vegan falafel recipe

How to make authentic Falafel from scratch using soaked chickpeas (not canned)  with Homemade Pita, Creamy Tahini Sauce, Pickled Turnips, Cucumber Yogurt Sauce  *Chickpeas need 10-24 hours of soaking time. Makes 10 Falafels (I highly recommend making a double batch of the falafels!) 

Authentic Falafel Recipe with Tahini Sauce and Homemade Pita Bread

dry chickpeas

Cilantro (stems ok)

garlic cloves

jalapeno, seeds ok

tablespoon Coriander

Cumin

tsp baking soda

tsp kosher salt (add more to taste)

olive oil

oil oil

turnips,

½ thinly sliced onion

C red wine vinegar

water

salt

tsp sugar

coriander dill

Cup plain Greek yogurt

Cup tahini paste

garlic

tsp kosher salt

cracked pepper

lemon

Soak 3/4 cup dry chickpeas in a bowl of cold water on the counter for 10- 12 hours or up to 24 hours hours. They will swell into 2 cups. Place in a strainer, letting them drain WELL, and pat dry with a towel for extra dryness. (Wet chickpeas will be more difficult to fry.)

Measure 2 cups of the soaked, uncooked chickpeas and place in a food processor and pulse repeatedly along with the onion, garlic, cilantro, chili, salt spices, baking soda, and olive oil, scraping down sides, until it is well blended but still coarse like sand. Don&#8217;t overwork it- this should not be smooth, but rather quite coarse and granular.

Using damp hands, form round, slightly smaller than golf ball sized balls in your hands. If it feels very wet, feel free to lightly dredge in flour if you like. (I usually don&#8217;t, even when wet!). Refrigerate 20 minutes. 

In a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet, heat a ¼ inch of &#8220;high-heat&#8221; oil on med-high heat until it sizzles when a pea-sized portion of falafel is dropped in.

Turn heat to medium.  Place them carefully in the hot oil, do not move or mess with them until a deeply golden crust forms (this crust will ensure they naturally releases from the pan). Using a thin metal spatula, carefully turn over. Lower heat if necessary. Sear the other side. Each side will take about 3-4 minutes. Cook in batches, not crowding. Place falafels in the oven while you cook the remaining falafels to cook them through.  Keep them in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium-sized pot, remove from heat, and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips 

Blend all in the food processor, until smooth. This may seem slightly salty, but trust me it works in the big picture when all the components are combined.

Creamy Tahini Sauce: 

I could not fry them without them falling apart.

We made the tahini sauce and it was amazing. We will be trying the falafels next week but buying the bread from our local shop.

Flavor great.... I tried to use canned garbanzos...let them dry but the falafels just fell apart in the pan no matter how long they cooked...very sad.  

Pita and tzaziki sauce are great

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/D4rlELna.mp4

How to make the most delicious, authentic Falafels – made with soaked, dry chickpeas and hands-down has the BEST texture and flavor! You’ll never want to use canned chickpeas again! Vegan and Gluten-free! Video. 

Authentic Falafel Recipe 

Air-fried falafel recipe is crispy, crunchy, and oil-free. Perfect for a sandwich, on top of a salad or as an appetizer dipped in hummus.

Air-Fried Falafel

red onion, diced

parsley

cilantro

garlic,

coriander

cumin

cayenne pepper

pepper

lemon juice

Tablespoons chickpea flour (or flour of choice)

Tablespoons tahini

Soak dried chickpeas over night; make sure you...

Soak dried chickpeas over night; make sure you cover the chickpeas with at least twice the amount of water since the chickpeas absorb a lot of water.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas and transfer them...

Rinse and drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor with the large blade.

Process on high util the chickpeas are ground...

Process on high util the chickpeas are ground up

Then, add all the other ingredients.

Pulse until all ingredients are combined; you may...

Pulse until all ingredients are combined; you may need to scrape down the sides to make sure all ingredients are included.

Now, transfer the falafel dough to a bowl...

Now, transfer the falafel dough to a bowl and cover for at least one hour before forming falafel balls.

Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator...

Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and using your hands form individual falafel balls or ovals.

Place them on a baking sheet for air-frying.

Once all the similar sized balls are formed,...

Once all the similar sized balls are formed, you are ready to cook in the air-fryer in batches.

Place a single layer of falafel balls in...

Place a single layer of falafel balls in the base of the air-fry pan, making sure not to overlap falafel pieces.

Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping...

Cook at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping over each falafel at 8 minutes and then cooking the other side for the remaining 7 minutes.

Remove air-fried falafel and place it on a...

Remove air-fried falafel and place it on a cooking sheet and place it in a warm oven to keep warm.

Repeat the process for all the falafel until...

Repeat the process for all the falafel until done.

Easy Vegan Falafel- made with just 7 ingredients! A simple, hearty classic Mediterranean inspired plant based meal. Serve in flatbread with Vegan Tzatziki and hummus. Pan fry or Bake options!

Easy Vegan Falafel

15-oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (OR 3 cups cooked)

raw cashews

parsely

all purpose flour

pita bread, naan

cucumber slices, tomato slices, lettuce

recipe Dairy Free Tzatziki Sauce, optional

Hummus, optional

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and pat them dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel.&nbsp;

Add the garlic and cashews to a food processor and pulse a few times to chop them. Do not blend them up, you just want them chopped. Now, add the chickpeas, parsley, cumin and salt and pulse a few more times, scraping the sides as needed until combined. You want a crumbly dough, not a smooth paste.

Now, add in 3 tablespoons of flour and pulse again until combined. You should have a dough at this point that you can shape into balls without it sticking to your hands. If it's still too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Scoop out about 2 tablespoons at a time and shape into a ball, then slightly flatten into a disc. Repeat until all the dough is used; you will have about 12 discs.&nbsp;

To pan fry: Heat a large, non-stick skillet to medium heat and add the oil (or omit for oil free). Add the falafel discs and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip, and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Remove and serve.&nbsp;

To bake: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the falafel discs and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake 10 minutes more.

Serve in pita or flatbread with fresh tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, lettuce, hummus and vegan tzatziki sauce.&nbsp;

This falafel salad bowl is the ultimate Mediterranean inspired bowl meal! It features a baked vegan falafel recipe and creamy cilantro dressing.

Baked Falafel Salad Bowl

chickpeas

½ large or 1 small red onion

kosher salt (do not substitute table salt)

red cabbage

cucumber

cherry tomatoes

lettuce

Greek yogurt

lemon or lime juice

tahini

cilantro leaves

Soak chickpeas 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Peel the garlic; place them in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced. Peel the onion and cut it into rough chunks; add to the bowl and process again until chopped. To the bowl, add soaked chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and olive oil. Process until smooth and a dough comes together, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To form the falafel patties, take a few tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball and then pat it flat. Keep the patties as uniform as possible so they have a similar thickness. Bake the patties for 24 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Meanwhile, make the creamy cilantro dressing: Peel the garlic cloves. Place all ingredients for the dressing into a blender and blend until smooth.

Thinly slice the red cabbage and cucumber. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Clean the salad greens.

To serve, place greens in a large bowl. Top with falafel patties, cabbage, cucumber, and tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

These Falafel Bowls are made with your choice of grain, lots of healthy veggies and drizzled with tahini sauce- the falafels can be prepped ahead for the busy workweek. Vegan and Gluten-free! USE dry chickpeas, soaked in water for 8-12 hours or overnight. DO NOT use canned chickpeas.

 Falafel Bowl

cilantro (stems ok) or sub-Italian parsley

tsp kosher salt (add

teaspoons olive oil

tomatoes

greens – baby arugula, baby spinach

cucumbers

Sauce: Tahini Dressing

Place dry chickpeas in a big bowl and cover with 4-5 inches of water and let soak on the counter 10 &#8211; 24 hours. Drain, and pat them dry well. (You can dry them further on a sheet pan, in the preheating oven.)

Place the cilantro, onion, jalapeño and garlic in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until uniformly chopped.  Add the drained garbanzo beans, oil, cumin, coriander, salt and sprinkle the baking soda. Blend again, until well combined, but not smooth&#8211; leaving a little texture is good here. Scrape down sides if necessary, mix again, to evenly distribute the spices,and baking soda. Add more salt if you like.

Bake

Grease the bottom of a parchment-lined baking sheet with spray olive oil, or brush with olive oil.  Form falafels into ping-pong or golfball-sized balls (a slight oval shape is nice).  If it feels sticky, use wet hands. Place on the greased parchment. Once all the balls are formed, using wet palms, flatten just a little, so they are about a 1 -1 ½ inches thick. Spray or brush the tops with olive oil. Bake 15 minutes, then carefully flip using a metal spatula. Continue baking for another 12-15 minutes until golden and slightly crispy. (Alternatively, you can pan sear: form into flattened disks, 2-3 inches wide, by 1 1/2 inches thick, pressing together, firmly with your palms, and place in a well-oiled skillet over medium heat. Cast iron or non-stick works best here. Sear each side until deeply golden, adding more oil as needed. Keep warm in the oven.)

While they are baking, make the Quinoa and Tahini Sauce and prep any veggies you like.

Assemble the bowls. I usually start with quinoa, then build upward with greens, veggies, falafels, sauces, pickled things and microgreens and herbs on the top. If packing to take away with you, perhaps keep sauces separate.

A drizzle of olive, lemon and hot sauce is nice too.

This was very good. I took your suggestion and dried the chick peas in the oven as it pre-heated. The mixture came out perfectly and the patties were easy to deal with. The pickled onions added another dimension and were a great addition. Next time I may try your green tahini sauce just to mix things up a bit. Fun!

This was so delicious I couldn't believe how healthy it is! My partner and I didn't have any leftovers! Next time I will double the amount of falafel for sure!

Vegan Gluten-Free Oil-Free Baked Falafel that is so delicious, full of flavor and totally healthy. No oil, not fried and baked for a delicious healthy dinner. Made with only 8 ingredients.

Easy Vegan Baked Falafel (Oil-free)

onion

garlic (with skins on)

(48 grams) smooth runny tahini

salt and pepper (1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper)

flat leaf parsley

water (use a bit more if needed

chopped tomatoes, pita bread

Serve with my Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce

Carefully read the instructions as to prepare these falafel correctly. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. You will first drain and rinse your chickpeas. Spread them out evenly on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 25 minutes. This helps them to give more texture to the falafel instead of just turning into mush like hummus when blended. It also gives a bit more flavor.

In the last ten minutes of roasting the chickpeas, add the chopped onion and garlic cloves (with cloves still in their skins!) to another sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cook them for the remaining 10 minutes. Place the pan on the bottom rack. At this time, you cook your potato. I just cooked a small potato in the microwave (with skin on) and then remove the skin and mash it. Measure a tightly packed 1/2 cup. You can bake the potato if you want, but do not steam or boil as that will make them too moist.

Remove both pans from the oven. Add the chickpeas to a food processor. Process just until there are no more visible whole chickpeas, but do not overprocess it too finely. It should look ground up but kind of chunky with no remaining beans whole

Now, remove the garlic cloves from their skins and tear the garlic up a bit and drop the pieces scattered around the bowl, so they blend up evenly. Add the onion as well. Do not blend up yet. Add the cumin, coriander, tahini, salt, pepper, mashed potato, parsley, water and hot sauce (if using). Sprinkle the spices around the bowl so they blend evenly.

Process until everything comes together and the mixture starts to form large sticky chunks. This may take 10-15 seconds. As soon as it does, stop processing. It should hold together easily when pressed and not be dry/crumbly, but pureed, but still see little chopped bits of onion in it. It should easily form into balls, if not, process just slightly longer until it's sticky and holds together.

Preheat the oven again to 375 degrees and line another pan with parchment paper.

Press, form and shape the mixture into tight balls with your hands. They should be about golf ball size and you should get 10-12. Place them all onto the pan and press them down to about 1/2 inch thick. The edges may slightly crack a bit when pressing them down, just piece back the edges with your fingers.

If you like a really crispy exterior, you can always spray them with a little nonstick spray before baking if you prefer. I did not, but it is up to you. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook another 10 minutes. If they are not flipping over easily, cook another couple of minutes until they flip easily. This will make sure they hold their shape. They should have nice golden brown tops. If you want these extra crispy, bake them longer, but just keep in mind they may become more dry.

I loved this recipe!  So easy!  I love that I could use canned chickpeas and the idea to air fry/roast them was perfect.  And I added the onion and garlic to the oven and that made clean up so easy.  They taste great.  The potato really held it together and keeps them moist.

The falafel did not come out golden brown after 10 minutes each side. Maybe mor time is needed?

I made these today.  I made a half batch and they turned out amazing!  The flavor was tasty and the texture perfect!!  Thank you for posting the recipe it was just what I was looking for and with no oil the falafel was not dry and stayed together perfectly!

I made these today.  I made a half batch and they turned out amazing!  The flavor was tasty and the texture perfect!!  Thank you for posting the recipe was just what I was looking for and with no oil the falafel was not dry and stayed together perfectly!

Excellent recioe. So full of flavour wuthout the grease!
At the point of combining all remaining ingredients to mix, i found it easier to do so with a big mixing bowl, just snipping the parsley more finely, same with the garlic.

SO GOOD &amp; EASY! 
I go into work later in the morning so I typically prep in the evening or morning before going to work. I prepped this this morning before going to work and my son baked it. I made the lemon cream sauce which I didn't like on its own but loved it with the falafel.

Wow! These are SEW a good! Perfect amount of spices. Very flavorful! 
You obviously put a lot of time into this recipe, thank you for sharing this recipe.
It has been many years since I’ve had this due to avoiding  fried, dry, and crumbly falafels that are served.
But this recipe is a keeper! Even the hubs commented on it - SEW you know they are good.
And it did I not take long to bring this together, 
SEW glad I made a double batch, these will be good for a snack on the go, and some for the freezer.
Thank you, Brandi! You’re the best!

Delicious recipe worth the extra little steps like roasting your chopped onions. Authentic falafel flavour but a way better texture than what you can buy ready made. Really works with the lemon cashew sauce too. Warning, there's no going back to shop bought!

Turned out great! I used dry chickpeas and soaked overnight but appreciate the short cut with canned! I did add some cilantro. Happy I have leftovers!

These were amazing! I'm honestly horrible at cooking and found this recipe so easy! Thank you! Will definitely make them again soon!

These were terrific! It was only when I had them in the oven I realized I forgot tahini and was worried I had totally messed them up but we loved them! So now I’m
torn if I try it again with tahini or leave it out again! I don’t think I can go wrong!

I made these today without roasting chickpeas, onion, garlic beforehand and they still came out really well ! I upped the spices a bit and they were perfect. So happy with this recipe

I have made these multiple times and always freeze the uneaten ones! When I want to eat them again I just pop them as is (frozen), into the oven to reheat and they come out perfect everytime.

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