Homemade Falafel with Tahini Sauce Recipe
This Homemade Falafel recipe delivers crispy, perfectly spiced chickpea patties that are a delicious and authentic Middle Eastern treat. Made from soaked dried chickpeas and fresh herbs, these falafels are flavored with cumin, coriander, and garlic, then deep-fried until golden brown. Serve warm with creamy tahini sauce for an irresistible appetizer or main course.
- Prep Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: About 20 falafel balls 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Falafel
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1/2 small white onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying (6 to 8 cups)
For Serving
- Tahini sauce
Instructions
- Soak Chickpeas: In a large bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with cold water by at least 2 inches. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the chickpeas to fully hydrate and soften.
- Prepare Falafel Mixture: Drain the soaked chickpeas thoroughly and pat them dry. Transfer them to a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are roughly broken down but not pureed. Add the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, kosher salt, baking powder, ground coriander, and ground cumin. Continue pulsing until the mixture is finely chopped but still coarse and not pasty. Finally, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and pulse just until combined to help bind the falafel.
- Shape the Falafel Balls: Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or two spoons, portion the chickpea mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter (approximately 2 tablespoons each). Using clean hands, roll each portion into a smooth, compact ball by tossing between your hands and lightly squeezing. Arrange the balls on a clean plate or a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Heat Oil and Fry: Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy pot to a depth of 2 inches and heat over high heat until the oil reaches 350°F, using a deep-fry or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. Place a wire rack over a large baking sheet to drain the falafel after frying. Working in batches of 6 to 7, gently lower the falafel balls into the hot oil and fry them, adjusting the heat as needed, until they are deeply browned on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
- Drain and Serve: Remove the falafel from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer them to the wire rack to cool slightly and drain excess oil. Serve the falafel warm alongside tahini sauce for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
- Soaking the chickpeas overnight is essential for the right texture; do not substitute with canned chickpeas.
- Use fresh herbs for the best flavor and color.
- Maintain the oil temperature at 350°F to ensure falafels cook through and stay crispy without absorbing too much oil.
- Falafel mixture can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated before frying.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with chickpea flour.
Keywords: falafel, chickpeas, Middle Eastern, appetizer, vegetarian, fried chickpea balls, tahini sauce, homemade falafel
