Good thing you found this recipe, because we’re sharing our secrets to making the best falafel. First, for ideal texture, skip the canned chickpeas and opt for dried chickpeas instead. Second, adding baking powder to the  mixture will give you the fluffiest falafel of all! We promise this recipe’s not a lot of work, it just requires a little advanced planning.

*Side note: You’ll also need a food processor for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS: 

8 ounces dried chickpeas

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons chickpea flour (or regular flour) 

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

½ -1  teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 teaspoon baking powder

Canola or grapeseed oil (for pan frying or brushing falafel if baking- we used olive oil) 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cover the chickpeas in water and soak for 24 hours (this is the super easy extra step!) They’ll double in size. Drain and rinse.

2. Add all the ingredients except baking powder to the food processor and pulse until combined.

3. Let the mixture chill for at least one hour.

4. Mix in baking powder,  form balls or patties.

5. If baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet. Brush each patty with oil before baking and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning the falafel patties over halfway through baking.

If frying, heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. In batches, fry each patty 3-5 minutes on each side until golden. Let cool on a paper towel lined plate to absorb any extra oil. 

6. Add some fun googly eyes  and serve with tahini dipping sauce! 

TAHINI DIPPING SAUCE:

1/2 cup tahini 

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Juice from 1 lemon

1/3 cup water (more if needed)

dash of salt

Whisk ingredients together until smooth. Add more water for a thinner consistency. Season with salt to taste. 

Make these ahead of time and use these for lunches within 4-5 days. Once cooled, they can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an air tight container! Easily reheated, you can enjoy falafel at room temperature in your lunchbox.