DIY Falafels
I have read so many recipes online that say NOT to use canned chickpeas, but these WORKED! These were sooooo good and got a big tick of approval from my partner. I served these bad boys as falafel wraps with Lebanese bread, but I also tried these wraps with Mountain Bread for a lower carbohydrate option which are made from quality ingredients.
You can make these in advance and freeze them, but I think you’ll find that they don’t last long enough to freeze as they’re so delicious. They’re perfect for meat-free meal prepped work lunches and are high in plant based protein.
Ingredients
2 cans of BPA free chickpeas
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped coriander (omit if you’re not a fan of coriander)
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 finely diced small red onion
2 tbsp of white sesame seeds + additional for topping
2 tsp cumin seeds (or to taste)
3-4 tbsp flour of choice - I used buckwheat as that’s what I had at home
1 tsp ras el hanout spice mix (or zaatar spice mix would be delicious too!)
Extra virgin olive oil - for cooking
Method
Preheat oven to 180c
Add chickpeas, chopped parsley and coriander, minced garlic, diced onion, sesame seeds, salt pepper and spices to a food processor and pulse until combined. Be sure not to blend too much, we want a crumbly texture not a paste. We are making falafels not hummus!
Add flour one tablespoon at a time and pulse until combined. It should still be crumbly but should be able to remain together if rolled into a ball, without sticking to your hands. Use more or less flour if required to get to this consistency.
Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. This will help the mixture to firm up. If you’re short on time, you can skip this step but it is recommended to let the dough mixture chill.
Using your hands, roll the mixture into bite sized round balls. I made 10 falafels using this recipe, but you can make them as large or as small as you like!
Spray the falafels with a few sprays of extra virgin olive oil.
Optional: roll falafels in white sesame seeds to cover
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. You could also air fry, or pan-fry the falafels if you’d prefer.
If you’re planning on freezing the falafels, freeze them before cooking. Thaw when you’re ready to use and cook using the options above.
Pair these falafels with my homemade hummus recipe, as well as homemade tabbouleh using finely diced parsley, tomato, red onion and lemon juice, halloumi, sauerkraut and a quick and easy homemade greek yoghurt & garlic sauce.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!
Love,
Dominique
