Simple Falafel Recipe

The chickpea is pretty amazing when you think about it. Also known as the garbanzo bean, chickpeas are delicious on their own or when mixed into a soup or salad. They can be blended into a creamy hummus, they can be made into a gluten-free, high-fiber pasta, and, of course, they are the primary ingredient in falafel. Falafel itself is also a pretty versatile food. "Serving ideas would be in a sandwich, in a wrap, with sweet potato, with some salad and rice, with some salad, [or with] pasta," says recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge.

You can also enjoy falafel exactly as it is, as these tasty little bites make a great snack on their own, or they can be served as an appetizer at a party. Regardless of how you plan to enjoy your falafel, just plan your prep accordingly. As Olayinka says, "This doesn't store so well [once cooked and is] best eaten fresh, [but] you can store the mixture, which will keep about 2 or 3 days in the fridge, then fry it after that."

To make a batch of falafel from scratch, you'll need 1 ½ cups of dry chickpeas (note that once the chickpeas are soaked, that will be 3 ½ cups), baking soda, baking powder, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin, plenty of vegetable oil for frying, garlic cloves, salt, fresh parsley, coriander, red onion, and some all-purpose flour.

And don't take the quick and easy route of canned chickpeas! "One mistake I would say is not to use canned chickpeas," says Olayinka. "A lot of people get tempted to use canned chickpeas as a much easier and quicker option, but the texture changes. [The result] is less authentic [than with] soaked dried chickpeas."

Soak the chickpeas for 24 hours, making sure they are in a large container and are all fully submerged in plenty of water, as they will take in a lot of liquid and expand.

After the soaking, pour off the excess water, then place the soaked chickpeas in a food processor (or a high-speed blender) along with the baking soda, baking powder, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin, flour, garlic, salt, fresh parsley, onion, and fresh coriander.

Process the chickpeas until they are broken up into small pieces and the mixture is all incorporated. You will notice that the mixture will turn green due to the fresh herbs.

Pour the oil into a pot with high walls or a Dutch oven, and turn the stove to a medium-high heat. While the oil heats up, form the chickpea mixture into golf ball-size spheres with your hands. You may need to rinse off your hands after every few spheres so the ingredients don't stick too much. If you are not planning to serve the falafel soon, now is the time to pause and cover the uncooked balls, then pop them in the fridge. (Of course, don't heat the oil if you won't be cooking right now!)

Carefully place the falafel balls into the pot of hot oil using a slotted spoon, a large fork, or a pair of tongs, and cook the balls for approximately five to six minutes, turning occasionally until the balls are golden brown. You can cook as many at a time as can fit in the pot without touching.

Place the cooked falafel balls on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain off the excess oil, and let them cool until comfortable to the touch. Then, enjoy your homemade falafel however sounds tastiest to you. Olayinka recommends enjoying falafel in a wrap with hummus and veggies, or as a side with sweet potatoes.