Homemade Falafel
One of my favorite things to thrift is old cookbooks. They’re full of simple, reliable recipes that have been loved for decades. This falafel recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook is one I come back to again and again — it’s incredibly versatile and comes together quickly with pantry ingredients.
I’ve adapted it slightly by adding fresh herbs and a little lemon zest to brighten everything up. The result is crispy, flavorful falafel that can be tucked into pita, served over a salad bowl, or eaten straight off the pan (no judgment).
They’re especially good with homemade tzatziki, fresh veggies, and warm pita bread.
Yield
About 12 small falafel (4–6 per serving)
Ingredients
2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 standard 15-oz can, rinsed and drained)
2 cloves garlic, minced (add a couple more if you’re a garlic girl like me!!)
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
¼ cup finely minced onion
2 tbsp minced parsley
2 tbsp minced fresh dill or mint
¼ tsp lemon zest
1½ tsp lemon juice
a pinch of cayenne
1 egg
3 tbsp flour
oil for frying
Instructions
Rinse and drain the chickpeas well.
In a food processor (or bowl if mashing by hand), combine the chickpeas, garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, onion, parsley, dill, lemon zest, water, lemon juice, cayenne, and egg. Pulse or mash until you have a thick mixture with some texture.
Stir in the flour until fully combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add about 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly into small patties.
Cook 8–10 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. Add more oil as needed while cooking.
Transfer cooked falafel to a paper-towel lined plate. If cooking in batches, keep warm in a 300°F oven.
Serving Ideas
Falafel are incredibly versatile. Try them:
🥙 stuffed in warm pita with tzatziki
🥗 on a Mediterranean salad bowl
🫒 as part of a mezze platter with hummus and olives
🍋 dipped straight into tzatziki or garlic yogurt sauce
