Magical Green Falafels
This Middle Eastern-inspired falafel is moist and fluffy on the inside, super crispy on the outside, and packs a ton of fresh herbs! This vegan falafel is the most delicious I have ever tasted!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup fresh mint
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic
- 1/8 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp of each: cinnamon, anise, cardamom, ginger
- a pinch nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup rice flour or chickpea flour
- 4 cups oil for frying
For serving
Instructions
- Soak: Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl with the baking soda. Cover with water and let soak overnight.
- Make the falafel: Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in a food processor with all the other ingredients: fresh herbs, salt, spices, garlic powder, oregano, baking soda, and rice flour.
- Pulse until all the ingredients are finely chopped and a coarse meal forms. Scrape down the sides and pulse again until the texture resembles a fine meal, like couscous. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Shape and chill: Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Form small balls (about 3 tablespoons) using your hands and place them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Letting them rest overnight is best as it allows the flavors to develop.
- Fry: Fill a large skillet with vegetable oil, you want a depth of about 1 inch. Heat over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. When the oil is hot, fry the falafels for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once the falafels are ready, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel to remove the excess oil.
- Serve immediately and enjoy with hummus, tabbouleh, or tahini sauce. You can also add them to pita bread with hummus, salad, and red onions.
Notes
- Fry at the last minute. I recommend frying the falafel before serving as they tend to dry a bit as they cool down.
- For moister falafel: I have discovered that using a combination of half fava beans (also called broad beans) and half chickpeas creates moister and softer falafel compared to using only chickpeas. If you want to use fava beans, I recommend using split and shelled ones.
- Shape: You can shape the falafels into balls if planning to serve them with a dipping sauce or into patties if you want to use them in pita or sandwiches.
- Nutrition information does not include the oil used when frying. Falafels will be slightly higher in calories.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Falafel | Calories: 88 kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.8 g | Protein: 4.2 g | Fat: 1.3 g | Fiber: 3.9 g | Sugar: 2.4 g
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