Easy Vegan Falafels

These simple yet flavorful vegan Falafels are so easy to make and pair perfectly with a side of tantalizing vegan tzatziki sauce and whole wheat pita bread.

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What is a Falafel?

Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas and/or fava beans. Traditionally, it is deep fried to yield a crispy texture and often served in a pita or as an appetizer.

I love to eat Falafel however the deep frying can be a bit heavy at times. In this recipe I pan fried my Falafel, and surprisingly it came out better than how it does when its deep fried. The Falafel still retain their crispy outside, yet it tastes lighter and easier on the palette than traditional deep-fried Falafels. You could probably even bake these in the oven with a bit of oil.

Ingredient List

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas (don't forget to recycle!)

• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (or sub parsley)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3/4 white onion (or sub 2 medium shallots)

• 1/2 jalapeno

• 1 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp sea salt + black pepper

• 1 generous pinch cardamom (optional)

• 3-4 tbsp all purpose flour

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil (or sub any oil with a high smoke point)

• cornstarch (optional)

Instructions

1. Add chickpeas, cilantro, garlic, onion, jalapeno, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, cardamom, all purpose flour, and olive oil to a food processor.

2. Pulse until mixture is a grainy paste, be careful not to over process the mixture.

3. Add more flour until the mixture is a thick paste if necessary (see video for reference)

4. Adjust seasoning if needed (I added more salt, pepper, and cardamom)

5. Transfer to a mixing bowl and cover bowl. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour (don't skip this step or your Falafels could break apart when frying).

6. Once mixture is chilled, scoop out a little more than 1 tbsp amounts and form balls or thick patties with your hands. (Will make about 12-13 patties)

7. OPTIONAL: Add a bit of cornstarch on top of the patties before frying for a crispier texture, press cornstarch on to patty to adhere.

8. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Coat entire pan with oil.

9. Add about 5-6 Falafel into pan once oil is heated (do not overcrowd pan)

10. Cook on one side for about 2-3 minutes. Flip once golden brown and finish other side for about 1-2 minutes. Repeat for all the patties. Let the Falafels rest for about 2-3 minutes.

11. Serve with vegan tzatziki sauce and a side of pita bread. You can also make a salad and use the sauce as a dressing or make a wrap with the pita bread.