Make the popular street food in your kitchen from scratch. This never-fail Lebanese falafel recipe is from my family’s recipe book. It is authentic and crunchy, made with chickpeas, broad beans, herbs, and spices.
What Is Falafel?
Falafel is a popular deep-fried ball or patty made from a mixture of chickpeas and broad beans.
It likely originated in Egypt and has since spread to other Middle Eastern countries, with flavors varying between regions and countries.
I’ve compiled a list of ways to serve falafel to make it easy for you to enjoy this delicious food as there are so many options. Or here are ideas to enjoy them for dinner.
Ingredients Highlight
The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
Chickpeas and Broad Beans: My family has always used a combination of dried chickpeas and broad beans, soaked overnight. Never use canned or cooked beans, as this will not be effective in this recipe and will not result in crunchiness.
It is important to use extra-large broad beans, not the small dark ones. See the pic below.
Herbs: My recipe calls for dried parsley and mint flakes with ground coriander seeds.
Spices: An integral part of the flavoring. You will need ground cumin, paprika, Lebanese baharat (a blend of 7 spices, recipe linked in the below recipe card), salt and black pepper.
While I recommend making your blend, as not all commercial blends are equal, you can purchase a good 7 spice here. You can also save time by pre-making a blend of falafel spices and herbs and keeping it in the pantry.
Fresh Ingredients: Fresh garlic cloves and onion are added to the mixture and make a world of difference in taste. However, you can leave these out if you wish. I have made both versions and both are tasty. My preference is with both in there, it's next level. If you are taking these out, add another teaspoon of boiled potato.
Magic Ingredient: I’ve been watching my mother make these since I was a child, and she explains that a small amount of boiled potato is the magic ingredient that makes this Lebanese falafel recipe a never-fail. It helps to bind the ingredients together, so each ball will remain intact and never fall apart.
Baking Soda (Bicarbonate Soda): This leavens the mixture to make it airy and light when fried. There’s nothing worse than a dense falafel.
Janelle's Tips
I recommend using the metric measurements to create perfect Lebanese falafels.
Don’t have a falafel maker? Use your hands to create the balls and gently squish them into a puck.
You can test if the hot oil is ready by frying a small piece of falafel mixture. If it sizzles and starts to cook immediately without falling apart, the oil is likely hot enough.
Not a fan of frying? You can oven-bake or use an air fryer instead. While it is not the traditional method for cooking falafel, baking is a healthier option albeit drier than the fried version. To oven-bake, place the falafel balls on an oiled, lined baking sheet tray, brush them with a small amount of oil, and bake in a preheated 392°F (200°C) fan-forced oven until reddish, about 20-25 minutes.
Did you know you can freeze falafel! Which is perfect if you eat these chickpea balls regularly.
Did you know that homemade Lebanese falafels are naturally vegan and gluten free, but store-bought ones may not be? If you need more info on those, click on the relevant link to find out more.
Try These! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy Lebanese falafels.
Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.
Recipe
Lebanese Falafel
Ingredients
- 216 g Dried chickpeas
- 95 g Dried broad bean (fava beans)
- 25 g Boiled potato peeled
- 100 g Onion
- 1½ teaspoon Ground parsley
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoon Ground mint
- ¼ teaspoon Lebanese Seven spice
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda bicarbonate soda
- 2 cloves Garlic large
- Canola oil For frying
- Water For soaking broad beans
Instructions
Soak, Drain, and Peel
- Soak dried chickpeas and broad beans overnight in three times the amount of water to beans, allowing them to rehydrate and double in size. The next day, drain and rinse the beans, then let them sit in a colander while you peel the broad beans, discarding the skins.
Process the Mixture
- In a high-speed food processor, add the beans and process until roughly chopped, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients and process in one-minute intervals, scraping down the sides and mixing thoroughly to ensure an even texture. Repeat this process 5 to 6 times until the mixture has a fine, grainy, and moist consistency.
Hand Mix and Rest the Mixture
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and knead it with your hands for about a minute, ensuring everything is evenly mixed and checking for any large pieces. If there are, blend again until even. Cover and let the mixture rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Heat Oil and Shape the Falafel Balls
- Heat frying oil in a saucepan to a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm) over high heat. Once the oil is hot, pack the mixture into a falafel maker, shaping it into a domed puck just over an inch thick. I recommend watching my "how to shape falafel" video for a visual guide.
Fry and Serve the Falafel
- Gently place the shaped falafel into the hot oil and fry until reddish, about 2 to 2½ minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon. Remove the falafel with the spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. You can fry several falafel at a time, but do not overcrowd the oil to prevent the temperature from dropping and causing the falafel to fall apart. Serve immediately and enjoy! I've listed some serving suggestions below.
Video
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
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Emma
This is my favourite falafel recipe, I have tried a few and none have the flavour that I was searching for, they are better than any I have ever eaten.
Tim
these falafels were among the best I've had. Recommend!
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. 🙂
Shani
These were fabulous. I used dried yellow split peas for the broad beans, & otherwise followed the recipe. Shaped by hand. Thank you for the delicious, detailed recipe.
Janelle Hama
Nice swap, thanks for sharing and glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Mariam
I’ve always wondered how they made the falafels into those shapes. This easy falafel recipe is easy to follow.... yum. Thank you!