When mum makes you squashed falafel to easily put into a home made wrap 🤤 you just can't say no. Here's my mum's Lebanese falafel recipe from scratch.
Falafel used to be daunting to me, I'm not sure why, but it was one of those Lebanese food recipes that I would shy away from. I remember growing up in our childhood home and standing next to mum whilst she would place the falafel mix into a specific falafel utensil (I've found a pic of this and shared below) to shape the falafel. I was intrigued by the process. Wanting to always help, she would never let me, as it involved hot oil to fry the falafel. I guess this is why I would shy away from making them, I was never allowed!
Nowadays, mum likes to quicken the process when making falafel, and simply moulds each falafel by hand and squashes them slightly before frying them. Easier to wrap - she says.
Easy Falafel Recipe Tips
- If you decide to fry, make sure the oil is very hot.
- You could use fresh herbs instead of dried, your falafel's will have a green tinge to them
- Canned chickpeas instead of dried is also okay
- Use fresh broad beans instead of dried, this will also result in green falafels (which I like)
- To use the falafel utensil; you would scoop the falafel mix
- Paste it into the top
- Press it in gently with a spatula
- using the lever, push out the moulded falafel.
- The utensil is perfect for consistent and perfect looking falafels.
How to Serve falafel
One of the most common ways falafel is served is in a sandwich made falafel, taratoor (Lebanese falafel sauce) tomato, onion, parsley and pickled turnip (or pickles) all wrapped in Lebanese pita bread with a side of french fries. YUM this is making me hungry. Here's my easy pickled vegetable recipe.
Can falafel be baked instead of fried?
Whilst it is not the traditional method for cooking falafel, baking is definitely an option and a healthier version too. Baked falafel are drier than the fried version.
How long will falafel mix last?
My mum loves to freeze her falafel mix, and with a quick defrost she can make it anytime she wants.
Ingredients
- 2 cup Dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
- 1 cup Dried broad bean, soaked overnight
- 3 tsp Ground parsley
- 2 tsp Ground coriander
- 3 tsp Dried or ground mint
- 4 cloves Garlic, crushed
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Seasoning Seasoning = salt & pepper
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Seven spice
- 1 sml Boiled potato
- Canola oil - For frying
- Sesame seeds to cover falafel in Optional
Instructions
- Drain soaked chickpeas and broad bean.
- Using a food processor, add chickpeas and broad bean together and bliz until small pieces have formed
- Add all other ingredients to the chickpeas and broad bean and blitz until it forms a smooth gritty paste (not completely smooth)
- Shape into desired ball shapes.
- Optional - coat in sesame seeds
- Cook either deep fry (traditional), pan fry or bake until gold brown.
Nutrition
What sauce can I used with my Falafel
The most common falafel dipping sauce is called Tarator. This silky falafel sauce is both tangy and nutty and helps to bring the taste of falafel to the next level.
Mum and I love to eat Falafel with Toum (see pic below), a traditional silky Lebanese Garlic Sauce that packs a punch in flavour. Generally there are two ways we eat them; in a wrap made from Lebanese bread with garlic sauce, fresh and pickled veggies or using our hands and dipping into the garlic sauce. Learn how to make it here - Traditional Lebanese Garlic Sauce - Toum Recipe.
Mariam
I’ve always wondered how they made the falafels into those shapes. This easy falafel recipe is easy to follow.... yum. Thank you!
Hiba
Wonderful with your garlic dip. Thanks! But can I make falafel without potato?
plantbasedfolk
Hi Hiba, Of course you can leave out the potato for your falafel mix. 🙂