Falafel
Crisp, herby chickpea falafel made the traditional way from soaked dried chickpeas, shallow-fried or baked. Vegan and great in pittas.
- Prep
- 25 mins
- Cook
- 15 mins
- Total
- 40 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cost
- Budget
Recipe: Falafel
Falafel
Ingredients
For the falafel (plus overnight soaking)
- 250g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 20g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and thin stalks
- 20g fresh coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp plain flour, or gram flour
- vegetable oil, for shallow frying
To serve
- 4 vegan pitta breads
- hummus, tahini sauce, salad, pickles and chilli sauce, to serve
Kitchen kit
- Food processor Search Amazon for food processor
- Large frying pan Search Amazon for large frying pan
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links go to search results for the kit, never food.
Method
-
Step 1: Blitz the mixture
Drain the soaked chickpeas well and pat dry. Pulse in a food processor with the onion, garlic, herbs, spices and salt until finely chopped and the mixture holds together when squeezed, like coarse sand rather than a paste. Stir in the baking powder and flour. The chickpeas are not pre-cooked: frying cooks them. Chill for 30 minutes.
-
Step 2: Shape
With wet hands, shape into about 20 small patties, 4cm across and 2cm thick.
-
Step 3: Fry
Heat 1cm oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the falafel in batches for 2–3 minutes each side until deep golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
-
Step 4: Serve
Stuff into warm pittas with hummus, salad and tahini sauce.
Tips
- Do not use canned chickpeas for this method: they are too wet and the falafel fall apart.
- To bake: brush with oil and bake at 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 for 25 minutes, turning halfway. They are less crisp but still good.
Storing & reheating
Refrigerate cooked falafel within 2 hours and eat within 2 days. Reheat in a hot oven until piping hot.
Freezing
Freeze uncooked shaped falafel on a tray, then bag, for up to 3 months. Fry from frozen, allowing an extra minute or two.
Variations
- Gluten-free: use gram (chickpea) flour and gluten-free baking powder.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/falafel/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Why did my falafel fall apart?
The mixture was too wet or not chilled. Dry the chickpeas well and add a little more flour.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
