
Oops also used chickpea flour instead of oat flour
Denise says
Haha…. I may be able to sneak some chickpea flour in after all…
Denise says
I have chickpea flour to use up….. Is there a way to use that for falafel?
Sorry..not for this recipe, Denise!
Denise says
Oh well….This recipe sounds delicious. I’ll try it and find some other chickpea flour uses. I’m sure I had something in mind when I bought it…..maybe chickpea flat bread. Thank you!
Aarti says
Chick pea pancakes?
Erica says
I made this last night for dinner and my family loved it. I tried to substitute canned garbanzo beans and it was an epic fail when I tried to fry them. However, I was able to save them by baking them and the flavor was excellent. I learned my lesson, and I will be trying this recipe again with dried garbanzo beans.
Kelly-anne says
Thank you for this recipe. I made them tonight for dinner and they were delicious!!!!
Katie says
Delicious! I made 19 little patties, and felt full from eating 7 in 3 lettuce wraps with kale. Unfortunately I didn’t make it into a paste, so I had little bits of hard chickpea, but next time I’ll blend it longer in my Vitamix.
Differences: no coriander (forgot to buy some); used dried parsley
Katie says
Huge other difference: no garlic
Anna says
These turned out incredible. I fried in groundnut oil and they were crunchy on the outside and super soft in the middle. Paired with roasted tahini humus, my guests couldn’t believe I made these myself. I stuck to the recipe almost 100%, added smoked paprika instead of cayenne and some more onion than required. Can’t wait to try more. Many many thanks from Berlin
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it, Anna!
Ali says
I made this last night and they were delicious! I used canned chicpeas, added one tsp of flour and would use way less salt next time. Used them in a wrap – love the recipe!
Carla says
My little guy is grain free… is there a way to omit the oat grain flour? Would coconut flour work or a flax egg/real egg? TIA
Mona says
You can also try new way of falafel cooking , press Dough in tart pan and bake for about 45 minuets or until get light golden, when it done turn it in plate and garnish with fraid potato cubes, eggplant, cucumber, sliced tomatoes,parsley, cooked chickpeas and tahina sauce
Tara says
Could you bake these instead of frying them?
Hi Tara! We have only tried baking ones that had already been pan-fried and frozen. They weren’t as good as the fresh ones, but still good. I would still highly recommend pan-frying, but if you want to bake them, I’d suggest 15-20 minutes at 400-425 F. Spray them with a little cooking oil for crispness. Good luck!
Laryssa says
I tried this for the first time last week! It’s sooo good!! I had never made or tasted falafel before. Now a new favorite! Though we aren’t vegetarians, I do like to have a few meatless meals. My meat-lover husband couldn’t get done telling me how much he loved this meal! I served the falafel on a bed of greens with a choice of tahini sauce or dill yogurt sauce and fresh pita bread. Absolutely amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Anita says
These were by far the BEST!!! Easy to make (I have a food processor), and the key is to “follow the recipe”. Thank you for sharing your talent, as I have been blessed through your site several times already. You are an amazing cook. ? I wish I could share my pic ? Anita
Yay! We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Anita! Feel free to share a photo using the hashtag #MinimalistBaker on Instagram and we’d love to see what you cooked up!
Liat says
Hello Dana, would this recipe be suitable to bake in the oven rather than frying? can i use frozen chickpeas instead of dry ones? thanks a lot!
Hi Liat! We’ve only tried baking ones that had already been pan-fried and frozen. They weren’t as good as the fresh ones, but still good. I would still highly recommend pan-frying, but if you want to bake them, I’d suggest 15-20 minutes at 400-425 F. Spray them with a little cooking oil for crispness. Good luck!
Kylie Besly says
Can you freeze some of the batter (?? before its pan fried) to save for later? Have they, post freeze, turned out as good?? Thanks!!!!
We wouldn’t recommend freezing the batter! To freeze, pan fry falafel and let cool. Then add to a freezer safe container and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a 375 degree F (190 C) oven until warmed through.
Lara says
I am new to falafel! I recently purchased some and my family had mixed feelings about them. Tonight I made these and have to admit that I used 2 cans of Chickpeas (time was short!) I did dry them first and followed the recipe I also added a tablespoon of Moroccan spices (don’t think this added any extra flavor). They where lovely and moist not wet they shaped well and cooked very well my family loved them and I will be making them again! Thank you for a beautiful recipe that I can add to my families favourite meals.
Gabriele says
Hello there, thank you for the very easy and atractive recipe! I couldn’t help trying it out :p Yet my falafels didn’t look like yours, they turned out quite chunky… So I wonder how to improve them, cook/ soak chikpeas longer? Blend longer? Fry? Also it’s hard to form them so they would cook evenly… But despite all, I would use exactly This recipe for next falafel round ;)
Hi Gabriele! It sounds like you’d probably want to blend them a little longer and that should help!
Corey says
Made these tonight! First time trying the soak method with the chickpeas and it worked well. Next time, I’ll try omitting the flour since mine were in a pretty good, moldable state prior. Also, for those wondering about baking, I baked mine on parchment paper at 400 degrees for ten minutes total (no oil), flipping once halfway and was happy with them in naan with the tahini dill sauce listed here! Thanks for another great recipe!
Kelly-Lynne says
Absolutely delicious! I opted to omit the oat flour and cooked them in an air fryer. I sprayed them with canola oil, and they were in the air fryer at 390 degrees for 12 minutes. They were probably a bit more crumbly than you’d like, but I expected that going in since I was using an air fryer. Served in a warmed pita with taziki, feta and tomatoes.
Louise says
I’ve tried making homemade flutes for ages and this recipe is the 1st I’ve tried that worked!!! And tasted awesome! This will be a weekly go-to for me as they’re super affordable to make with dried chickpeas.
Jaci says
I’ve made these twice – once pan fried & once deep fried and both times they were sensational. I eat a LOT of falafel and they’re probably the best I’ve ever had. I daydream about these (probably) a bit too much, and people ask me to make them again all the time. Highly recommended – this is the kind of recipe that makes you look reeeeeeeally good in front of friends & family.
Debra Whitley says
Delicious! Although, I did use canned chickpeas for convenience and I plan on trying with the dried. I used a combination of parsley, cilantro and mint. I placed them on a bed of spinach and topped with my spicy black bean hummus, garlic sauce, tzieke sauce, tomatoes and scallions. SO GOOD!
Jocelyn says
Hello,
I ate at Wolf & Bear when I was recently in Portland; does this recipe taste like their recipe? Wolf & Bear had the best falfel I have ever eaten! Do you know what was in the sauce that came with the falfel?
Thank you
Jessica says
I love this recipe so much. I had never made falafel before, but have now tried this recipe a few times, and I love it. I like to serve it as a falafel burger on toasted whole wheat sesame buns with garlic chili sauce, spinach, cucumber tomato — “all the fixin’s.” Thanks so much for this recipe and your site.
Marissa says
I’ve attempted a few different falafel recipes over the years, but they’ve never turned out very well. I decided to give it one more try with this recipe, and it came out PERFECTLY. I’m so excited to have a go-to falafel recipe now! Thank you!
Katie says
I want to preface this with how much I love you blog. This is my first ‘flip’. I made this recipe and 7 cloves of garlic was way too much. I couldn’t eat them (I even added more chickpeas to dilute the flavour). I really like garlic, but is that perhaps a typo?
Hi Katie! If you want next time add a little less garlic!
Joie says
Love love love this recipe! I actually used canned garbanzo beans because I didn’t have any dry ones on hand and it came out great! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Flo says
Absolutely loved this recipe. Turned out perfect. Thank you for sharing these recipes. You’re a God-send :)
Deb says
These turned out great! Great flavour, great texture, fantastic recipe :) Served with homemade pita’s and salad. I’ll be making these again!