Protein-rich, crispy, and non-fried – these chickpea falafels can be enjoyed by everyone. These are packed with the flavors of different herbs and taste amazing with some hummus or a simple curd dip. It is perfect for an evening snack and even for your house parties because these are surely a crowd favorite.
Chickpea falafels might get a little heavy for some people because chickpeas do give some trouble with digestion. For that, I have a Green Moong Dal Falafel recipe too. These are much lighter than chickpea falafels. Now everybody can enjoy this Middle-Eastern appetizing recipe.
What is Falafel?
Falafels are delicious deep-fried chickpea balls from the Middle East. It is like a kebab or fritters. Traditionally, falafels are made of soaked chickpeas and a lot of different herbs and spices that are coarsely ground together and then shaped into small balls or patties. They are then deep-fried until brown and crispy. They are often served with hummus or stuffed in pita pockets along with some dips and salads. It tastes quite amazing and can be enjoyed as a snack or as a full meal.
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How to cook Falafels?
There are many ways to cook falafels and each way results in a slightly different taste and texture because of the method of cooking. You can make them by any of the following methods:
- Baked – This results in dry falafel if you follow the same mixture recipe as the fried ones. To get the juicy and crispy texture, follow my Baked Chickpea Falafel recipe.
- Air Fryer – I don’t have an Air Fryer so I never tried this method. But you can definitely make them in Air-Fryer. Follow the same recipe as Baked Chickpea Falafels and cook until golden brown.
- Shallow Fried – This is my favorite method because it is easy and since these are not deep-fried, they feel much less oily and light. For this, shape the falafels into a patty and cook from both sides until golden brown.
- Deep-Fried – This is the classic method to make falafels. You can make small balls of falafels and deep fry them until brown and crispy all over.
Tips to make it right
One problem that can happen while making a falafel mixture is over-grinding the mixture. It leads to a lot of moisture release and then you will end up adding more gram flour (besan) or bread crumbs so that you can make a firm patty. It mostly happens because of the onions in the mixture. If they are ground for a slightly longer time, they form a puree-like consistency.
To prevent that, I would suggest using a food processor. It is made for these purposes. It quickly forms a coarse mixture for the falafels without any moisture release. But not everyone has that. Even I don’t have that. I use my mixer grinder (or smoothie maker). I add a small amount of the mixture at a time and pulse a couple of times until coarsely ground.
How to save the mixture if it is too moist?
If accidentally, the mixture becomes too moist and it is hard to form patties, just add extra gram flour (besan), mix, and see if you can make a firm patty. A little bit of moisture is okay. The patty will hold the shape while frying. After adding gram flour, let the mixture rest so that the flour can absorb the moisture well and the mixture will develop some flavors too.
Keep in mind to adjust the seasonings accordingly.
How to store Falafels?
You can make patties of falafels and refrigerate them for 2-3 days. Fry or bake when you want to serve.
You can even make a big batch of falafels and put them in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Freeze them for up to a month. But do not stack them or put them directly in a zip-lock bag before freezing. First, put them on a plate and freeze until they become hard or frozen. Once frozen, you can stack them in a container or put them in a zip-lock bag and store them back in the freezer. They can last for a month or even more. When you want to serve them, put them at room temperature for around 10-15 minutes and then bake or fry.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve falafels with chickpea hummus or with a simple curd dip (curd with some salt and coriander leaves in it). You can make a salad out of it. I shared the recipe in my book. One of our most preferred way to enjoy falafel is to make Falafel Wraps. That tastes just A-mazing.
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes. Of course. All the ingredients used in this recipe are vegan and plant-based.
Easy Swaps
- Chickpeas: Use soaked whole green moong dal instead.
- Olive Oil: Use any cooking oil of your choice.
More Snack Recipes – just as good
- Hara Bhara Kebab
- Baked Spring Rolls
- Baked Cheese Balls
- Moong Dal Falafel
- Murmura Namkeen
- Punjabi Bread Pakoda
Now we are all ready to make this delicious snacking recipe – Chickpea Falafels. Make a big batch of it and freeze them. Then, you can enjoy them whenever you want to. It is a must-try. They make a perfect snack and you can even make wrap or salads with them.
If you try the recipe and like it too, please share the photo of your dish on Instagram and tag us too @thefearlesscooking. We love to see your recreation of our recipes.
Happy Cooking 🙂
Love from us
Richa
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