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Home » Entree » Homemade Vegetarian Falafel Recipe

Published: Mar 3, 2013 · Modified: Apr 23, 2020 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Homemade Vegetarian Falafel Recipe

Falafel

This week we celebrated our little ones third Birthday and it was a weeklong celebration. Celebrations at home on his actual Birthday, celebration in school and a little get together with friends. I like to have a theme when cooking for parties and for this one chose Middle Eastern food. We have a great Middle Eastern restaurant in our neighborhood which we love and we eat there often. So my kids are also used to the flavors.

I made these falafel from the recipe in the book Perfect Vegetarian. This is my post for the blogging marathon # 26 under the theme, cooking from a cookbook. This book has many simple and quick vegetarian recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts. The falafel recipe was really good and simple to make.

Falafel taste the best when made from fresh chickpeas. I made it from canned chickpeas as it says in the book, and it turned out pretty well.

Ingredients to make Falafel –

  • Canned chickpeas - 2 can (15 oz)*see notes if making from fresh chickpeas
  • Onion – 1 small (chopped)
  • Garlic cloves – 2
  • Hot Chili – 1 (optional)
  • Baking powder – 1 tsp
  • Fresh parsley – ¼ cup
  • Fresh cilantro – ½ cup
  • Cayenne pepper – ¼ tsp
  • Cumin powder – 1 tsp
  • All purpose flour – 2 tsp
  • Bread crumbs – 3 tbsp
  • Salt and pepper – to taste
  • Oil – for deep frying

To serve –

  • Pita Bread
  • Hummus
Falafel

*Notes –

  • If using fresh chick peas – soak 1 cup of chickpeas in fresh water for at least 12 hrs. Drain all the water and use it to make the falafels.
  • I do not have step by step pictures of the whole process. I will update it when I make them again.

Procedure to make Falafel –

  • Drain the chickpeas from the can and wash it several times under running cold water. Then drain it and dry them for few minutes and add it to the food processor.
  • Along with it, add the onion, garlic, chili, cilantro, parsley, APF, bread crumbs, cayenne and cumin powder. Process them until it becomes a coarse paste. Then season it with salt and pepper and process it once more.
  • Now remove it from the food processor and transfer it to a bowl. Refrigerate the ground mixture for at least ½ hr. I realized from experience that it very important for the mixture to be chilled; otherwise they disintegrate in the hot oil when frying.
  • When the mixture is refrigerating, heat oil in a deep pan over high heat.
  • Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and add the baking powder to it. Mix it well.
  • Form small patties from the mixture and drop it into hot oil. Drop up to 3 or 4 into hot oil at one time. Without disturbing, let it fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
  • Once the excess oil is drained remove it on a cooling rack so that it retains its crispness. If left in the paper towel too long, they become soft, so remove them after a minute or two.
  • Repeat the same for the rest of the mixture.
Falafel

To serve –

  • The Falafel can be serves as an appetizer as is with some yogurt sauce.
  • I served them inside pita bread with hummus.

Notes and observations –

  • Fresh chick peas works well than canned.
  • The ground mixture has to be refrigerated before frying, otherwise they disintegrate when frying.
  • If you find them disintegrating, refrigerate the mixture for few more minutes or add more bread crumbs for binding.
  • Make sure to transfer it to a cooling rack to retain its crispness. Leaving it too long in a paper towel lined plate would make them soft.
Falafel
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Comments

  1. Amruta says

    March 18, 2013 at 12:19 am

    love this recipe...beautiful presentation..
    Thanks for entering in my cookingspace.blogspot.com event and Happy to follow you 🙂

    Reply
  2. PriyaVaasu says

    March 07, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    I make them often for my kiddo lunch box. tasty n healthy snacking!!! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Preeti Garg says

    March 07, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    Falafal look perfect.... it's also in my to do list

    Reply
  4. Kalyani says

    March 07, 2013 at 5:00 am

    This is one dish thats on my to-do list... thanks for the recipe !

    Reply
  5. Suma Gandlur says

    March 06, 2013 at 8:16 pm

    Love the middle eastern platter over there. :
    )

    Reply
  6. Pavani says

    March 06, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    I crave for falafel I guess ALL THE TIME. Yours looks crispy & delicious.

    Reply
  7. Manju says

    March 06, 2013 at 3:17 pm

    Oh it's so nice, it's in my list for long time.

    Reply
  8. cookcookandcook says

    March 06, 2013 at 11:05 am

    Lovely.. Falafel looks delicious..

    Reply
  9. Srivalli says

    March 05, 2013 at 11:28 am

    I like how you have it for getting grilled..I am sure the kids enjoyed your treat!

    Reply
  10. Shylaja Praveen says

    March 05, 2013 at 2:54 am

    Falafel looks crispy and perfect

    Reply
  11. vaishali sabnani says

    March 04, 2013 at 10:36 am

    I like these cute falafals..they look perfectly fried to a nice golden!.. refrigerating the batter is something new I have learnt, will give it a shot next time.

    Reply
  12. Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi says

    March 04, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    Wow! these are super tempting and I bet the kids had a feast !!

    Reply
  13. divya says

    March 04, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    yummy cuties ,too tempting!!wonderful clicks..

    Reply
  14. Priya says

    March 04, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    Omg, those cuties tempts me a lot, even they are baked or deep fried, never get bored of them.Thanks for sending to HDE..

    Reply
  15. Kitchen Queen says

    March 04, 2013 at 12:14 pm

    Crunchy falafel. I had baked version at my space.

    Reply
  16. Nivedhanams Sowmya says

    March 04, 2013 at 6:02 am

    Hi, I have an award for you at my space. Please collect it.. Click here for the link
    Sowmya
    Ongoing Event - What is with my Cuppa
    Ongoing Event - HITS - Diabetic Friendly

    Reply
  17. Nivedhanams Sowmya says

    March 04, 2013 at 5:29 am

    super tempting and super delicious!!! perfectly made Sandhya!!!
    Sowmya
    Ongoing Event - What is with my Cuppa
    Ongoing Event - HITS - Diabetic Friendly

    Reply
  18. Love to Experiment says

    March 04, 2013 at 11:12 am

    Beautiful looking perfect falafels

    Reply
  19. Jayashree says

    March 04, 2013 at 11:05 am

    Hope your little one had lots of fun at the birthday party. The adults, I am sure, would have been happy munching on these falafels.

    Reply
  20. Akila says

    March 04, 2013 at 4:37 am

    Looks great

    Event: Dish name starts with R till April 15th

    Reply
  21. Love to Experiment says

    March 04, 2013 at 2:29 am

    Hi Sandhya,

    Please grab your award from my page

    Round Up: Flavours of Cuisines - Mexican

    Regards

    Reply
  22. Rajani S says

    March 04, 2013 at 7:20 am

    Lovely! Nice presentation and it looks really tempting!

    Belated b'day wishes to your kid 🙂

    Reply
  23. Priya R says

    March 04, 2013 at 1:04 am

    Hope your little one enjoyed. Looks like a super filling snack I love chick peas in any form. Would love to try this.

    Reply
  24. Easy (EZ) Editorial Calendar says

    March 04, 2013 at 6:52 am

    Really good recipe...

    Did you get a chance to check the website www.ezedcal.com/ta to manage editorial calendar easily for your blog and show your editorial calendar in your blog easily (optional)
    Thanks & Regards
    Bensie Dorien.

    Reply
  25. thoushaltcook says

    March 04, 2013 at 5:52 am

    Love the little note about using fresh chickpeas. very thoughtful.

    Reply
  26. Gayathri Kumar says

    March 04, 2013 at 5:21 am

    Delicious falafel. I am yet to try out these cute cutlets...

    Reply
  27. Saras says

    March 04, 2013 at 5:11 am

    Woow, Scrumptious Felafel..Pass me the plate dear..

    Reply
  28. gayathri says

    March 04, 2013 at 4:16 am

    love this recipe...beautiful presentation..
    https://foody-buddy.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  29. Sona S says

    March 04, 2013 at 4:05 am

    delicious, and nice clicks.

    Reply
  30. The Pumpkin Farm says

    March 04, 2013 at 3:04 am

    lovely platter, nice presentation

    Reply
  31. Chef Mireille says

    March 04, 2013 at 2:25 am

    perfectly crispy falafel

    Reply
  32. Anonymous says

    March 04, 2013 at 1:35 am

    It was delicious, Sandhya..
    Preetha

    Reply
  33. veena krishnakumar says

    March 04, 2013 at 1:31 am

    Looks so inviting!Now , i want to make some too:-)

    Reply

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Sandhya

I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

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