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–+ servings
Two falafels sit on a a plate, with two half-pitas in the background. The split pitas are filled with falafel, tzatziki, tomatoes, and fresh parsley.

Falafel

Crunchy fried falafel makes a perfect lunch or snack, with fresh pita bread and veggies.
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Course Appetizer, Main Course
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas garbanzo beans
  • ¼ to ½ yellow onion chopped
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 Tbsp garlic minced
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Oil for frying

For serving (all optional):

  • pita bread with pockets
  • fresh tomatoes
  • fresh parsley
  • hummus
  • tzatziki
  • baba ghanoush

Instructions
 

  • Add the garbanzo beans into a large bowl and soak in water overnight (the water should be a couple inches higher than the beans, so the beans plump up).
  • Rinse the beans and add them to a food processor with chopped onion, fresh parsley, garlic, flour, salt, cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
  • Process the ingredients together until it is the texture of chunky peanut butter.
  • Put the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
  • Make the falafel balls with 2 tablespoons of the mixture (small or medium cookie scoop). Pack them tightly; the compression helps them stay together. (Add just a bit extra flour if they are too crumbly)
  • Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
  • Cook a few falafels at a time so they are not crowded, slightly flattening out each ball as you put them onto the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Add more oil to the pan as needed for each batch.

Notes

These are best fresh.  If you won't eat them all right away, cook half of them and keep the rest of the uncooked dough in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days until you're ready to cook another batch.  
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