authentic falafel

Here's how to make falafel: the authentic way! It tastes just like a restaurant, herby and crisp fried to perfection—with a baked variation, too.

Classic Falafel (Restaurant-Style!) 

chickpeas

garlic cloves

red onion

cilantro leaves

parsley

cumin

coriander (optional)

baking powder

salt

black pepper

Neutral oil (like canola or vegetable), for frying

onion

Soak the chickpeas (overnight, or 6 hours)

Add the chickpeas in a covered container and cover with several inches of water and soak overnight or at least 6 hours at room temperature. Drain them in a strainer and shake dry before using.

Make the dough and refrigerate (30 minutes)

Peel the garlic. Peel and roughly chop the red onion.  Add the garlic, red onion, cilantro and parsley to a food processor and process 10 to 15 seconds until minced, scraping the sides as necessary. Add the chickpeas, cumin, coriander, baking powder, kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Process for 10 seconds, stop to scrape the sides, then process more until a dough forms. It should be the texture in the photos above (check to make sure before proceeding!). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat the oil*

Add 3/4” of oil to a frying pan and heat over medium high heat until oil is 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This takes about 8-10 minutes over medium high heat. (Make sure to take safety precautions when using hot oil.)

Form the falafel (5 to 10 minutes)

Meanwhile, press the dough into 24 to 28 balls about the size of a ping pong ball, around 1 1/2 tablespoons each, and place them on a baking sheet. Falafel dough is very crumbly, so it doesn’t stick together like a normal dough and it takes a little pressing to stay together. Don’t worry: this is just what you want for good falafel! (If the dough is really having problems sticking together, throw it back in the food processor and pulse a few more times.)

Fry the falafel (8 minutes)

When the oil is hot, fry one batch (about 12) of the falafel by dropping the balls gently into the oil with your fingers, keeping them as far apart as possible. Cook 1 minute, then flip with chopsticks and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer to a towel lined baking sheet or plate. Repeat with the second batch.

Serve

Serve with quick cucumber sauce, dill sauce or tahini sauce, or as part of a falafel sandwich.

Zaatar is famous across the Middle East and has many culinary uses. With this recipe from my mother, you&#039;ll learn how to make Lebanese zaatar, a deliciously fragrant blend of dried herbs and toasted sesame seeds.

Lebanese Zaatar

Ground oregano (see steps

Ground sumac

Sesame seeds (raw)

Pick

Pick fresh oregano (or wild thyme (hyssop)) and separate leaves from stalks. Wash the leaves thoroughly and spin dry, ensuring all dampness is gone.Place the oregano leaves into a breathable cloth bag and hang them in the sun until completely dry, which may take several days.If using store bought ground oregano, skip this step.

If Using Oregano

Over medium-high heat, dry toast the sesame seeds until golden. Add the ground oregano, ground sumac, and salt to the sesame seeds. Stir the mixture over the heat for about 5-10 minutes until everything is well combined and aromatic.Allow the zaatar mix to cool completely to room temperature before storing it in airtight jars in the pantry.

Make the Zaatar Mix

I didn’t know zaatar was that easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing, I have heaps of oregano that I grow, so now there will be no wastage

Wow I love your Lebanese recipes. another great one that I would never have thought of. So much to learn!

Perfect recipe! I can't get over how delicious this flavor is! I am new to making these types of foods, thanks for sharing your family recipes, such treasures!

This Lebanese Zaatar tastes so much better than store bought. Packed full of flavour and I love how many different dishes and foods you can use it with.

There is so much flavor in this dish! Yum!

So easy and so good. We had this sprinkled on top of some strained yogurt last night and paired with falafel and tabbouleh. So good!

would love to try this spice on making breads, Im curious with the flavor it can give.

This lebanese zaatar was so delicious! I loved how much flavor it had!

Thanks so so so much for showing how you make zaatar. I grow a lot of oregano, this is now my go to recipe. Recommended

I just wanted to drop a note to say this is the only zaatar recipe I use now.

Wow the flavor of this homemade zaatar is so much better than what I’ve had before. Thanks Janelle for sharing your family’s recipe. Thanks to your Mom, it was fun watching her cut the oregano in the video

I always thought it was zataar and not zaatar. Regardless, I’ve now got some in the pantry. Thank you for your vegan Lebanese recipes, I’m always looking for new foods to try. I’ve subscribed to your YouTube channel too.

I also made this. My garden has plenty oregano. I gave my kids a jar each. We ate it every morning with bread. Thank you for sharing your family recipe. I highly Recommend.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1624412477/olwjorskbpprbmq9iso0.mp4

An authentic Lebanese Zaatar recipe. Zaatar seasoning is famous across the Middle East, it has many culinary uses. This recipe is my family's, a fragrant blend of dried herbs and toasted sesame seeds. Homemade zaatar can be enjoyed many ways, such as with bread, in salads, on roasts, as a dip and so much more.

Homemade Zaatar Recipe

Make the best authentic falafel from scratch with chickpeas, herbs, and spices — just like my family used to serve in our Lebanese restaurant! I&#39;ve included easy tips for shaping, frying, wrapping, and storing.

Authentic Falafel Recipe

lb dried chickpeas ((about 3 cups dried))

onion (1 medium)

garlic

cilantro

parsley (flat-leaf)

¼ Tbsp falafel spice

Tbsp baking soda (used only before frying)

sesame seeds (optional)

sunflower oil

pita bread (as needed)

((cucumber

tomatoes

cucumbers

lettuce

tahini dressing (see below)

tahini

Tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)

cumin powder

tsp salt

Tbsp water (more as needed to thin the sauce)

Rinse the chickpeas and place them in a large bowl with plenty of cold water. Soak overnight (up to 24 hours), then drain and rinse well.

In a food processor, blend the onion and garlic until fine. Add the chickpeas and pulse until the mixture forms a thick, coarse paste. If using herbs, add the parsley and cilantro now and pulse again until fully combined and green in color.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then stir in the salt and spices. Mix well by hand or with a spoon to evenly distribute.

Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 days.

When ready to fry, stir in the baking soda just before shaping the falafel.

Heat a few inches of sunflower oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat (350°F / 180°C). Shape the mixture into patties using a scoop or your hands, about 3 tablespoons each.

Carefully lower the patties into the oil. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp.

Remove and place on a paper towel or strainer to drain excess oil.

To make wraps, warm pita bread and add 3 falafel patties. Flatten gently with your fingers, then add chopped vegetables and drizzle with tahini dressing. Roll up and enjoy.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/0B4MLA4d.mp4

This is the best authentic falafel recipe using chickpeas, split broad beans, herbs, and spices.

Top 4 authentic falafel recipes from across the web

The most viewed authentic falafel recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Classic Falafel (Restaurant-Style!)...

Classic Falafel (Restaurant-Style!)...

Lebanese Zaatar

Authentic Falafel Recipe

Top 4 authentic falafel recipes from across the web

The most viewed authentic falafel recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Classic Falafel (Restaurant-Style!)...

Classic Falafel (Restaurant-Style!)...

Lebanese Zaatar

Authentic Falafel Recipe

The most viewed authentic falafel recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine