Israeli Falafel

About This Recipe

Israeli falafel is the country's most beloved street food and one of the great fried foods of the world: deep-fried balls of raw soaked chickpeas blended with herbs, garlic, cumin and coriander that fry into an exterior so crispy it shatters at the first bite, revealing a moist, intensely herb-green interior. The Israeli falafel tradition has its roots in Arab cuisine but has been embraced and refined into something distinctly Israeli — served in pita with tahini sauce, Israeli salad, pickled vegetables and sometimes chips (adding carbohydrate to carbohydrate with zero shame). The key is using raw soaked chickpeas, never tinned — tinned chickpeas make wet, mushy falafel that fall apart in the oil.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gdried chickpeas(soaked overnight in cold water — do NOT use tinned)
• 1 largeonion(roughly chopped)
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 1 bunchfresh parsley
• 0.5 bunchfresh coriander
• 2 teaspoonsground cumin
• 1 teaspoonground coriander
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 0.5 teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
• 3 tablespoonsplain flour
• 1 litrevegetable oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Process the mixture

   Drain soaked chickpeas (they will have doubled in size). Process in a food processor with onion, garlic, herbs, spices and salt until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs — not a smooth paste. Add bicarbonate of soda and flour, pulse briefly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

   The texture must be coarse — smooth paste makes heavy, dense falafel. Pulse, don't blend continuously.

2. 2

   Shape

   Using a falafel scoop or two wet spoons, shape mixture into small balls or patties. Compact firmly — loose falafel fall apart in the oil.

3. 3

   Fry

   Heat oil to 180°C. Fry falafel in batches for 3–4 minutes until deep golden brown all over. Do not overcrowd the pot.

   Test one falafel first — if it falls apart, add more flour. If it's too dark too quickly, reduce the oil temperature.

4. 4

   Serve

   Stuff into warm pita with tahini sauce, Israeli salad, pickled red cabbage and hot sauce. Eat immediately.

Variations

• •

  Herb falafel with extra parsley and mint for a brighter green colour.

• •

  Some recipes add sesame seeds around the outside before frying.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Falafel are best eaten immediately. Uncooked mixture keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Cooked falafel keep refrigerated for 3 days — reheat in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions