Authentic Falafel Recipe

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 375 F.

Cover the dry chickpeas in a bowl of ample cold water on the counter for 10-12 hours or up to 24 hours in the fridge. They will swell into 2 cups. Place in a strainer, drain well, pat dry with a towel for extra dryness.

Place onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno in the food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the soaked chickpeas, salt, spices, and baking soda, pulse again 10 times, scrape down sides, then add the olive oil, and process until well blended but still coarse like sand.

Using damp hands, carefully form 12 round ping pong-sized balls in your hands, compressing them into a tidy ball. Place on a sheet-pan.

In a non-stick pan or well-seasoned cast iron skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil on med-high heat until it sizzles when a pea-sized falafel is dropped. Turn heat to medium. Place them carefully in the hot oil, slightly press down, and do not move them until they develop a deeply golden crust. Using a thin metal spatula, carefully turn them over. Each side will take about 3-4 minutes. Cook in batches, not overcrowding. Place falafels in the oven while you cook the remaining falafels to cook them through.

Falafels can be cooked ahead, refrigerated, and reheated in the oven. Alternatively, the falafel dough can be made ahead, refrigerated, and used throughout the week.

Serve with pita bread, tahini sauce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, fresh cilantro and pickled onions.

Equipment Needed

Dietary

Allergens