Don’t let the fear of frying stop you from making this herb falafel recipe. The process isn’t as intimidating as you might think, and results in perfectly seasoned golden-brown falafel that’s naturally gluten-free and perfect for parties—even if you choose to eat them yourself for lunch during the week.
Falafel focuses on the balance of textures. Start with soaked but uncooked dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans. This is not – we repeat, no– It’s time to use canned chickpeas. Grinding the soaked dry beans is absolutely key to achieving the right consistency. You’re looking for a coarse texture similar to peanuts. If the chickpeas are chopped too finely, the falafel will be dense; if they’re ground too coarsely, the falafel will be tough and crumbly, explains Molly Baz (watch her make this recipe) , and may spread. While this recipe is for ping pong ball-shaped falafel, you can easily shape them into patties as well. You should also think of the recipe as a basis for improvisation: swap herbs for mint or dill. Don’t have any jalapenos on hand? A pinch of cayenne pepper wakes things up. Blend the spices to suit your taste – try adding chopped coriander or coriander, or swap out the individual measurements for a blend like baharat.
Since the cooking time is relatively short, you’ll need to assemble the other elements you plan to serve with it before you start frying. Originally served with pomegranate tomato shredded cabbage slaw and spiced green tahini in a pita sandwich, you can certainly follow suit. Or you can serve it as a party appetizer with tzatziki sauce for dipping. Assemble the hummus plate with some falafel balls and bulgur salad sprinkled with olive oil, lemon juice, and pomegranate. Or spread some falafel on top of a crunchy Greek salad.
If you prefer your falafel baked to fried, try this large falafel cake.
