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This Falafel recipe is easy, gluten-free, and naturally vegan! It’s packed with fresh herbs and flavor and you can prepare it in the oven, on the stovetop, or with an air fryer!
I had never made traditional Falafel before my recent trip toIsrael, but once I had a bite of that crispy goodness, Iknew I had to re-create it for the blog.
I must say, I am pretty dang proud of this recipe! After doing my own taste-testing abroad plus some of my own internet research, I’ve learned a few things about Falafel:
It should be made with dried andsoaked chickpeas, not canned. Otherwise, it will be too mushy.
The best Falafel should be green on the inside. (This is somewhat up for debate, but I agree with this sentiment).
Traditional Falafel is deep-fried, which somehow absorbsless oil than pan frying?!
Not sure how I feel about that last one, but apparently it’s the truth! Either way, I asked you all on Instagram how you would like to prepare yourFalafel, and the majority of you voted for a Baked Recipe. I did provide several different options in the recipe instructions though, so you can do whatever you’d decide! My favorite version of preparation was with my Air Fryer. It made the mostgolden-brown andcrispy Falafel exterior while keeping aflavorful greenandfluffy interior. WIN!
Regardless of how you prepare it, I do hope you enjoy this recipe. One thing that I love about Middle Eastern cuisine is how recipe ingredients are so simple (and affordable!), but everything is stillpacked with flavor. And this Falafel Recipe is certainly no exception to that rule!
A Few Final Thoughts:
Traditional Falafel is usually made with flour, to help the mixture bind together. However, I wanted to keep things Gluten-Free, so I used Chickpea Flour instead and it worked out perfectly!
This recipe does make quite alot of Falafel. If you’re putting in the effort to make it, I think it’s worth it to go big or go home. Ha. It does keep well in the fridge, but you can also cut the recipe in half.
You can serve this Falafel however you’d like! I enjoy it dipped in either homemadeHummus or a creamy Tahini Sauce, but you can also put it in wraps, on top of salads, etc.
If you’re looking for more Middle-Eastern Inspired recipes, you’ll also love this Quinoa Tabbouleh and this Fattoush Salad with Creamy Sumac Dressing!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it onFacebook orInstagram, don’t forget to tag me@FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
This Falafel recipe is easy, gluten-free, and naturally vegan! It’s packed with fresh herbs and flavor and you can prepare it in the oven, on the stovetop, or with an air fryer!
Preheat your oven to 400F, if you are using it. Place the Soaked Chickpeas, roughly chopped Onion, and Garlic into a large Food Processor. Process until the mixture is finely chopped, but not mush.
Next, add in the fresh Herbs, dried Spices, and Lemon Juice. Process again until well incorporated — the mixture should turn a bright green color.
Finally, add the Chickpea Flour and Tahini to the Food Processor, and pulse until well combined.
Transfer the Falafel mixture to a large bowl, and use your hands to form round balls using ~2 tbsp of the mixture.
To bake…
In the Oven:Bake at 400F for 18 minutes, flip, then bake for another 15-18 minutes.
In the Air Fryer: (recommended)Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. For extra crispy Falafel, spray the balls with some oil or a nonstick cooking spray before baking.
On the Stovetop:add 1 tbsp of heat-safe oil to the pan for every 5 Falafel balls. Pan-fry over medium heat, rotating the balls every 2 or so minutes, to brown all sides. This process took about 20 minutes for me.
Serve as desired. The Falafel will dry out slightly in the fridge, but will keep well in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Notes
To soak your Chickpeas, simply place them in a large bowl and cover them with water for 12-24 hours at room temperature. Keep in mind that they will expand with time, so make sure you add enough water!
I have not tested this recipe with any other regular or GF flours, but I imagine you could substitute any grain-based flour for the Chickpea Flour successfully.
Want to save this Falafel Recipe for later? Pin the recipe to your Pinterest boards:
Traditionally, homemade falafel is made from a mixture of ground chickpeas and or fava beans, herbs, spices, baking soda, onions and garlic. These ingredients are naturally gluten-free, making falafel an excellent option for individuals avoiding gluten.
A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.
Canned chickpeas do not work for falafel. They're far too wet. If you try to use canned chickpeas instead of dried and soaked chickpeas, you'll end up with sad falafel pancakes. Some recipes try to counteract the wetness by adding flour, which significantly dulls the flavor and makes the texture more doughy.
If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them. If you find the mixture is too wet, simply add little more breadcrumbs. The falafel mixture after prepared can be shaped by hand or with a tool called an alb falafel (falafel mold).
Almond flour is an excellent alternative to have in your kitchen cupboard. It's easy to find in shops and commonly used in plenty of sweet and savoury dishes, including brownies, pancakes, puddings, cakes, falafel and more. Made from ground blanched almonds, it's high in protein, rich in fibre and gluten-free.
Your average store bought and restaurant falafel has both chickpea wheat flour in it, which makes it not gluten-free. The best bet is to make your own gluten-free falafel, and this recipe from Joy Food Sunshine fits the bill nicely. Please read the ingredient and nutrition label carefully.
Dried chickpeas (that have been soaked in water for 24 hours) are an important ingredient that will give your falafel the right consistency and taste. (Tip: I usually add about ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water to help soften the dry chickpeas.)
Baking soda and powder: Baking soda breaks down and softens the chickpeas as they soak.Baking powder, mixed in just before baking, makes the falafel light and airy. Fresh herbs: The tender leaves of parsley, dill, and cilantro bring fresh, herbal flavor and color.
How do you get a falafel to stick together? Falafel will stick together when you follow the recipe and make sure they chill long enough. You should also scoop the balls of dough tightly and that will keep them in one piece.
Green lentils may be the best replacement for chickpeas in falafel as they maintain a great firm texture. Mung beans, quinoa, and almond flour also have textures that can lend well to the soft-but-not-soggy texture of the inside of falafel.
If you can't find the pale, peeled fava beans, use all chickpeas instead of a combination of chickpea and fava beans. Dark fava beans have the peels on them and won't work for this recipe!
What Is It? Aquafaba is the thick liquid that results from soaking or cooking legumes, such as chickpeas, in water for an extended period of time. It's the translucent viscous goop you probably rinse down the drain when you open a can of chickpeas.
Its the deep frying in oil that should cook the beans. The moisture in the pre cooked beans make the falafels soggy and fall apart whereas frying the uncooked chickpeas makes them crispier.
Falafel have to be crispy on the outside yet soft and fluffy in the inside. They have to have enough fresh herbs and onion. Too much onion and your falafel will have a bad after taste. Too little and they won't be as moist and fluffy as they should be.
Overnight soak: Place the dry chickpeas in a large bowl, add enough water to cover them by 1 inch, and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 20 to 24 hours. They should double in size to give you about 3 cups of chickpeas. When ready, you should be able to break apart a chickpea with your fingers.
Depending on what ingredients are added to falafel, they can be naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making them a good option for most diets. That said, falafel can have downsides, depending on how it's prepared. It's typically deep-fried in oil, which significantly increases its calorie and fat content ( 11 ).
No flour is used in our recipe. The centers are light, tender, and extra flavorful thanks to green herbs and garlic, while the exterior is perfectly crisp and golden brown. Dried chickpeas — I've addressed this further below, but canned or cooked chickpeas are not an option when making falafel.
Yes, chickpeas are gluten-free. Chickpeas have many other names, including garbanzo beans, garbanzo, gram, Bengal gram, Egyptian pea, cici beans, chi chi beans and cece beans. The most common variety of chickpea is a beige, tan color, but they can also be black, green, or red.
Hummus is usually gluten-free, but not always. Traditional hummus is naturally gluten-free as are most brands such as Sabra Hummus. There are reports out there of certain brands either including flour in their hummus or just declaring that their hummus may contain wheat and/or is made on shared equipment.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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