Falafel, with its crispy exterior and moist, flavourful interior, has earned its fame. These vibrant green chickpea balls are nutrient-packed and perfect as snacks, sides, or finger food. Paired with a creamy, smoky beet yogurt dipping sauce and crispy Lebanese bread, they become even more irresistible.
What is falafel
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish featuring deep-fried balls or fritters made from chickpeas, fresh herbs, and spices. Often enjoyed in a wrap with salad, spicy chilli harissa sauce, and tahini-based sauce, falafel is a versatile treat. It can also be eaten on its own as a snack or served as part of a meze tray, offering a delicious assortment of appetizers.
Why you will love this recipe
Air-Fryer Friendly:
While traditionally deep-fried, these falafels can be made just as deliciously using an air fryer or shallow frying. I’ve tested all three methods—deep frying is the tastiest but not the healthiest. The air fryer is a fantastic alternative, offering crispy, round falafel with minimal oil. Just be sure to brush or spray the falafel with oil to keep them from drying out.
Easy and Quick: Apart from soaking chickpeas and roasting beets, this recipe is low-effort. A food processor does most of the work, blending everything into a perfect, grainy fine mixture.
Smoky Flavour:
The beet yogurt sauce adds a deliciously deep, smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the falafel.
Flavours Combination and Vibrant Colors:
The smoky beet yogurt sauce, with its refreshing tartness, perfectly complements the falafel. Also, the vibrant green falafel contrasts beautifully with the rich red beet dipping sauce, making the dish as visually stunning as it is delicious.
Why falafels fall apart and how to make them fluffy
Perfect falafels are crispy outside and moist inside, but they can easily go wrong in two ways: density and shape. To avoid dense, cookie-like falafels or those that fall apart during frying, ensure there’s enough starch in the mix to keep the balls together and maintain their round shape. Understanding these key factors will help you create fluffy, well-formed falafels every time.
The Falafel mix is too wet and mushy
One main reason falafels disintegrate during frying is a wet mix, which can result from over-blending or soaking chickpeas for too long. If the mix is ground too finely, onions can turn the mix mushy and watery. To prevent this, aim for a coarse, grainy texture and thoroughly drain the chickpeas before blending. If that happens, add some starch such as flour or gluten-free flour to the mixture. Starch is a binder that helps to hold together.
Turned chickpea balls early when cooking
Avoid turning them too soon. This can cause chickpea balls to fall apart too. In deep-frying or shallow-frying, let them cook for a couple of minutes before flipping. In an air fryer, which takes a bit longer, cook the balls for about 4 minutes on each side. This helps ensure they cook evenly and achieve a perfect crispiness.
Used Cooked(Canned) Chickpeas
Use dry chickpeas soaked for about 8 hours or overnight. Avoid cooked or canned chickpeas, as they can become mushy and cause falafels to fall apart. Proper starch content is crucial for holding the falafel together, and cooking chickpeas leaches out this starch. For the best results, soak dry chickpeas overnight and drain them thoroughly before use.
Not rested the mix
After blending the mixture, let it rest in the fridge for at least 15 to 30 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld and helps the mixture firm up. Skipping this step may cause your falafel to fall apart.
No Use of Baking Soda or Baking Powder
Chickpea balls can become dense, but adding a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder will make them fluffier and lighter.
Key Ingredients
☑️Soaked uncooked chickpea
➢Do not use Canned Chickpeas.
➢Use soaked well-drained chickpeas.
➢Do not oversoak chickpeas.
➢Soak them overnight or up to 8 hours till they get double in size.
☑️Herbs, Spices and Aromatics
Common herbs in falafel are parsley and coriander, which give a classic herby flavour. I used parsley and chives for added depth of flavour and colour and added earthy spices like cumin or allspice. Use only the herb leaves and discard the stems. Chop chives to match the size of the parsley leaves for even blending.
Ingredients:
Spices (Cumin or Allspice)
Onion & Garlic
Herbs (Parsley and Chive)
☑️Baking soda or Baking powder
Leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder make the falafel mix lighter and fluffier. Without them, falafels can be dense and hard. Just add 1/2 teaspoon to make a big difference!
☑️Garlic Sauce
This garlic sauce is the secret to an irresistible smoky beet dipping sauce. Just blend garlic, vegetable oil, and a splash of lemon juice for a silky, creamy texture that adds rich flavour to your dipping sauce. This creamy garlic sauce has a smooth umami flavor without the harshness of raw garlic.
Check Out Other Recipes
☑️ Chive Oil
☑️ Crispy Roasted Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry chickpeas
- 1 small onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch chives, chopped
- 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves only, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp starch (flour or cornstarch) – optional
- 1 tsp cumin or allspice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Oil (for frying)
- 1 head garlic
- 3/4 cup of vegetable oil. See the recipe card.
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/4-1/2 roasted beet (see recipe card)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chive oil (optional)
- Small Fresh Herb Leaves
Instructions
Always scan the recipe briefly and gather all ingredients before starting. This ensures a smooth cooking process, helping you feel confident and organised.
Soak 1 cup of chickpeas overnight or for about 8 hours until they double in size. After soaking, wash them, remove any stones or spoiled legumes, and drain thoroughly.
Check my previous blog for tips on roasting and storing beets. Check the blog for the recipe. Useful Cooking Tips: Roast a large batch of beets at once, peel the skin, and store them in the freezer. Simply defrost as needed.
In a small blender or food processor, blend garlic and olive oil with a pinch of salt until it forms a creamy emulsified sauce. Add 1 tablespoon to the beet dressing sauce. Store the rest in the fridge for up to two weeks. It’s perfect for adding a rich umami and creamy texture to vinaigrette and stir-fried dishes.
In a food processor, combine all the beet dipping sauce ingredients and blend until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roll the falafel mixture into small balls. Once rolled, you can air-fry, deep-fry, or shallow-fry them.
Air-Frying Method:
- Line the air fryer basket with baking paper (not foil, as falafel can stick to foil).
- Place the rolled falafel balls in the basket and brush them with oil.
- Cook at 200°C for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they are crispy and golden brown. Flip and brush with oil halfway through cooking.
Deep-Frying & Pan-Frying Method:
- Heat oil over medium heat.
- Drop a few falafels into the hot oil at a time to avoid cooling the oil and losing crispiness.
- Fry until golden and crispy, then remove and drain on paper towels.
On a shallow plate, spread a layer of beet sauce at the base. Arrange a few falafels on top and garnish with herbs or a drizzle of green oil.
Notes
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer or frying pan. Overcrowding can prevent even cooking and create steam, making the falafels soggy instead of crispy.
- Test the oil temperature by dropping a falafel if you choose pan-frying and deep-frying options. It should sizzle if the oil is ready.