Chef John's Falafel

Name: Chef John's Falafel
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 750 min
Ingredients: 1 cup dry garbanzo beans; 0.5 yellow onion, diced; 0.5 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 4 cloves minced garlic; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or more as needed; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1.5 teaspoons salt, or to taste; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander; 0.25 teaspoon baking soda; 0.125 teaspoon cayenne pepper; oil for frying

4.7

(155)

112 Reviews

41 Photos

Unlike most of America's other favorite fast foods, falafel is rarely attempted at home, which is a shame, since it's very simple to do, and even a relative novice like me can get some very decent results. One word of warning: you do need to know you're going to have a craving for this a full day before you actually want to eat it.

Recipe by Chef John

Updated on October 10, 2019

41

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

10 mins

Additional Time:

12 hrs

Total Time:

12 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

6

Yield:

6 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

1 cup dry garbanzo beans
½ yellow onion, diced
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or more as needed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
oil for frying

Directions

Place garbanzo beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 12 to 24 hours. Drain.
Blend garbanzo beans, onion, parsley, garlic, flour, lemon juice, salt, cumin, coriander, baking soda, and cayenne pepper together in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until mixture is finely ground and holds together when pressed. Transfer garbanzo mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until flavors blend, 1 to 2 hours.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Divide dough into 12 portions and roll each with moistened hands into a ball.
Working in batches, cook falafel balls in hot oil until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

Tips

Serve with Chef John's Tahini Sauce.

Nutrition:

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

271	Calories
17g	Fat
24g	Carbs
7g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 271
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17g	22%
Saturated Fat 2g	11%
Sodium 646mg	28%
Total Carbohydrate 24g	9%
Dietary Fiber 7g	23%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 11mg	55%
Calcium 55mg	4%
Iron 3mg	16%
Potassium 366mg	8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.