This homemade pan fried falafel recipe uses canned chickpeas, spices, parsley, green onions, fresh lemon juice, flour, and egg. Deep frying is not required.
Falafels are a Middle Eastern "chickpea fritter" and are traditionally deep fried.
This is my slightly healthier pan fried version, but falafels can also be baked on an oiled pan at 400F for ~ 25-30 minutes or until brown (flipping once).
How To Make Pan Fried Falafels with Canned Chickpeas
Combine canned chickpeas and and all ingredients except baking powder, flour, and oil in a large food processor. Pulse ingredients lightly until the mixture is smooth but not creamy. A couple larger chunks are good.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in baking powder and flour. Chill the uncooked falafel mixture for at least 30 minutes but longer is better.
Falafels will fall apart if you don't let the dough set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This gives the liquid in the egg a change to hydrate the starch in the flour and firm it up so the falafels will hold together and not fall apart.
This also allows the ingredients to bind together and develop flavor. The falafel dough can rest in the refrigerator covered up to 24 hours so it's a great prep ahead recipe.
Place ½ cup - 1 cup flour on a large plate.
Form the patties into any size you want. Mine are generally around 2 ½" wide and ½" thick. You can also form balls but this will require more oil for frying. I like to get ten total falafel patties so eyeball it or go with your gut.
The falafels will expand a little in the pan and make more tender, airy, and light (thanks to the baking powder).
Press each falafel patty lightly into the flour on the plate
Fry homemade falafels for around 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy on the outside and tender and cooked through on the inside.
Cool falafels on a wire rack.
How To Pan Fry Falafels
Use a neutral high smoking point oil like safflower, corn, or vegetable oil for pan frying falafels. Another high heat oil that gets a lot of attention is the more expensive avocado oil alternative. That oil will work too.
I prefer using a 12" cast iron skillet and adding a wee bit more oil to get the inside cooked faster. It's not deep frying. It's still a shallow fry and if the oil is hot enough when adding the falafels they will not soak up too much oil anyway.
Having said that, use a 12" non stick skillet and less oil if you are looking for a healthier pan fried falafel. A 12" pan / skillet will generally fit 5-6 falafel patties and only take two batches of cooking.
You may need to wipe out the hot pan between batches if you decide to use less oil and / or the oil is gone and there are brown bits leftover in the pan. If you try to fry the second batch in minimal old dirty oil, the falafels will soak up that taste and may burn.
I have two videos on this falafel recipe post. One video shows falafels fried in a little more oil in cast iron skillet and the other video shows pan frying falafels in a non-stick skillet with a little less oil.
Homemade Falafel Ingredient Substitutions
Falafels are versatile. That means you can change out the spices and some of the ingredients as long as the proportions remain the same with the beans, flour, and egg, lemon juice, and baking powder.
Don't have all those spices? Don't be de-toured. Just skip it or add something else.
Like fresh herbs? Throw in more and any kind. Some falafels are practically completely green on the inside due to the amount of herbs. Don't be shy, throw in as much as you like and any kind. Mint and cilantro taste amazing in addition to the parsley.
A little curry powder and/or cardamom is amazing in place of the cumin and changes the flavor profile.
Likewise, chives or a little bit of regular onion could be a substitute if you don't have green onions. Or just leave the onions out all together!
Don't want to use canned garbanzo beans? Check out my blog post on dry beans. Cook ~5.5 ounces dry garbanzo beans to substitute a 28 oz drained can of chickpeas.
Freeze Leftover Homemade Falafels
Falafels are freezer friendly, both cooked and uncooked.
Make an extra batch of the dough and freeze uncooked (formed or unformed), defrost and fry them later.
You can also freeze cooked falafels individually on a baking sheet until frozen and transfer them in a ziploc bag to freeze. They won't be as crispy but dinner will be done fast.
Serving Suggestion
Serve homemade Falafels on a sandwich, over a salad or with a complementary recipe like:
You May Also Like
If you like Mediterranean inspired flavors, check out these recipes:
Things In My Kitchen:
- Splatter Guard - Cover up that pan so that grease don't splatter all over your face or appliances.
- Food Processor - For blendin' up the falafel ingredients. Get at least an 8 cup but you may prefer 11 cup if you use it a lot.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Homemade Pan Fried Falafels
EatSimpleFood.com
This healthy homemade pan fried falafel (chickpea fritter) recipe uses canned beans, eggs, spices, green onions, lemon, flour and egg.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 (2 each) 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 28 ounce can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- ⅓ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic, chunked
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 egg
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional if you like a little spice)
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅓ cup flour
- flour for dredging patties
- safflower or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine chickpeas, parsley, garlic, green onions, lemon juice, egg, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt in a 7-8 cup food processor and pulse lightly for ~ 1 minute. The mixture should be "smooth-ish" with no large chunks but not completely creamy either.
- Transfer mixture to a large bowl and mix in baking powder and ⅓ cup flour.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will make it easier to form the patties and help hold them together. And if you've got more time, chill them even longer.
- Bring a pan with oil to medium high heat. Add enough oil to cover the pan ½" deep on all sides. Grab your splatter guard if you've got one. This will prevent the oil from splattering and also keep your oven cleaner.
- Place ~ ½ cup flour on a large plate or platter.
- Form the patties and gently press into the flour. Don't move the patty around, just lightly touch down both sides in the flour.
- Fry in batches of hot oil until golden on the outside and hot in the middle ~ 2-3 minutes depending on how hot your oil is.
- Transfer cooked falafels to a paper lined plate or cooling rack. Add more oil if needed during the second batch.
- Serve with Tzatziki and Tabbouleh and add salt to taste. Happy Eating! Beckie
Notes
TIPS:
- Don't want to use canned chickpeas? Check out my blog post on dry beans. Traditionally chickpeas are not cooked for falafels, but only soaked overnight. This lessons the amount of water and helps aid them in binding together better.
- Don't want to dirty a pan cooking garlic? Decrease the amount to 2 teaspoon and add it to the food processor raw.
- Don't have all those spices? Don't be de-toured. Just skip it or add something else. It will still be delicious!
- You may need to wipe out the hot pan between batches if the oil is gone and there are brown bits leftover in the pan.
Leave a Comment