Lebanese Falafel
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.
Servings: 18 balls
Calories: 65kcal
Equipment
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.216 g Dried chickpeas, 95 g Dried broad bean, Water
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.25 g Boiled potato , 100 g Onion, 1½ tsp Ground parsley, 1 tsp Ground coriander, 1½ tsp Ground mint, ¼ tsp Lebanese Seven spice, ½ tsp Paprika, ½ tsp Ground cumin, ¾ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Ground black pepper, 2 cloves Garlic, ½ tsp Baking soda
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.Canola oil
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
Be careful! Falafel fry quickly, especially toward the end. Take them out as soon as they are reddish brown and place them on a plate with paper towel to soak up excess oil.
A traditional way to enjoy Lebanese falafel is in a pita sandwich with lettuce, tomato, sauce made with tahini, onion, fries and some Middle Eastern pickles.
Though sometimes I enjoy mine in a bowl sans pita with some authentic Lebanese baba ganoush.
Nutritional values do not factor in the frying oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg