Homemade Crispy Falafel (with Canned Chickpeas)

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

15 ounces canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

⅓ cup shallots, heaping (roughly chopped, approx. 1 medium bulb)

3 cloves garlic

½ cup cilantro (tightly packed)

½ cup parsley (tightly packed)

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

4-6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup panko

Oil for frying

Flakey sea salt (for garnish, optional)

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, add chickpeas, shallot, garlic, cilantro, parsley, salt, cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Pulse until a coarse, pea-sized mixture forms.

Add 4 tablespoons of flour, and continue pulsing until the mixture is uniform and fairly smooth; a little texture is OK, but it should be cohesive enough to stick together. If you see larger chickpea bits, pulse more. If the mixture is really sticky and wet, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of flour, keeping in mind that it should remain somewhat sticky.

Place the dough in the fridge to chill for 15-30 minutes before forming.

Take approximately 2 tablespoons of the falafel mixture and form it into a ball, then roll each ball in panko and set on a plate or baking sheet while you continue with the rest of the mixture (will make 8-10 falafel balls).

Meanwhile, begin heating a neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat. Oil should be approximately ½ inch high in the pan. Add falafel balls in the hot oil, evenly spacing them evenly, being careful to not crowd the pan.

Use a spatula to gently press about halfway down on the ball to form a disc (if desired). Do not press too hard. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel or cooling rack and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher or flakey salt, if desired. Continue frying the remaining falafel (I usually do 2 batches, this will depend on the size of your pan).

Serve immediately as desired. Excellent with hummus, tzatziki sauce, or in a pita sandwich.

Notes

Maybe drain chickpeas some but not fully so it’s more moist.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 falafel
• Calories: 172 kcal
• Total Fat: 3 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Sodium: 649 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 30 g
• Dietary Fiber: 6 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 8 g