Falafel Recipe

Soak chickpeas

Place 1 cup dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 cups cold water. Soak 12–24 hours at room temperature, stirring once or twice. Do not use canned/chickpeas; they are too soft.

Drain and prep

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas well. Pat slightly dry with paper towels. Place chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor.

Process mixture

Add 1/2 cup packed parsley, 1/4 cup packed cilantro, 1/2 cup roughly chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the food processor with the chickpeas. Pulse in 10–15 short bursts, scraping down the bowl as needed, until mixture is coarse and holds together when pressed. Do not purée to a paste.

Add binder

Transfer mixture to a bowl. Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp flour. Mix well; if mixture seems too dry to hold together when squeezed, add up to 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp at a time, until it holds shape but is not wet.

Chill

Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30–60 minutes. Chilling firms the mixture and helps prevent falling apart during frying.

Shape falafel

Use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to portion the mix into 3 equal balls (approximately 1.5 inches each) or patties. Pack gently so they hold their shape but remain slightly coarse.

Heat oil

Pour about 1 cup vegetable oil into a heavy skillet (or deep pot) to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a piece of bread sizzles and browns in ~30 seconds.

Fry falafel

Fry the falafel in batches, 3–4 at a time depending on pan size, for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and heated through. Turn gently with a slotted spoon or tongs. Total fry time ~6–8 minutes per batch.

Drain

Remove falafel to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Let rest 2–3 minutes before assembling.

Warm 3 small pita breads in a dry skillet or oven for 1–2 minutes until pliable.

Slice tomato and cucumber. Spread about 1–2 tablespoons tahini sauce or yogurt inside each pita, add one falafel (3 total falafel served whole or halved across the pitas as preferred), add sliced tomato and cucumber, garnish with parsley leaves and a squeeze of lemon.

Serve immediately while falafel are crisp. Leftovers keep in the fridge up to 2 days (reheat in oven or toaster oven to retain crispness).