OK, this is the one recipe I fear the most – not because of the recipe, but because I have a heap of Middle Eastern followers and I will hear about it if it’s not up to standard. But remember, this is an easy version. Traditionally you use dried chickpeas and soak them overnight, but this is my dad-style ‘let’s get cracking’ version.
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Easy Falafels
Notes
Add a few falafels to a salad or pop them in a flatbread wrap with some hummus.
These falafels will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
Gluten free
Gluten-free flour would work fine in these falafels.
Fussy eaters
I use red onion because the flavour isn’t as harsh as brown onion – my girls are a little fragile when it comes to onions – but just omit it entirely if needed. Cardamon and black pepper are also commonly used in falafels; however, I’ve omitted those in my
recipe in favour of spices that work best for my girls. You could try introducing the extra spices by adding them in small quantities and see how they go.
Metric
Ingredients
400 g
can chickpeas, drained
2
garlic cloves
30 ml
finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2
red onion, roughly chopped
5 ml
ground cumin
5 ml
ground coriander
5 ml
sea salt
45 ml
plain flour
5 ml
sesame seeds
118 ml
vegetable oil
Ingredients
14 ounce
can chickpeas, drained
2
garlic cloves
2 tablespoons
finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2
red onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon
ground cumin
1 teaspoon
ground coriander
1 teaspoon
sea salt
3 tablespoons
plain flour
1 teaspoon
sesame seeds
1/2 cup
vegetable oil
Directions
What I love about this recipe is that the food processor does all the hard work.
Place all the ingredients except the oil in the food processor and hit go. My food processor blitzes everything together in around a minute, but what you’re looking for is a consistent blend of all the ingredients.
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Prepare a large plate or tray lined with baking paper to place the falafels as you make them.
Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture onto the sheet of baking paper (I use a small ice cream scoop for this, but use whatever you have). This mix will make around 16 golf ball–sized balls. You can keep them round or flatten them with the base of a glass.
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Before you start frying, line a large plate with paper towel.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the falafels for around 2–3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden. Don’t overcook them: hard shells on falafels aren’t cool. Place the cooked falafels on the paper towel to drain. You could also cook these falafels in an air fryer on 180°C for 8 minutes, turning them once at the 4-minute mark.
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Nutrition per serving
| Amount per serving | |
|---|---|
| Calories | 80 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 10g |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Protein | 4g |
| Fat | 3g |