Crispy Fried Falafel

Name: Crispy Fried Falafel
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 2 onions; 5 garlic cloves; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 2 cups fresh parsley ( (50 g)); 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 2/3 cups besan/chickpea flour ((+ more if the mixture doesn't stick together)); frying oil (amount depends in the size of the pot)

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These Crispy Fried Falafel are made from dried chickpeas and so, so good! You’ll want to add them to your salads, bowls, wraps, sandwiches, everything!

I don’t have much to say about these falafel, except that if you’re not afraid of frying, you’re in for a treat! Because these Falafel are the most authentic (and best) falafel I ever made.

They taste and look amazing!

You don’t need a deep-fryer to make these, I use my small wok which is perfect for frying, but you can also use a simple pot. If you haven’t fried in a pot before, you might want to check out this guide on frying.

I know we all stocked up on pantry staples such as rice, pasta, beans, pulses, etc. So if you have dried chickpeas at home, this is YOUR SIGN to take them out of the pantry RIGHT NOW and get them soaking to make these Crispy Fried Falafel tomorrow.

They are part of my holy trifecta of Middle Eastern foods, which I am obsessed with right now: These Falafel, Hummus, and Flatbread. Everything is made from scratch. It’s the perfect meal for summer days.

Crispy Fried Falafel, Hummus and Flatbread

A few notes on dried chickpeas

A regular-sized package of chickpeas is 500g. For this falafel recipe, I am using half of it, BUT you can make the whole package and either make a double amount of falafel OR use half of the soaked chickpeas for falafel, and the other half for making hummus (you will have to cook the chickpeas after soaking).

500g dried chickpeas -> ± 1000g soaked chickpeas

So for this recipe, you will need 250g of dried chickpeas or 500g of soaked chickpeas.

How to make Crispy Fried Falafel

Making Falafel is super easy! As always, you can find the full recipe (ingredients + instructions) in the box at the end of the post but I want to show you the key ingredients and process with step-by-step photos first.

The ingredients

You will need:

dried chickpeas (soaked; not cooked)
onion
garlic
frying oil (rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil will work fine)
chickpea flour (as a binding ingredient)
fresh parsley (lots of it)
whole cumin seeds
salt

The basic steps

soaking chickpeas — Step 1: Soak chickpeas with enough water (at least 2-3 times the amount) overnight. The next day, drain and wash them.

soaked chickpeas — Step 1: Soak chickpeas with enough water (at least 2-3 times the amount) overnight. The next day, drain and wash them.

onion and garlic in food processor — Step 2: Add halved onion and garlic into a food processor and blitz it up.

onion, garlic, and cumin in pan — Step 3: Add a bit of oil into a pan. Cook onions and garlic until soft. Add whole cumin.

chickpeas, parsley, onion, garlic, cumin, baking soda, salt in food processor — Step 4: Into the food processor, add the soaked chickpeas, parsley, the onion-garlic-cumin-mixture, and salt. Pulse. Then add chickpea flour.

falafel mixture with chickpea flour — Step 4: Into the food processor, add the soaked chickpeas, parsley, the onion-garlic-cumin-mixture, and salt. Pulse. Then add chickpea flour.

falafel mixture — Step 5: Process again until it’s fine and easily sticks together. You can always add more chickpea flour if it’s not sticky enough.

falafel mixture in ice cream scoop — Step 6: For evenly sized falafel, I use an ice cream scoop, then roll them in my hands to make balls.

shaped falafel before frying — Step 6: For evenly sized falafel, I use an ice cream scoop, then roll them in my hands to make balls.

fried falafel — Step 7: Fry them for about 6 minutes. Then add them to a kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

fried falafel on kitchen paper — Step 7: Fry them for about 6 minutes. Then add them to a kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

Tip: Use a slotted spoon to lower the falafel carefully into the oil and also to take them out of the oil.

Serve the Falafel…

in a wrap e.g. salad, hummus, and tomatoes in thick fluffy tortillas
with couscous: Simple Onion Couscous or Mediterranean Couscous
on a leafy green salad with soy yogurt sauce or tahini dressing!

Falafel FAQ

Can I bake them instead?

Use this recipe for Baked Falafel.

Can I freeze Falafel?

Yes! Fry them, then let them cool off completely, transfer them into a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For reheating, you can pop them in the microwave, bake them in the oven, pan-fry or add them to a Falafel Curry (it’s my favorite way to use frozen falafel because it makes them soft again).

Can I use canned chickpeas for Falafel?

Yes and No! DO NOT use canned chickpeas (or cooked chickpeas) in this falafel recipe because I tested it and they fall apart in the frying process. No fun!
If you want to use canned chickpeas, use this recipe for Spinach Falafel and simply leave out the spinach.

Can I prepare the falafel mixture in advance?

Yes, you can either store the falafel mixture in the fridge for up to 3 days or form the falafel balls and then store in the fridge or you can even freeze them. And then fry them later on.

More Falafel Recipes

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I hope you enjoy these Crispy Fried Falafel as much as I do! Let me know if you give them a try!

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Cheers, Bianca