We don’t feel awful about saying that these falafels are out of this world. You might be thinking, “Chick, please, how can those falafels be the best?” Too many puns within the intro of this recipe? Good! These falafels are crunchy, herbaceous, and come together in a matter of minutes. You just need the power of a food processor and the heat of an oven and you can create an authentic falafel!
There are people who only make falafels from dry chickpeas, and then there are some who use canned chickpeas. The main difference is that you have to soak dry chickpeas for about 24 hours in order to soften them enough for blending. Canned chickpeas are already cooked, so you just need to pat them dry before blending. The drying step is integral to the success of your falafel dough. Falafel dough that is too moist will not crisp well or lose shape in the oven. As you’ll see in the ingredient list, there is very little liquid for that reason. The lemon juice is more for flavor than a blending agent.
If you feel that your falafel dough is too moist, you can add a tablespoon of flour at a time, mixing it into the dough to bind and thicken it. Lastly, you want to make sure that you don’t over-bake the falafels. Nobody wants dry, crumbly falafels, so keep an eye on them during the baking process. A little more softness in the center is what you want, so just keep that in mind.
- Prep Time:15m
- Cook Time:25m
- Total Time:41m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Entrees, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Falafel
- 1/4 c loosely packed parsley
- 1/4 c loosely packed cilantro
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, drained
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tbsp. cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
For the Dressing
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. tahini
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil
For the Pitas
- 2 c green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 Romas tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 Persian cucumbers, diced
- 4 pita bread
Instructions
For the Falafel
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spread a little bit of olive oil on a baking sheet, or lay a silicone mat on a baking sheet.
- Rinse the chickpeas and then pat them dry between some paper towels.
- Once they are dry, add the chickpeas and the remaining falafel ingredients to a food processor and blend until a chunky mixture forms. You want the falafel to have some body, making sure that it is not totally smooth.
- Wet your hands and form some falafel patties. Place them on the baking sheet and then bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. If your falafel patties are too moist, they may require longer baking time.
- Remove from the oven when browned on the exterior and fluffy on the inside. Get ready to assemble your pitas.
For the Dressing
- While the falafel patties are baking, prepare the dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisking until combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Set aside while you prepare the toppings for the pita pockets.
For the Pitas
- After preparing the veggies, you have to assemble the pita pockets.
- Add the falafel into the pita pocket followed by the cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
- Drizzle the dressing into the pocket, serve, and enjoy.
