Falafel has firmly made its way into the US restaurant scene in recent years. According to Tastewise, the Middle Eastern snack is offered in nearly four percent of American restaurants. It might not sound like much initially, but in reality, that’s more than 41,000 eateries across the country.
But if you don’t feel like eating out, it’s also easy to make falafel from scratch at home. Whether you love falafel burgers, falafel pita, or falafel bowls, check out some of our favorite ways to make the popular bean-based fritters and balls below.
Table of Contents
What is falafel made of?
Falafel likely originated in Egypt, where it’s still popular today. It’s usually made out of ingredients like fava beans, onions, and herbs before it’s deep-fried and served from street food vendors in wraps with tahini sauce. But there is no one singular way to make falafel.
Across the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and North Africa, different countries have their signature falafel recipes. In Syria, for example, chickpeas are usually used as the key base ingredient to make falafel, while in Jordan, recipes tend to use fava beans or chickpeas. In Turkey, chickpeas are also common, but some regions also use lentils to make the popular snack, which is usually served as part of a mezze feast.
Spices also tend to vary from country to country, but staple ingredients include garlic, cumin, and coriander.
Is falafel good for you?
Because it’s made with beans or legumes, falafel—which is often vegan by default—is a pretty nutritious food choice. Chickpeas, fava beans, and lentils are all good sources of fiber, for example, which is essential for supporting gut and digestive health. They also contain protein, plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants like flavonoids.
Flavonoids have been shown to benefit our health in a number of ways. In fact, earlier this year, one study suggested that eating more flavonoid-rich foods may help to reduce the risk of developing dementia by as much as 28 percent.
Meduza Mediterrania
However, one key issue with falafel is that it’s often deep-fried, which can increase its saturated fat content. Healthier ways of preparing falafel, however, include baking or air frying.
“If you want to watch your fat intake and you don’t want to fry [falafel], you can bake them or hand sauté them,” Ale Zozos, RDN, told Women’s Health. “If you’re watching your carb intake, you don’t have to serve them on pita—you can serve them with fresh vegetables or on top of a salad.”
7 vegan falafel recipes
Food isn’t just about health or nutrition, of course. It’s also about joy, culture, and comfort. If you love falafel, we’ve gathered some of our go-to ways to prepare it below, from hearty pita pockets to satisfying burgers to creamy curry.
1 Easy Vegan Pistachio Falafel
This tasty gluten-free falafel recipe combines chickpeas with pistachio nuts to form the base of the crispy bite-sized balls. These ingredients are then combined with shallots, parsley, olive oil, cumin, and paprika and baked to get that delicious crunchy texture on the outside. Serve them alongside salad and hummus for a Mediterranean-inspired feast.
Get the recipe
Tim Aitkins
2 Perfect Vegan Falafel Pita Pockets With Tahini Sauce
The key to tender, soft, moist falafel is soaking the chickpeas in advance, according to this recipe from the Falafel Forever cookbook. After you’ve made the crispy balls, serve them in pita pockets with your favorite raw vegetables and tahini sauce for a delicious lunchtime treat you’ll want to make over and over again.
Get the recipe
Tim Aitkins
3 Charred Mediterranean Falafel Burger
Move over vegan beef, falafel is about to become your favorite veggie burger ingredient. Beets and couscous make the fritter extra juicy and delicious—it’s perfect for grilling outdoors in the summer or inside in the winter.
Get the recipe
Bri Beaudoin
4 Falafel Bowls With Quick-Pickled Cabbage and Tzatziki
Quick-pickled red cabbage adds the perfect tangy element to this falafel bowl, which is packed with tender, yet crispy homemade chickpea falafel balls. A dollop of vegan tzatziki and some chopped cucumber is a must for serving.
Get the recipe
Sense & Edibility
5 Egyptian-Style Falafel Made With Fava Beans
Learn how to make falafel the Egyptian way by following this super tasty recipe from Sense & Edibility. It features fava beans, of course, alongside herbs like cilantro, parsley, and mint, which bring a pleasant refreshing flavor to the mix. Recipe developer Marta Rivera describes it as an “herbaceous oomph.”
Get the recipe
Romy London
6 Vegan Falafel Curry
You might not initially think of falafel as a tasty curry ingredient, but trust us, it goes beautifully with an aromatic, creamy sauce and a generous helping of rice. “I’m sure it will soon be one of your favorite vegan/vegetarian recipes,” says recipe developer Romy of Romy London. “It combines two of my favorite cuisines and it’s simply a wonderful fusion for an easy midweek dinner.”
Get the recipe
Blooming Nolwenn
7 Easy Vegan Falafel Tacos
Another tasty fusion dish, these falafel tacos—made with homemade, lentil-based falafel—are incredibly easy to whip up, and they’re bursting with flavor. If you’ve got the spare time, we highly recommend you make Blooming Nolwenn’s vegan sweet potato tortillas, too.
Get the recipe
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
