Description
Learn how to make homemade Lebanese falafel recipe with dried chickpeas, loads of fresh herbs and warm spices. Serve the crispy balls with a creamy tahini yogurt.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups dried chickpeas
- 1 onion cut in quarters
- 4–5 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley about 1 cup
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro about 1 cup
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tb coriander
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 2 tsp cumin
- 3 Tb flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Vegetable or grapeseed oil for frying
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt, plain
Instructions
- Soak dried chickpeas overnight in a large bowl filled with water.
- The next day, drain the chickpeas and pulse in a food processor until crumbly and there are no whole chickpeas left. Transfer to a large bowl.
- In the same food processor, pulse together the onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro. Pulse until it almost looks like a paste. Add parsley mixture to beans.
- Use a large spatula to mix the beans and herbs together. Add cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and flour. Mix well. Add baking powder and soda just before frying. Mix everything well.
- Heat a large skillet with vegetable oil and bring oil up to about 370 degrees F. You can test to see if the oil is hot by dropping a small piece of batter. If it sizzles, it’s ready.
- Use a large tablespoon and form batter into balls. I scoop about 2 tablespoons worth and form a ball between your hands.
- Carefully place the falafel in the hot oil. You can fit 4-5 in at once but don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry on 1 side until you can see it browning on the sides, about 4-5 minutes. Then flip over and fry other side.
- The falafel should be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. To make tahini yogurt, just mix tahini and Greek yogurt together.
For the sauce
- Mix tahini and Greek yogurt well and serve as a dip for the falaffel
Notes
Make sure to add baking powder and baking soda within 20 minutes of making falafel.
Recipe adapted from DedeMed.com
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main, Side Dish
- Cuisine: Lebanese, Mediterranean