Make THE BEST Vegan Falafel with this easy, flavorful recipe! Add the falafel to bowls with greens and grains, vegan tzatziki sauce and tomato cucumber salad, to create a healthy, delicious meal!
Soak the dried chickpeas covered in a bowl of water overnight.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to a food processor with the onion, parsley, cilantro, green pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, cardamom and black pepper.
Pulse the ingredients in a food processor until combined into a coarse crumble.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chickpea flour and baking soda.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and form into 12 patties, approximately 3 inches in diameter and ½ - 1 inch thick.
Either air fry or pan fry the falafel.
To air fry the falafel, place them in an air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes.
To pay fry the falafel, add ½ inch of vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium high heat.
When the oil is hot, add the falafel and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until both sides are dark golden brown.
Remove from the oil and immediately place on a wire rack, over a cutting board, to allow any grease to drip through.
Bowls
If you'd like to add the falafel to bowls, add ½ cup cooked quinoa and ½ cup arugula to each bowl.
Add ½ tomato cucumber salad and 1 tablespoon pickled onions to each bowl.
Add 3 cooked falafel's to each bowl with 1 tablespoon tzatziki sauce, 1 tablespoon hummus, ½ tablespoon zhoug sauce and ½ tablespoon harissa.
Notes
The nutritional information provided is for one falafel. This recipe makes 12 falafels.
The nutritional information for one bowl is provided below. This recipe makes 4 bowls.
Calories: 444
Carbohydrates: 67 grams
Protein: 19 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Sodium: 1283 mg
Potassium: 1037 mg
Fiber: 16 grams
Vitamin A: 2191 mg
Vitamin C: 45 mg
Calcium: 174 mg
Iron: 8 mg
Feel free to leave the jalapeno out, for a mild version of the recipe.
To bake falafel instead: arrange the formed falafel on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. You can spray the tops with a little oil for added crunch, but this is optional.
This falafel recipe is naturally gluten free, using the ingredients listed in the post.
Do not forget to chill the mixture in the refrigerator before forming the falafel. This will make it easier to work with and form into patties.
Don't crowd the pan when frying, by frying a few at a time you have better control over the temperature of the oil resulting in the crispiest crust.
Use a cooking thermometer to monitor the oil temperature and try to keep it around 350°F. Every stove varies, for me this is medium-high heat. Too hot and they will burn too fast on the outside without cooking through, and too cold the oil will get absorbed into the falafel and they won't get crispy enough.
Make sure to leave space between each falafel if you are air frying, or baking them, so that the hot air can reach as much surface as possible.