Perfect Homemade Easy Falafel Recipe ( Vegan, Gluten-Free)
VEGAN II GLUTEN FREE II DAIRY FREE II NUT FREE II SOY FREE II SESAME FREE II TOP 14 FREE II EGG FREE II FISH FREE II SHELLFISH FREE
This easy falafel recipe is a winner. Falafels can be used in various ways; they can be eaten alone as a snack with some hummus, served in pitta bread, in a burger, as part of a mezze, or in a sandwich. These falafels make the perfect snack, lunchbox filler, or light supper.
Falafels are a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter of Egyptian origin, commonly found in Middle Eastern cuisine. They are made from ground chickpeas or broad beans, or a mixture of both. The falafel balls can be topped with salads, pickled vegetables, and hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces.
This easy falafel recipe is such a great recipe for all the family to enjoy.
Notes on ingredients for this Easy Falafel Recipe
Chickpeas
I always used tinned beans for this easy falafel recipe, they are much easier to use than soaking and boiling dried beans. You could also use butterbeans, haricot or cannellini beans instead if you prefer.
Spices
I used harissa, cumin and ground coriander. Harissa is a peppery, garlicky, and smoky chilli paste, sauce or powdered spice that originated from Tunisia and is widely used in North Africa. It can have moderate to spicy heat depending on the chillies used. All these spices can be bought easily at either your local Asian or Indian store or at the supermarket.
Gram flour
Gram flour is chickpea flour, which I also buy from my Indian shop at a fraction of the cost. Gram flour is like the ‘glue’ that binds all the ingredients together, so do not exclude it from the recipe. Please only use gram flour and not plain flour; it’s such a poor substitute and does not add any flavour.
Ingredients
Tips
This is quite a sticky mixture, so be prepared for mucky hands. Falafels are traditionally round and circular like a golf ball; however, since it’s my recipe, I flatten them a little. It makes frying them easier since I dislike deep-frying anything. This way you use much less oil which I personally love.
Always use soft chickpeas. If you are using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and cook them in a pressure cooker or boil them with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. This will soften the chickpeas and remove the skins, making them easier to blend without any hard lumps.
Always use bicarb of soda in this recipe for falafel. Don't skip this ingredient as it helps your falafel become airy and soft rather than tough and dense.
I make these in batches, part-cook them, and leave them in the freezer, as they freeze really well. Once defrosted, I then finish them off in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
You can shape these falafels into small balls, or flatten balls ( like in the picture above. Or shape them into larger burgers ( round) or square if you are using them in a sandwich.
FAQ’s
Why is my falafel not fluffy?
Falafels have to be crispy on the outside yet soft and fluffy on the inside. They also need fresh herbs and onion. Too much onion will give your falafel a bad aftertaste, while too little will make them less moist and fluffy. You also need to add bicarbonate of soda to make them fluffy and airy.
How do I keep my falafels from falling apart?
If you follow this recipe exactly, they shouldn't fall apart. If you are using dried chickpeas and your mixture is still dry, add a little more gram flour and a little water. The gram flour acts like glue to bind the ingredients together.
Should the falafel mixture be wet?
Simply mix until you have a paste-like consistency but it does not need to be perfectly smooth. A few rough bits are completely fine. If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please follow the exact ingredients when making this falafel recipe.
What if I forgot to soak my chickpeas overnight for falafel?
For a quicker option, use the quick-soak method: place the beans in a pot, cover with water by about 3 inches, bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Prepare the Mixture: Drain the chickpeas and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Can I bake these falafels in the oven instead?
Yes you can, but they will be drier, spoon or shape into balls, spray them with spray oil or drizzle over olive oil and bake in a hot oven approx 180 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
1.5 hours cooking and prep time makes 6 portions
Step by step
Recipe
2 tins of chickpeas
2 small onions peeled and roughly chopped ( I used 1 white & 1 red)
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1.5 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp harissa
5 cloves garlic
2 birds eye chilli
50 g chopped coriander
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp bicarb of soda
125 g gram flour
120 ml of water
Method
In a food processor blitz together 1.5 tins of chickpeas, onion, garlic, chilli, spices, bicarb and salt.
Once all the ingredients are finely blended transfer into a large mixing bowl and add the gram flour, remaining chickpeas and mix to form a sticky mixture, I usually get right in there and use my hands, no need to be posh and use a wooden spoon! Add a little water if the mixture is too dry.
I first fry one falafel off so I can check the seasoning, so do a test falafel, and if you need to add more seasoning or spices, you can easily adjust the flavour by tweaking it to your palette.
If you think the test falafel is ok, divide the mixture into portions, roll it into a ball and flatten it slightly using a little gram of flour to stop it from sticking so much.
Shallow-fry the portions for 7/10 minutes, ensuring they are a little darker than golden brown on medium heat.
Once cooked, then serve and enjoy!
Other recipes you might like
Try serving the falafel with sweet potato wedges and a bean dip like the recipes below or on naan bread spread with hummus and salad.
Coriander and cumin yoghurt naan
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