I always seem to have the same issue with falafel - they can be soooo dryyyy. Usually I need a glass of water to get them down, and it really puts me off ever ordering them. So I thought it was time to make my own, and to make them how I like them - soft and moist (sorry) in the middle, and perfectly crispy on the edge. Because these quick falafel are much less dry inside, they're not quite as resilient as normal falafel - you do need to handle them a little carefully, but the worst that will happen is they'll lose their shape. They'll still taste amazing! So don't be scared.
I deliberately made it so that this recipe requires absolutely no pre-cooking whatsoever (which immediately turns me on to a recipe, so I'm hoping it will for you as well...). You just need to blitz up some onion and garlic in a food processor, add your tinned (i.e. already cooked) chickpeas and some spices, and mix it all up again.
Falafel is often deep fried, but in an effort to remain somewhat healthy, I fried mine in just a couple of tablespoons of oil. If you dip your falafel in flour first, they still get nice and crispy on the outside, so I don't feel you lose out on much!
You can serve these quick falafel however you like - I chose to stuff them into a pitta bread with some lettuce and salsa. It's also pretty common to serve falafel with tzatziki or hummus, so take your pick - though personally I've always found hummus a very bizarre addition, since you're literally smearing chickpeas onto chickpeas.
I enjoyed these quick falafel both hot and cold, so they're great for popping in a lunchbox too (just leave your salsa off until just before eating!).
Quick falafel
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 small onion cut into a few chunks
- 1 clove garlic
- 400 g tin chickpeas 240g when drained, drained
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 4 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 2 tablespoon oil
- To serve: pitta bread optional, lettuce, salsa, tzatziki
Instructions
- Place the onion and garlic in a food processor, and blitz for a few seconds until a paste is formed. Add the drained chickpeas and spices, and blitz again until fairly smooth.
- Add the chopped coriander, and mix by hand until well combined (or blitz again in the food processor if you prefer - I just wanted the coriander to remain visible). Season well.
- With clean hands, shape the mixture into a few small balls (I made 6), and press them down gently into patty-shapes. Spoon the flour onto a small plate, and gently coat each patty in the flour (don’t worry if you don’t manage to coat the sides - just the two flat sides will do).
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the patties. Cook on a medium heat for around 4 minutes each side, until golden brown and crispy.
- If desired, serve in a pitta bread with lettuce and a cooling sauce (e.g. salsa or tzatziki).
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Like chickpeas? Try my pizza roasted chickpeas!
Dawn says
I am going to try this tonight. Looks and sounds really good. Going to make it like a hamburger with cucumber sauce. Should be good. Fingers crossed.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Hope you like it Dawn, let me know how you got on :)
jess says
Just made these for lunch-- PERFECT. :-) Thanks much!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Glad you enjoyed them, thanks Jess! :)
Lucie says
can I make these with dried hickpeas that I soaked and cooked which are usually less soft
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I don't see why not! :)
Melinda says
Hi there! I made these last night and my husband and I fell in love with them. Made them again this afternoon for an appetizer for a small gathering so I decided to make them smaller in size. Drizzled them with a basil cashew cream and they were fantastic. Thanks for such a great recipe!!!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yay I'm so glad you like them Melinda, the basil cashew cream sounds amazing! Thanks for your message! :)
Subrina says
These look yummy! Thanks for sharing.
Fiver Feeds says
Falafels are one of my favorite quick meals, thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kennis says
Hi! These look amazing & I really want to make these as soon as possible but, I have a couple issues. I do not have a blender or a food processor at the current moment it's being shipped & will not arrive until later this week. Any suggestions on how to make these with out either item on hand would be awesome! Thank you!!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Hi Kennis, you could try mashing everything together by hand (with the back of a fork) and chopping the onion and garlic super tiny - but to be honest I'm not sure how well it would all stick together. If your food processor will be arriving later this week I'd say it's probably worth waiting a few days!
Handmade by Lorna says
Your falafel look delicious and not in the least bit dry - I too make these at home, such comfort food especially with something spicy to dip them in.
holly waterfall says
Oh my goodness, I'm definitely trying this out! I love falafel but always feel like it takes too much effort. This seems way simple! PINNING!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Hi Becca! I am so excited to have found your falafel recipe! I am completely inspired. I recently started making tzatziki and am in love with it so your recipe is timely for me! Your photos are beautiful! I'm looking forward to this! Thank you!