This healthy falafel recipe is easy and results in fresh, herbaceous flavor in every bite! These chickpea fritters are delicious!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the falafel mixture: In the bowl of a food processor add: red onion, garlic, jalapeno, parsley and cilantro. Pulse until chopped and combined, about 12-15 pulses. Add the chickpeas and pulse again until finely chopped.
Add seasonings: Add in the cumin, cayenne, ginger, baking soda, 2 TBS of chickpea flour*, lime zest, juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until combined, but NOT smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary. (You want texture and for the mixture to be slightly chunky and thick). Stir in the sesame seeds. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Form the falafels: Using your hands, roll and form the mixture into falafel balls, about 2 tablespoons of mixture for each, for a total of 12 balls.
Chill: Place the formed falafels onto prepared sheet pan and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm (you can let these sit overnight, just cover lightly with plastic wrap).
To PAN-FRY falafels: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the falafels. Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan if the pan seems dry and flip the falafels. Cook on the other side until golden, an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
To BAKE falafels: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray. Add falafels to the baking sheet and spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray. Bake falafels for 25-28 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping once halfway through bake time.
To serve: Serve the falafels warm on top of slaw and drizzle with miso tahini. Enjoy!
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Notes
Prepping Veggies: There is no need to finely dice any of the ingredients. Just give them a rough, coarse chop and let the food processor do the rest of the work for you! However, if you do not own a food processor, you will need to finely chop all the falafel ingredients and then stir them together.
Cilantro: If you are not a fan of cilantro, simply nix it and increase the amount of parsley 3/4 cup.
Chickpea Flour: While the recipe calls for chickpea flour, you can absolutely use all purpose of gluten free flour instead. The amount of flour needed in the falafels will depend on the consistency of your mixture. Start with 2 tablespoons of flour, and if mixture is too wet, add more flour 1 teaspoon at a time. You want the mixture to hold together, but not be overly moist. To test it, simply take a small ball of the falafel mixture in your hand and press it together to see if it sticks. (I usually end up using about 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon in my mixture).
Chill Falafels: Make sure you transfer the formed falafels to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, especially before pan frying! Refrigerating the falafels helps firm up the mixture. You can store the prepared falafels in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, up to overnight.
Miso Tahini:1/4 cup Tahini, stirred1 1/2 TBS White Miso (or light sweet miso)1 1/2 TBS Honey2 tsp Rice Vinegar1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil1 tsp Fresh Ginger - minced (or 1/16th tsp Ground Ginger)Coarse Sea Salt, to tasteWarm Water, as neededWhisk together the tahini through the ginger in a small bowl. Add warm water to thin, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached ( I used 3 tablespoons). Taste and adjust for seasoning. Asian Slaw1 large Carrot - shredded3 Scallions - sliced on diagonal1/4 Red Onion - thinly sliced2 TBS Cilantro leaves - roughly chopped2 TBS Flat-leaf Parsley - roughly chopped2 Cups Cabbage - shredded2 TBS Mirin - or more to tastePlace all vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Set aside until ready to use. When ready to serve, season with pepper and drizzle with mirin. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.*Nutrition information is for falafels only and it's an approximation based upon 12 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.