Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Falafel Mixture
- 200 g dried chickpeas
- 25 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 25 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic, peeled
- 5 g ground cumin
- 5 g ground coriander
- 5 g salt
- 3 g baking powder
- 750 ml neutral frying oil
Tahini Sauce
- 60 g tahini, well stirred
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 45 ml cold water
- 1 garlic, finely grated
- 2 g salt
Wrap Components
- 4 pita bread
- 100 g cucumber, diced
- 100 g tomatoes, diced
- 50 g red onion, finely sliced
- 40 g pickled chillies, sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 567 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1144 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Potassium
- 547 mg
- Calcium
- 224 mg
- Iron
- 5.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 325 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 31 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 111 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.30 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 53 mcg
- Water
- 85 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with at least 3 inches of cold water. Leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
Drain the soaked chickpeas completely and rinse them under cold water. Shake off as much excess water as possible.
Add the drained chickpeas, parsley, coriander, yellow onion, whole garlic cloves, ground cumin, ground coriander, and salt to a food processor.
Pulse the mixture repeatedly until it resembles coarse sand. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should hold together when squeezed in your hand, but should not become a smooth paste.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, fold in the baking powder, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the starches to hydrate and firm up.
Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt in a small bowl. The mixture will initially seize and thicken. Slowly whisk in the cold water until the sauce becomes smooth, pale, and pourable.
Combine the diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, and sliced red onion in a small bowl to make a simple salad.
Pour the frying oil into a deep pan and heat it to 175°C (345°F).
Take the chilled falafel mixture and form it into 12 even balls or slightly flattened disks, using about 30g of mixture per falafel. Do not pack them too tightly.
Carefully drop the falafels into the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until a deep, dark brown crust forms.
Remove the falafels from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a wire rack to drain.
Warm the pita breads slightly in a dry skillet or microwave to make them pliable and prevent tearing during wrapping.
Spread a tablespoon of the tahini sauce down the center of each warm pita bread.
Divide the cucumber and tomato salad evenly among the pitas. Crush 3 warm falafels slightly into each pita to prevent them from rolling out, then top with sliced pickled chillies.
Drizzle heavily with the remaining tahini sauce, roll the pita tightly around the filling, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using dried chickpeas is an absolute non-negotiable rule for authentic falafel. Canned chickpeas have already been cooked, altering their starch structure, which will cause your falafels to turn to mush in the fryer.
- Resting the mixture in the refrigerator is a crucial step. It allows the baking powder to activate slowly and hydrates the starches, resulting in a significantly lighter interior texture.
- For the crispiest exterior, ensure your oil temperature stays consistent at 175C. Dropping too many falafels in at once lowers the oil temperature, leading to greasy, heavy falafels.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store falafel mixture, tahini, and salad in separate airtight containers. Do not store assembled wraps.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze uncooked falafel mixture in shaped balls. Fry directly from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes to cooking time.
Reheating: Reheat cooked falafels in an oven at 180C for 8 minutes to retain crispness. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Falafel disintegrates and falls apart in the frying oil
Cause: Mixture holds too much moisture, usually caused by using canned chickpeas instead of dried, or insufficient draining.
Fix: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour or all-purpose flour to the raw mixture to bind the excess moisture.
Prevention: Strictly use overnight-soaked dried chickpeas and dry them thoroughly before processing.
Falafel is dense and doughy inside
Cause: The mixture was pureed too finely into a paste, or shaped too tightly.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once shaped and fried.
Prevention: Pulse the mixture only until it resembles coarse sand, and shape with gentle pressure.
Tahini sauce splits or becomes too thick
Cause: A chemical reaction between the sesame paste and the acid in the lemon juice.
Fix: Vigorously whisk in ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the emulsion restores and becomes creamy.
Prevention: Have cold water ready when mixing tahini and lemon juice.
Cultural Context
Falafel is a quintessential street food across the Levant and broader Middle East. While its precise origins are fiercely debated, it is commonly traced back to Egypt where the traditional ta'ameya was historically made with fava beans. The chickpea-based iteration has become a global staple, traditionally served wrapped in fresh flatbread with bright, acidic accompaniments like pickles and earthy tahini to cut through the richness of the deep-fried fritters.
