Traditional Lebanese Falafel

This traditional Lebanese Falafel recipe is so easy to make at home!  All you need is a bit of patience to wait for the falafel mixture to chill, and then you’re off to forming and frying them — absolutely delicious!

The key to making Lebanese falafel is to take your time with the process.  

Give it enough time to chill in the refrigerator — and let all the spices blend in the mix.

Then you’ll have addictive finger food that’s crunchy on the outside but still soft, aromatic, and packed with flavors inside.

Serve this traditional falafel with labneh and Lebanese pita bread — excellent for snacks or appetizers.

And remember, they are best served hot! 🙂

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Ingredients

• Garlic – no need to chop; just remove the peel and add it to the rest of the ingredients.

• Onion – roughly chop so it fits into the food processor

• Oil – canola or sunflower oil is excellent for frying Lebanese falafel.

• Herbs – fresh coriander and parsley; an equal mix of both in a handful.

• Spices – coriander powder, cumin powder, dried mint, baking soda, salt and ground black pepper (yep, I prefer to ground the seeds into powder, but it’s not necessary).

• Chickpeas – You must use dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight to make this traditional Lebanese falafel recipe.  

Canned chickpeas will not work because they are too soft.

Preparation

Start making Lebanese falafel by soaking the dried chickpeas in water the night before.

Rinse the chickpeas and place them in a colander.  Let them sit for a few minutes to drain.

Transfer the drained chickpeas to a food processor.  (Note: This recipe needs a medium to large food processor).

Add the garlic, chopped onion, baking soda, and the spices: ground coriander, ground cumin, dried mint, salt, and ground black pepper.

Process until you see a paste-like texture starting to form.

Add the fresh parsley and fresh coriander.

Continue processing until you get a smooth texture.

Transfer the falafel mixture into a tray (or dish) and press it to even the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula.

Cover with plastic and let it chill in the refrigerator for four to eight hours.

Take about one and a half tablespoons of the mixture and use the palm of your hands to form it into a ball — or use a falafel scoop like I typically do.

Repeat until you finished forming the falafel mix.

Heat the oil in a medium to or large pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is ready, adjust the heat to medium and fry the formed Lebanese falafel — until they turn brown on all sides.

Remove from the pan and place on top of kitchen paper to drain excess oil.

Transfer on serving plates and enjoy!

Helpful tips

• The mixture should be a bit wet but still hold its form — do not expect it to be dry like cookie dough.

• You can shallow fry or pan fry them if you prefer.

But even if you deep-fry, remember to let them rest on kitchen paper for a few minutes.  The excess oil will be absorbed, leaving you with crunchy, non-greasy, traditional Lebanese falafel.

• To avoid burning them, reduce the heat when the oil is ready and you start frying.

What if I don’t have a falafel scoop or mold?

That is not a problem.

Just take a walnut-size of the mixture, or about a tablespoon-and-a-half, and form a patty using your palms.

What size of scoop should I use?

There are three sizes of falafel scoop that I’ve seen: small, medium, and large.

I am using the medium size, 1.6 inches/4 cm in diameter — it is the perfect size for serving as finger food. 🙂

It looks absolutely tempting, right?  Start soaking those dried chickpeas now and make this traditional Lebanese falafel recipe tomorrow!

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