Falafel is a Middle Eastern cuisine and I love it! It can be described as a vegetarian fritter made with a blend of chickpeas and/or fava beans, herbs, and onion. It is easy and cheap to make and is traditionally served in pita bread with hummus, tahini sauce, and fresh vegetables. But you can also enjoy it by itself or even on a salad. My friend Carrie has made it for our get-togethers and she agreed to show me how to make it and share her recipe here! Whoo-hoo!! Thanks, Carrie!
When I went over to Carrie’s house to make falafel, she had prepared a beautiful charcuterie spread to munch on and homemade blackberry mule cocktails to sip on. They were too pretty to not take a picture! And SO delicious! She’s an awesome hostess/cook and is always doing fun and thoughtful things to make whoever comes over feel welcomed!
I also think it is important to mention that even though we both love food and cooking, we don’t always do fancy and elaborate meals together. Sometimes on a whim, we will just grab whatever leftovers or random food we have and come together to eat and spend time together! It’s fantastic. I love spontaneous moments where it’s all about connection and not perfection!
Back to Falafel…Soak 16oz of dried chickpeas in water for about 8-10 hours.
MUST BE DRIED NOT CANNED!
Zest 2 lemons
Blend everything together. You don’t want it too wet or too dry.
Make patties or balls and fry in oil
Suggested toppings are hummus, tahini sauce, and fresh veggies.
Serve alone or with pita bread or naan (what I prefer)
Let the falafel dinner party begin!!!!
If you haven’t had falafel, I urge to try it!!
It is always special and fun to connect, cook, and eat around the table with friends! I definitely want to make more time to do this as it really gives me so much joy!
If you have any questions/comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below or connect with me here!
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PinIngredients
16 oz of DRIED chickpeas (can also use 1/2 chickpeas 1/2 fava beans) NOT CANNED– *See Notes
2 lemons
1 yellow onion quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 TB of salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped and large stems removed)
1 bunch of cilantro
2 cups fresh basil leaves
Oil (for frying)**See Notes Below
Instructions
- Put 16oz of DRIED chickpeas in a bowl to soak for 10-12 hours. I do not recommend soaking them much longer or they will be too mushy
- Zest and juice 2 lemons and set zest aside in a bowl
- Place chickpeas, lemon juice, lemon zest, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, cilantro, and basil in a blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly combined. The mixture should be nice and moist but not too runny or too dry. Taste the mixture and add any ingredients as needed.
- Make patties or balls using hands, ice cream scoop, falafel maker tool, or using 2 spoons. A good size would be about 2-3 inches in diameter (fills the center of my palm)
- Heat the oil (*See Notes) in a cast iron, dutch oven, or frying pan on medium-high heat to 350°. While the oil is heating, prepare a cookie sheet lined with a cooling rack and/or paper towel to put the cooked falafel.
- When the oil is hot enough, gently place each patty in. Fry until deep golden brown turning as necessary. This takes about 2-3 minutes a side (total of about 5-6 minutes). Put the cooked falafel on a sheet pan and start with new batch until all are done
- Serve immediately
Notes
You can use only ( 16 oz) dried chickpeas or combine (8oz) dried chickpeas and 8oz dried fava beans (they can be difficult to find). Just keep in mind they MUST be dried and not canned!
For the oil, you can deep fry in a deep fryer or dutch oven or just fry in a cast iron/fry pan with 1-2 inches of oil, which will require you to flip patties.
Optional Sides/Toppings: Pita Bread or Naan, Hummus, Tahini Sauce, Onions, Tomatoes, Pickles, Cucumbers, Radishes, Fresh parsley
**A side of lentil soup is also a great side!**
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