Homemade Falafel Recipe

• servings: 19 servings
• active time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 15 oz. cans chickpeas ($1.72)

¼ red onion ($0.26)

1 handful fresh parsley, about ¼ bunch ($0.26)

1 handful fresh cilantro, about ¼ bunch ($0.17)

4 cloves garlic ($0.12)

1 tsp salt ($0.01)

½ tsp cayenne pepper ($0.13)

1 tsp ground cumin ($0.08)

1 tsp baking powder ($0.04)

½ cup flour* ($0.07)

¼ cup neutral cooking oil for frying ($0.22)

Directions

Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a colander. Add the chickpeas to a food processor with the red onion, parsley, cilantro, salt, cayenne, garlic and cumin.

Process the mixture until it forms a chunky paste. A little texture to the mixture is usually desirable. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure the mixture is an even texture.

Mix

Place the mixture into a bowl and add the baking powder. Begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture becomes cohesive enough to form into patties and not stick to your hands. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Rest

Using a small measuring cup or scoop (about 1/8th cup or 2 Tbsp), form the mixture into small patties.

Freeze

If freezing the patties for later, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet so they can freeze without sticking together. The patties can be transferred to an air-tight container or freezer bag for long-term storage once they have frozen through.

Cook

To cook the fresh or frozen patties, heat oil in a skillet (or pot if deep frying) until very hot and shimmering, but not smoking. Cook the patties on each side until deep golden brown and crispy.

Nutrition

• Calories: 108 kcal
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Sodium: 148 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 4 g