Crispy Falafel
This crispy baked falafel recipe is so easy to make and tastes incredible! Serve your falafel in pita sandwiches or salads. Gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Raise your hand if you love falafel! I’ve gone back into the archives to highlight my all-time favorite homemade falafel recipe. Making falafel at home can be tricky, but this recipe is easy.
Six reasons to love this healthy falafel recipe:
- These falafels are golden brown and crispy on the outside. The insides are tender, delicious, and full of fresh herbs.
- They’re baked instead of fried, so they contain significantly less fat than fried falafel. And your house won’t smell like fried food for days. Winning!
- Once your chickpeas are sufficiently soaked, the falafel mixture comes together in no time. If you have someone to help shape the patties, they’ll come together even faster.
- These falafels are gluten free and vegan, so they’re a great party appetizer.
- These falafels freeze well, so they’re a fantastic protein-rich option to keep on hand for future salads and pita sandwiches.
- On that note, this recipe is easily doubled! See recipe notes.
Are you convinced yet? Let’s make some falafel!
How to Make the Best Homemade Falafel
Bake it, don’t fry it. I say this because frying requires a lot of sizzling hot oil, and that scares me. I also don’t have a good vent over my oven to take the fried food smell far, far away. Plus, you can use a reasonably amount of heart-healthy olive oil in the baked version.
Coat your rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. That way, you get a fried effect in the oven, and you don’t have to brush the little falafels individually with olive oil. Winning!
Use dried chickpeas, not canned. Canned chickpeas do not work for falafel. They’re far too wet. If you try to use canned chickpeas instead of dried and soaked chickpeas, you’ll end up with sad falafel pancakes. Some recipes try to counteract the wetness by adding flour, which significantly dulls the flavor and makes the texture more doughy.
Soak the dried chickpeas for at least four hours. If your chickpeas aren’t sufficiently softened, you’ll have unpalatably tough pieces of chickpea in your falafel. There’s just no workaround here.
Choose your dried chickpeas wisely. Try to buy your dried chickpeas from a store with high turnover, because old chickpeas need longer to soften. If you have options, pick the chickpeas that are the smallest, since they’ll soften faster.
Watch How to Make Crispy Falafel
Falafel Serving Suggestions
Serve falafel as an appetizer, wrap it into a pita sandwich, or add it to salad for a protein-rich topping. Falafel goes great with any of the following ingredients:
- Pita bread, warmed or toasted (tear it up for pita “croutons”)
- Fresh greens (such as spring greens or chopped romaine)
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Bell peppers, cut into strips
- Cucumber, thinly sliced
- Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- Raw red onion, thinly sliced, or quick-pickled onions
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Sauce: Something creamy like tzatziki, hummus, or tahini sauce, and maybe a spicy sauce like zhoug or shatta, too
Here’s a tahini dressing recipe that goes great with this falafel, too:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Pinch of cayenne
- 1/3 cup water
In a small food processor, combine all of the ingredients and blend well. You can also whisk the ingredients together by hand in a small bowl, just note that you’ll need to chop the fresh herbs and zest more finely than you would if you were using a food processor.
Please let me know how you like these falafel in the comments! I hope you love them as much as I do. ♥
Crispy Falafel
This homemade falafel recipe is absolutely delicious, and remarkably crispy! Be sure to allow 4 hours soaking time for the chickpeas, preferably overnight. Then, the falafel mixture is super easy to make in a food processor. Recipe yields 12 to 13 falafels (see notes on how to double).
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dried (uncooked/raw) chickpeas, rinsed, picked over and soaked for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator
- ½ cup roughly chopped red onion (about ½ small red onion)
- ½ cup packed fresh parsley (mostly leaves but small stems are ok)
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro (mostly leaves but small stems are ok)
- 4 cloves garlic, quartered
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon (about 25 twists) freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- With an oven rack in the middle position, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour ¼ cup of the olive oil into a large, rimmed baking sheet and turn until the pan is evenly coated.
- In a food processor, combine the soaked and drained chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Using your hands, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time. Shape the falafel into small patties, about 2 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Place each falafel on your oiled pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, carefully flipping the falafels halfway through baking, until the falafels are deeply golden on both sides. These falafels keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for several months.
Notes
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
Make-ahead option: I haven’t tried this, but the original recipe notes that the uncooked falafel patties can be refrigerated on a parchment-lined baking sheet, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours before baking.
How to double this recipe: Preheat the oven with two oven racks near the center of the oven. Double all of the ingredients. If you have a large food processor (guessing 11+ cup capacity), you can mix all of the ingredients at once. Use two baking sheets, and swap their positions (top to bottom, bottom to top) when you flip the falafel halfway through baking.
Recommended equipment: I love my 11-cup food processor (affiliate link).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Somebody please give me advice! I was so excited to try this recipe but when I was picking over my dried beans (Great Value brand from Walmart) I started noticing tiny bugs! They weren’t black and the packages weren’t expired. It’s 11/2020 and the date on the packages is 05/2021. Is this common?!
Oh no! I would not use those and report it to the store.
Thanks! I threw them out and bought more (same brand) and this time there were ZERO bugs! I sorted, rinsed, and soaked them overnight and plan to try the recipe later today! I’m so excited. I’ll report back!
Ok, good! Yes and please do.
I’m so late reporting back. The flavor was delicious!!! I had some issues with the mixture being crumbly but I’m thinking maybe I should have processed more. I’ll keep working with it. Thanks so much! A winner!
This is one of my family’s favorite meals. I make it with Zhoug and Tzaziki sauce and serve with Naan. Both of my kids are vegetarians and picky. My husband and I are neither. Everyone loves this recipe! And my kids say it’s the best falafel they’ve had.
I’m happy to hear it is such a hit! Thank you for your review.
Made these for the first time…they were delicious. I used coriander instead of cinnamon, added a pinch of cayenne, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 t. baking soda. It’s the first time I’ve ever baked falafels, and it worked out great! They were moist on the inside and crunchy on outside. I served with your ‘best tahini sauce’ recipe and vegies.
I made this recipe basically exactly as written and they were so good!! I love falafel even as an over-fried fast food and I thought they couldn’t get any better but this recipe has amazing flavor and great texture, plus that really bright green color that makes them so fun and pretty.
I did a double batch and followed the oven directions for that with great results, I had to bake them a little longer than it said but I think I might’ve made my patties a little big cause I only ended up with 20. They were a huge hit my whole family loved them!!
Also the recipe said packed cups of the herbs so I PACKED them in there, really tried to squish them down and get as many leaves in there as possible. I’m really glad I did cause the flavor was fantastic, so glad to have found this recipe :)
I am making this again! We all enjoyed this so much.
I made hummus and a tadziki sauce to go with it. I definitely recommend this recipe.
Wonderful, Sandra! Thank you for your review.
I doubled the recipe and made it exactly as written. It made 10 patties. I don’t have a food processor so I tried my Cuisinart Stick Hand Blender,(not easy) and then a pestle (like a pioneer woman) and it worked! I baked them a little longer so they were nicely browned. Served them on a kale tabouli salad, a tahini sauce drizzle and a side of feta & olives. It was a hit!!! Thank you!
Can these be frozen and if yes, before frying or after.
Hi! Yes these freeze well. I suggest after baking to freeze.
I am making these ahead of time and so was wondering if I can freeze them and if so is it best to freeze after cooking or before.
Thanks
Hi Cristina, I have only tried freezing them after baking, which works great, so I would do that.
Tried the falafels today, it was a hit at my home. 4 year old loved it. Thanks for the great receipe
Hi Kate. After soaking the dry chickpeas for 4 hours, do we need to cook them before grinding with the other ingredients in food processor? Im trying your recipe today :) Thanks!
Hi! No need to cook, just soak and follow the other directions. They will bake once patties. I hope this helps!
These were delicious!! I love that they are baked. I will be making these again!!!
Have made MULTIPLE batches of this recipe. LOVE it! foolproof and easy to sub with whatever ingredient is on hand.
This is the best falafel I’ve ever made, and possibly ever eaten! I made just one small adjust to your recipe – instead of adding additional olive oil to the mix, I used lemon juice instead. It was great!
Fabulous, easy, tasty, and great consistency – crispy outside, tender but firm inside. I doubled the recipe as written except for the cinnamon- used less than 1/4 tsp for just a hint. I recommend parchment paper to prevent sticking. And the tahini dressing is outrageously flavorful. We love it!
Could I leave out the herbs? My son is very picky and I know he won’t even try them with green bits in them :-)
Hi Marie, you can but the end result wouldn’t be as tasty. They may not hold-up quite as well.
I was afraid that the lack of the greens would affect the moisture content and therefore how the recipe turns out… sound like you have the same concern…
Thank you for this recipe it was delicious! The tahini sauce with Miso
is a very nice touch.
We’re adding this to the top ten in our house!
Wonderful to hear, Bob! Thank you for your review.
So, do you not cook the chickpeas at all before processing them? I’ve had mine sitting in water overnight and they’re still very hard. I can’t imagine using these in the food processor.
Hi! They will cook in the oven. They will still be somewhat hard, but if you question it you can soak them longer. Do you know how old they are? If they are old, they may not work the best.
Can I use a blender?
Hi! You could try it. Although I like my food processor best here.
Such lovely falafels. I was lazy to do any dressing to go along. So used up my cilantro mint chutney/ Indian chat chutney Which was a delightful combination.
This is one of my all-time favorite vegetarian recipes! I make it as a pita wrap with tomatoes, cucumbers, and yogurt dill sauce. Even my fiance, who’s a big carnivore, goes nuts for falafel night. One thing I will say is I add more olive oil to the mixture (about 3 tbs). Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
This turned out very well along with the tzatziki for lunch. I froze half the falafels balls for baking later. Hopefully that works out as well. This recipe is going into our regular lunch rotation for sure. . . Thanks!
we loved them, though I had to assure my son that it was not with chickpeas… since THOSE he does not like….. he ate 4…. psssssssst….
I usually love your recipes but this one came out terribly dry. I soaked my chickpeas for over 5 hours, and followed the recipe exactly.
Hi Lynn, I’m sorry to hear that. Were your chickpeas old? Next time I would suggest soaking for longer if you can, especially if you are unsure of the freshness.
Can you please shed a little more light on the nutrition information? I used canned chickpeas, but still don’t see how each serving of 3 falafels could be 354 calories when the whole can (used for 4 servings) is about 420 calories. Just curious! They are so tasty with pita, tzatziki and tomatoes. Yum!
Hi McKenna, More on my nutrition information can be found on the disclaimer page. They are estimates.
Excellent and easy. Son doesn’t like cilantro so just did extra parsley. Did a double batch so have leftovers. I just did a simple cucumber, plain yoghurt, red onion and a bit of salt mixture for the sauce.
I just recently tried falafel and totally fell in love with the flavors! This is going to be my first time making falafel, so I have questions. Can you make these as patties as an alternative to store bought veggie burgers? Can you add peppers to the recipe? How would they be with a little hotsauce in the mix? Can you make falafel with other types of beans? Can you add cooked rice in the patties? I am so happy that I found this recipe because I do not fry anything in my house!
Hi! You can make these and serve them how you like. I do have a veggie burger recipe though you could try if you are lookin for something more like that. I wouldn’t suggest changing the recipe itself as I can’t guarantee the results. That many changes would require a new recipe. Maybe try the veggie burger and see if you like that!
Kate,
This sounds amazing!
One question of clarification, you just soak the chickpeas but do not cook it after? Just raw soaked chickpeas straight into the blender?
I just want to make sure I understood correctly before I go ahead and make it tomorrow!!!!
Hi Remi! The chickpeas cook in the oven as patties. I hope this helps!
I’ve never liked falafel before but we are eating more plant-based meals and I wanted something crispy. These were quick and easy and I’m amazed with the flavor and texture! I made a salad while they were cooking, used tzatziki as the dressing then put the falafel on top. So good!! These would be great as a snack or for breakfast. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Kate
I tried this recipe first in Lockdown #1and love it! Easy to make, crispy outside, squidgy inside what’s not to love!!
I can make a double batch and freeze them to eat when it’s one of those “OMG what’s for lunch days?” and I find they are really versatile so I can use them in wraps or in a salad bowl with a drizzle of mango chutney over them.
PS Cookie looks like a touch of Blue Heeler? wonderful dogs…
katie
I’m glad you loved it! They are very nice to keep on hand. Cookie is half schipperke and half dachshund/Australian koolie mix.
I love this recipe and make a double batch often. It makes for easy weekday lunches. Of all your many recipes I like, this is still a favorite. I bake on parchment sprayed with a little no stick spray and they are great!
Wonderful to hear, Carol! Thank you for your review.
I made these last week and they were phenomenal! Been savoring them ever since. I’m not on social media, but I wish I could send you a picture! I will be sharing my tweak on my blog soon.
Thank you for sharing the goodness!
You’re welcome, Daisy! Thank you for your review.
Made this as written and it was delicious! Nice and crispy
This is our go-to falafel recipe, we make it once a week. Turns out delicious every time!!
This recipe is a keeper! I actually liked these baked falafels better than restaurant versions because I was able to tone down the garlic and feel good about eating them. I couldn’t believe how much oil they absorbed in the pan while baking, and it made me think of how much MORE oil they’d absorb in a deep fryer – no thanks! Next time I will double the recipe.
Made this as a valentine’s dinner. My Lebanese Fiancee loved them!
I followed the falafel recipe but swapped for Himalayan salt instead. Everything came out perfect!
I for the sauce I used a simple “president’s choice” (Ontario, Canada) garlic wing dip and added dill/lemon juice. It worked perfect and was easier than finding the difficult-to-get sauce list.
Sounds like a great combination, Larry! I appreciate your review.
I found the recipe easy to follow but the falafel was really dry, did I miss something?!
It was my first time making falafel and it’s put me off trying again
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t love it. How long did you soak your chickpeas?
I’ve used your recipe and changed it because i always have canned chickpeas and never dry. I drain and rinse them and use far less oil (only 1 – 2 tbsp total) and they bake perfectly on an un-greased/un-oiled pan with silpat. I also removed the cinnamon and the red onion and added lemon zest and dill. I also didn’t use tahini but tzatziki. Ok, I guess I didn’t use your recipe at all but this was a good starting point. Thank you.
Love the recipe. Thank you for sharing… it has become my daily lunch treat! At first I tried soaking the beans for 4 hours. As some of the comments mentioned it did not hold together and was crumbly. Although the taste was great. I tried soaking them overnight in the refrigerator and viola… much better. It really needs to be almost a paste after you use the food processor. I wasn’t quite sure when I first tried the recipe so I wanted to share.
I used fresh chickpeas and followed the instructions however they fell apart in the oven, then added some chickpea flour and pop them back in the oven and it came out fine , I liked the simplicity but it didnt work for me….
Hi Eddie, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you process them fine in the food processor?
Is it possible to leave out white miso?
Hi! You can make a different sauce to go with the falafel. The miso isn’t necessary for the falafel itself.
Finally, I found a very good recipe to do falafel. Your book was my Valentine’s present from my husband. Love it!!!
Followed this recipe to a T and it turned out super great! The one thing I did do was bake it 10-15 minutes longer to get the falafel extra crispy. It honestly came together so easily and tasted delicious. It also warms up perfectly if you throw the leftovers in an air fryer for a few minutes. Paired perfectly with some pickled onions, tomatoes, hummus, and cilantro avocado yogurt sauce for a nice pita bread wrap.
omg these were absolutely delicious! definitely a keeper!
Yes! My 3rd attempt at making falafel… my only successful one! Dried chickpeas were crucial. I made them in my beloved Cuisineart airfryer and they turned out beautifully.
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Mo.
This is our go-to falafel recipe – so tasty and easy – we make it at least once a week. We’ve used a blender and food processor and boht have worked well. Thank you!!
This is a great recipe. The only thing I have struggled with is grinding the chick pea mixture, and I have a vitamix. I started using my daughter”s Nija blender and it works better because there are blades all the way up the chopper. fHowever one thing that greatly improves the blending process is sprouting the chickpeas prior to making the recipe. That way the legumes slowly become a partial vegetable and not as hard to grind down. They will also be easier to digest for those people that may have digestive issues.
Thanks for this recipe! The falafel turned out nice & crispy, which has never happened for me before with baked ones haha. I topped mine with some tahini/garlic sauce and slices of roasted eggplant (dusted with cumin & paprika) and they were really yummy! :D
I love this recipe and I’ve made it several times. So delicious and satisfying. One thing I do to make it easy is no chopping of the onion or cutting the garlic cloves. Since I’m processing for at least a minute, it doesn’t seem to matter. Also I recommend making this at least a few hours in advance to allow the flavors to marry.
Hello,
My falafel was really dry. Why could this be?
Hi! How long did you soak your chickpeas for?
My second favorite recipe from you!
My first is the banana bread!!! :)
This was really easy to make with a nice crunchy texture. I added a spoon of tahini because I love tahini :)
I made this falafel recipe and it is simply wonderful!!
My question is now how do I reheat/warm the falafels when it is time for leftovers?
Hi Mary! I’m delighted you enjoyed them. I would suggest microwave or on stove top if you like. Microwave has worked well for me.