Easy Falafel Recipe | Healthy Crispy Chickpea Patties for Dinner
Falafel is one of those weeknight heroes that tastes amazing, fills you up, and doesn’t require fancy ingredients. These crispy chickpea patties are packed with fresh herbs, warm spices, and a satisfying crunch. You can tuck them into pitas, pile them onto salads, or serve them with roasted veggies.
Ingredients
- Dried chickpeas (1 cup, soaked overnight; do not use canned)
- Fresh parsley (1 packed cup)
- Fresh cilantro (1 packed cup)
- Small onion (1, roughly chopped)
- Garlic cloves (3–4)
- Ground cumin (2 teaspoons)
- Ground coriander (1.5 teaspoons)
- Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- Salt (1–1.5 teaspoons, to taste)
- Black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional, 1/4–1/2 teaspoon)
- All-purpose flour or chickpea flour (2–3 tablespoons, as needed)
- Lemon (1, for zest and juice)
- Neutral oil for cooking (avocado, grapeseed, or canola)
- Optional add-ins: sesame seeds (2 tablespoons), ground cardamom (pinch)
- To serve: pita or flatbread, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, pickles, tahini sauce or yogurt sauce
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas. Place 1 cup dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. They will at least triple in size. Soak 12–24 hours, then drain and pat dry. Do not cook them.
- Prep the aromatics. Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Rinse and dry the parsley and cilantro well to avoid excess moisture. Remove tough stems, but soft stems are fine.
- Pulse the mix. In a food processor, add chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Pulse until it looks like coarse crumbs, similar to fine couscous. Scrape the bowl as needed. Avoid making a paste.
- Season. Add cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Pulse to combine. Taste and adjust salt—this is your flavor foundation.
- Bind and brighten. Add baking powder, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour. Pulse a few times to combine. The mixture should hold together when pressed. If it crumbles, add up to 1 more tablespoon flour.
- Chill. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate 30–60 minutes. Chilling helps it firm up and makes shaping easier.
- Shape. Using damp hands or a small scoop, form balls or patties about 1.5 inches wide. Press gently to compact without squeezing out moisture. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the outside if you like.
- Cook option A – pan fry. Heat a generous slick of oil (about 1/4 inch) in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add falafel, leaving space. Cook 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack or paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven if needed.
- Cook option B – bake. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush a sheet pan with oil. Arrange patties, brush tops lightly with oil, and bake 12–15 minutes per side until browned and crisp. For extra color, broil 1–2 minutes at the end.
- Serve. Stuff warm pita with falafel, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce. Add pickles and drizzle with tahini sauce or a lemony yogurt sauce. A side salad or roasted veggies rounds it out.