Description
This Freezable Herby Falafel recipe offers a delicious, aromatic, and versatile Middle Eastern-inspired dish featuring crunchy, golden falafel made from soaked chickpeas and a blend of fragrant herbs and spices, perfect for freezing and enjoying anytime. Served with warm flatbreads and fresh accompaniments, it’s a wholesome vegetarian meal suitable for batch cooking and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Falafel
- 250g dried chickpeas
- 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- pinch of allspice
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 30g sesame seeds (optional)
- sunflower oil, for frying
To Serve
- warmed flatbreads
- hummus
- pickles
- sliced radishes
- mint
- coriander
- tahini
- za’atar or chilli flakes and chilli sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Soak Chickpeas: Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for at least 12 hours or overnight to soften.
- Prepare Falafel Mixture: Drain the soaked chickpeas and pat dry using kitchen paper. Add them to a food processor and pulse until they start to break down but are not pureed. In a small dry pan, toast coriander seeds, cumin, chilli flakes, and allspice for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the toasted spices, garlic, parsley, coriander, and 1½ tsp sea salt to the chickpeas in the food processor. Blitz until the mixture is smooth yet pliable and holds together when squeezed.
- Chill with Baking Powder: Transfer the falafel mix to a bowl, stir in the baking powder, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help the mixture firm up.
- Shape and Coat: Form the mixture into 12 small discs. Lightly coat each disc in sesame seeds if using, then chill again for 15 minutes. At this stage, the falafel can be frozen if desired.
- Fry the Falafel: Heat sunflower oil to a depth of about 1cm in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat until small bubbles form on the surface. Fry the falafel in batches for approximately 6 minutes, turning halfway through, until they are deeply golden and crisp. Transfer falafel to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain excess oil. Once cooled, falafel can also be frozen.
- Bake to Finish: Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 8. Place the fried falafel on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush gently with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and piping hot.
- Serve: Serve the falafel warm in flatbreads with your choice of accompaniments such as hummus, pickles, radishes, fresh mint, coriander, tahini, and, optionally, za’atar or chilli flakes and sauce.
- Freezing Instructions: To freeze, place uncooked or cooked falafel discs on a baking tray in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer to labeled food bags and freeze for up to three months.
- Defrosting and Reheating: Defrost falafel at room temperature for 2 hours. For pre-fried frozen falafel, cook as per step 5. For post-fried frozen falafel, reheat in a 200C/180C fan oven (gas mark 4) for 15 minutes until hot and crisp.
Notes
- Soaking the chickpeas overnight is crucial for the correct texture and binding of falafel; avoid using canned chickpeas as they will make the mixture too soft.
- Adjust chilli flakes to your spice preference or omit if desired.
- Baking powder helps to lighten the falafel and make them fluffy inside.
- Sesame seeds add a nutty crust but are optional.
- Freezing falafel before or after frying allows convenient meal prep and longer storage up to three months.
- Always drain falafel on kitchen paper after frying to remove excess oil.
- Baking after frying boosts crispness and ensures thorough reheating.
- Prep Time: 12 hrs 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: falafel, herby falafel, freezable falafel, chickpeas, vegetarian Middle Eastern recipe, fried falafel, meal prep falafel
