Vegan-Friendly Falafel Recipe

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Most Helpful Positive Review

Oct 21, 2007

Finally a recipe submitted using dry chickpeas instead of canned. You have to do it right to get authentic falafel. You don't cook the chickpeas, only soak overnight and then grind, this makes a real difference in the outcome. I have made with and w/o potato, no difference. I am not familiar with cilantro in falafel (so I didn't try it), we only use fresh parsley in the middle east, and another teaspoon of cumin was needed for our tastes. I also use an additional 2 tablespoons of flour to help it hold together well. And all falafel here is served with a tasty tahina (sesame seed paste) sauce. Here it goes: 1 small clove garlic, crushed with a mortar and pestle (or forget the mortar like I do and just squash it up in the bowl with the pestle)1/2 of a juicy lemon, about 1/4 cup tahina (you can find tahina in the specialty aisle) 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste and a couple of tablespoons of room temp water. Whisk together, adding more water if needed until it is a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over falafel or use in falafel sandwiches. Enjoy and thank you for a good recipe.

—Noor

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Apr 06, 2009

End product is pretty good but there are some major problems with the amounts of ingredients called for. The garbanzos, potato, and onion makes a huge amount of falafel but the recipe only calls for 1 tsp. of cumin? I quadrupled the amount of cumin and doubled most of the other spices (except the salt; it was plenty). Also doubled the flour and added bread crumbs and it was still quite loose. I baked though, and the end product consistency was good. Would probably be four stars otherwise, but as is the recipe has flaws that must be addressed when making.

—vacax

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41 Ratings

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Jul 05, 2008

These are great and very easy. I couldn't see where the recipe said to add the flour, so I added it when I added the baking soda. I have used another recipe for years, but it always had a raw bean flavor which this recipe doesn't have. I baked these instead of frying. I dropped them from a rounded teaspoon onto a parchment lined baking pan, covered with foil and baked for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. I then uncovered and turned them, and returned them to the oven uncovered for another 15 minutes. Very tasty wrapped in an untraditional tortilla with sprouts and tomatoes and cucumbers and a vegan thousand island too!

—DABDAB

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Aug 09, 2008

Loved this! I've been trying to make falafel like this for years with no success. I baked mine rather than frying and it came out perfectly. It won't be long before I can recite this recipe by heart. Thanks very much!

—GeorgieGirlNZ

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Jan 12, 2009

Maybe "vegan" in the recipe name scares people, hence so few reviews? This is easily the best falafel recipe I've ever tried. I leave out the potato and double the garlic, cilantro, cumin, and coriander. With shredded drained cucumbers mixed in plain yogurt with a little cayenne, some good chopped tomatoes, cabbage, and maybe some more fresh cilantro, oh my!!!

—PISKURG

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Oct 09, 2008

Very good. Needed to add more flour because it was to wet. I think I used to large of a potato. The taste and texture were great. Baked instead of fried 20-30 min. at 350

—VickyBeth

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Aug 01, 2012

This is my go-to recipe because I believe in authenticity and not using fillers like bread crumbs, eggs and the like. In the Middle East, they use parsley (not cilantro) and use dried beans soaked overnight, so that's how I make it. You can also bake these in the oven like others suggest: I preheat to 400F or 200C, oil the sheet, spoon and shape then bake 10-15 min on each side (depends on the oven). Don't be scared off by the vegan label. It's the best falafel recipe on this website, and it's the only one I use.

—Cat

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Oct 13, 2010

These falafels were phenomenal! I didn't know how much a pound of dry garbanzo beans were (I buy in bulk and don't have a food scale) so I just used two cups of dry beans. I kept everything else in the recipe the same except I added an extra teaspoon of cumin and only added one teaspoon salt, I used parsley instead of cilantro and I omitted the potato. I didn't have any flour in the house so I used cornmeal instead. I fried them up in my cast iron skillet and they were great. I tried baking some too but frying them definitely tastes better. I also kept them in the fridge for a day and a half instead of the two hours (I was going to make them earlier but got too busy so made them the next day). The great thing about that, is that you can prepare these ahead of time and they still turn out great! My boyfriend also loved them and said it was better than the falafel at this Lebanese restaurant we frequent! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

—smallwhiteflower

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Nutrition

Calories
245 kcal
12%

Carbohydrates
33.8 g
11%

Cholesterol
0 mg
0%

Fat
8.7 g
13%

Fiber
8.9 g
35%

Protein
9.6 g
19%

Sodium
731 mg
29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Vegan-Friendly Falafel

Serving Size: 1/10 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 245
Calories from Fat: 78

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8.7g 13 %
** Saturated Fat 0.8g 4 %
** Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
Sodium 731mg 29 %
** Potassium 529mg 15 %
Total Carbohydrates 33.8g 11 %
Dietary Fiber 8.9g 35 %
Protein 9.6g 19 %
** Sugars 5.6g
Vitamin A 5 %
Vitamin C 14 %
Calcium 8 %
Iron 33 %
** Thiamin 25 %
** Niacin 20 %
** Vitamin B6 21 %
** Magnesium 22 %
** Folate 145 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.