🧆 Falafel
Falafel are crisp deep-fried balls made from soaked, raw chickpeas ground with fresh herbs, onion, garlic and cumin. The outside turns deep brown and crunchy while the inside stays green, soft and fragrant. They are eaten hot as a snack or mezze, or tucked into flatbread with salad and sauce.
Diets
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens in a typical recipe.
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (not cooked)
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 large bunch parsley and coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Drain the soaked chickpeas well and pat dry.
- Pulse the chickpeas with onion, garlic, herbs, spices and salt in a food processor to a coarse, moist paste.
- Chill the mixture for 30 minutes so it holds together.
- Shape into small balls about 3 cm across or small patties.
- Deep-fry at 175 °C for 3–4 minutes until deep brown, then drain on paper towels.
How to make it lighter
- Bake or air-fry the patties brushed with a little oil instead of deep-frying them.
- Make smaller patties — they cook through faster and absorb less oil.
- Pair falafel with a big chopped salad rather than fries.
History
Fried bean patties are widely believed to have originated in Egypt, where the fava-bean version called ta'ameya is still the norm. The chickpea version became the standard in the Levant, and falafel is now one of the best-known street foods of the Middle East and beyond.
Count it in one photo
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →