Easy Falafel

Make your falafel more exciting with these easy ideas! You can try new herbs, spices, or beans. If you can’t eat gluten, there’s a recipe for you. And if you want a healthier choice, you can bake instead of fry. Let’s make falafel fun and delicious!

Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Resting time: N/A
Total time: 50 min
Serves: 24 Patties

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• ½ cup fresh dill, stems removed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups dried chickpeas (Do NOT use canned or cooked chickpeas)
• Salt to taste
• ¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 7-8 garlic cloves, peeled

Sauce:

• Baby arugula
• Tahini sauce
• English cucumbers, chopped or diced
• Pickles
• Pita bread
• Tomatoes, chopped or diced

Method:

1. (Prepare one day in advance) In a large bowl, place the dried chickpeas and baking soda, and cover with water by at least 2 inches. Soak overnight for 18 hours, or longer if the chickpeas are still too hard. When ready, drain the chickpeas completely and pat them dry.
2. Combine the soaked chickpeas, herbs, onions, garlic, and spices in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse the food processor in 40-second intervals until everything is well combined, forming the falafel mixture.
3. Transfer the falafel mixture to a container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, until ready to cook.
4. Just before frying, stir in the baking powder and sesame seeds.
5. Using wet hands, form tablespoonfuls of the falafel mixture into patties about ½ inch thick.
6. Heat oil in a medium saucepan to 3 inches deep over medium-high heat until it bubbles softly. Carefully place the falafel patties in the oil and fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until crispy and medium brown on the outside. Avoid crowding the pan and fry in batches if needed.
7. Drain the fried falafel patties on a colander or plate lined with paper towels.
8. Serve the hot falafel alongside other small plates, or assemble the falafel patties in pita bread with tahini or hummus, arugula, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Enjoy!

Notes:

When trying new falafel variations, start with small batches to test the flavors before making a larger batch. This way, you can adjust the seasonings to your liking without wasting ingredients.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 94
Carbs: 2g
Protein 4g
Fat 4g

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