Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (2024)

Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (1)

World, meet falafel. Falafel, meetyour eaters.

What is Falafel?

Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas and/or fava beans. Traditionally, it is deep fried to yield a crispy texture and often served in a pita.

Since I eat falafel so often at restaurants, I wanted a recipe I could make at home and really enjoy. I wanted it to taste traditional, but without being deep fried or labor intensive. I believe I’ve gotten as close as humanly possible without busting out the fryer – a feat I have yet to attempt.

How to Make Falafel

This recipe really threw me for a loop! But after multiple rounds of testing, I believe it’s perfected and ready to be enjoyed by all of you.

Simply add chickpeas, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices to a food processor or blender and pulse the mixture until combined. All-purpose flour (or your flour of choice) is added to soak up some of the moisture.

Hands on prep is minimal, and the only waiting period is 1-2 hours for chilling the dough (which is optional but recommended). Otherwise, these little gems come together with minimal effort and time.

Then they are ready to cook in a large skillet until perfectly browned, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside.

These falafel are simple:

  • Require just 10 ingredients (give or take a spice)
  • Come together in a blender or food processor
  • Sauté up beautifully in just 5 minutes
Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (2)

What are the ingredients?

Traditionally, falafel is made from dried chickpeas and/or includes fava beans. I opted for a more simple version, using canned chickpeas so you don’t have to wait for the chickpeas to soak overnight or worry about not being able to find ingredients.

For flavor, we included fresh parsley (or you can use cilantro in a pinch), garlic, shallots, sesame seeds, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cardamom and coriander can be added to step it up a notch.

The magic ingredients for making it crisp up are all-purpose flour (or see recipe for gluten-free alternatives) and avocado oil (for cooking). Panko breadcrumbs are optional and can be used for an even crispier coating.

Flavor Variations

If you want to try other flavor variations, consider adding ground turmeric, DIY Shawarma Spice Blend, or DIY Curry Powder. Or, try cayenne or ground chilies for spicier falafel!

Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (3)

How to Eat Falafel

What is a falafel without a good sauce? My 4-ingredient garlic-dill sauce is not to be missed. While your falafels are cooking, whip this up in just 5 minutes to elevate this dish to the next level of awesome. Trust me on this one – you’re gonna want that sauce.

For more sauce & dip ideas, try our:

  • 3-Ingredient Tahini Sauce
  • How to Make Hummus from Scratch
  • Microwave Hummus Recipe

Serve these in a pita with tomato, onion, lettuce and my garlic-dill sauce and you’re seriously good to go. Hummus and vegetables make an excellent side dish. Otherwise, serve these atop a bed of greens for a lighter option.

For more serving ideas, try these recipes:

  • Ultimate Mediterranean Bowl
  • Kale Falafel Hummus Wraps (30 Minutes!)
Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (4)

I hope you all love this recipe! It’s:

Simple
Flavorful
Crispy on the outside
Tender on the inside
Garlicky
& Super satisfying

Who needs take-out when you can make perfectly delicious falafel at home?

Prior to this recipe, I’ve made two other falafel recipes for the blog. First were my Better Than Restaurant Falafel, which still rank up there as one of my all-time favorite plant-based recipes! And more recently I made these Baked Falafel Burgers, which are all kinds of hearty and delicious.

And since then, I’ve gone falafel-crazy and come up with recipes for Classic Vegan Falafel (Gluten-Free), Kale Falafel Hummus Wraps (30 Minutes!), Simple Vegan Falafel, Smoky Quinoa Black Bean Falafel. Friends, that’s how much I love this stuff.

If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment and rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!

Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (5)

Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer-Friendly!)

Easy, 10-ingredient vegan falafel made with canned chickpeas to save time, and packed with flavor from parsley, cumin, and garlic. A simple, flavorful approach to restaurant-quality falafel!

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE

Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (6)

4.74 from 230 votes

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 (falafel)

Course Entrée

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mediterranean-Inspired, Middle Eastern-Inspired, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

FALAFEL

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, drained and patted dry)
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (or sub cilantro)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium shallots (minced // 2 shallots yield ~ 3/4 cup or 65 g // or sub white onion)
  • 2 Tbsp raw sesame seeds (or sub finely chopped nuts, such as pecans)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin (plus more to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 1 healthy pinch each cardamom and coriander (optional)
  • 3-4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or sub oat flour or gluten-free blend with varied results)
  • 3-4 Tbsp avocado oil for cooking (or sub any neutral oil with a high smoke point)
  • Panko bread crumbs for coating (optional // see instructions // gluten-free as needed)

FOR SERVING

  • Garlic Dill Sauce (for serving // found within the Mediterranean Baked Sweet Potato Recipe)

Instructions

  • Add chickpeas, parsley, shallot, garlic, sesame seeds, cumin, salt, pepper (and coriander and cardamom if using) to a food processor or blender and mix/pulse to combine, scraping down sides as needed until thoroughly combined. You’re looking for a crumbly dough, not a paste (see photo).

  • Add flour 1 Tbsp (~8 g) at a time and pulse/mix to combine until no longer wet and you can mold the dough into a ball without it sticking to your hands – I used 4 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).

  • Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a bit more salt, pepper, and a dash of cardamom and coriander. You want the flavor to be pretty bold, so don’t be shy.

  • Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to firm up. If you’re in a hurry you can chill in the freezer for 45 minutes or skip this step – but they will be a little more fragile when cooking.

  • Once chilled, scoop out rounded Tablespoon amounts (~30 g in weight // I used this scoop) and gently form into 11-12 small discs (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).

  • OPTIONAL: Sprinkle on panko bread crumbs and gently press to adhere – flip and repeat. This will produce a crispier falafel, but it’s optional.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to generously coat the pan – about 2 Tbsp (30 ml). Swirl to coat.

  • NOTE: If not cooking all of the falafel right away, FREEZE uncooked falafel between layers of parchment paper and store in a container in the freezer up to 1 month. Then just thaw and cook as instructed!

  • Once the oil is hot, add only as many falafel as will fit very comfortably in the pan at a time – about 5-7.

  • Cook for a total of 4-5 minutes, flipping when the underside is deep golden brown. Repeat until all falafel are browned – the deeper golden brown they are, the crispier they’ll be. They will also firm up more once slightly cooled.

  • OPTIONAL: For even crispier falafel, bake in a 400 degree F (204 C) oven for 5-10 minutes after pan frying (either on a baking sheet or your skillet if it’s oven-safe)!

  • Serve warm with garlic-dill sauce or hummus, inside a pita or naan, and with desired toppings or atop a bed of greens.

  • Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep in the refrigerator covered for 4-5 days. Freeze after that to keep fresh for up to 1 month. From thawed, reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven for 15 minutes or until hot.

Video

Notes

*Recipe loosely adapted from Tori Avey.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without sauce or optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 falafel Calories: 91 Carbohydrates: 8.1 g Protein: 2.2 g Fat: 5.8 g Saturated Fat: 0.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.04 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 87 mg Potassium: 77 mg Fiber: 1.6 g Sugar: 1.5 g Vitamin A: 148 IU Vitamin C: 3.34 mg Calcium: 18.79 mg Iron: 0.76 mg

Easy Vegan Falafel (Freezer Friendly!) (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to freeze falafel, cooked or uncooked? ›

You can freeze the falafel pre- or post-frying. Either way, you'll need to arrange them on a baking tray in a single layer, freeze until solid, then pack into food bags and label.

Can you freeze homemade falafel? ›

These Falafel, however, are baked in the oven and therefore a much healthier option! Can I freeze Falafel? Yes, especially these ones are super freezer friendly. Bake them, then let them cool off completely, transfer them into a ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months.

What is a substitute for eggs in falafel? ›

I recommend olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil. Ground flaxseed. This is the binding agent in this vegan falafel recipe. You can substitute 1 egg for the 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed.

Why can't you use canned chickpeas for falafel? ›

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

Why does my falafel fall apart when I fry it? ›

If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them. If you find the mixture is too wet, simply add little more breadcrumbs. The falafel mixture after prepared can be shaped by hand or with a tool called an alb falafel (falafel mold).

How do you freeze and reheat falafel? ›

Place on a cookie sheet and allow to freeze for about an hour. Place in single layers in a plastic freezer bag. If you wish to place them in an airtight container, place wax paper in-between the layers to prevent sticking. Thaw in the refrigerator and then bake or microwave.

How to prepare frozen falafel? ›

Yes, the Falafel is ready made. After removing the Falafel from the freezer, heat it in the oven on 425 for 10-12 minutes, with an option to broil for 3-5 minutes for an extra crunch.

Are frozen falafel healthy? ›

Frozen falafel is a quick, easy, and delicious meal option that has become popular in recent years. With great taste and nutritional value making it an ideal food for people of all ages from busy college students to busy families. It is a good source of protein, fiber, and other important nutrients.

Is falafel healthy? ›

Falafel has several qualities that may benefit your health in various ways. To start, it's a good source of fiber and plant-based protein, two nutrients that work synergistically to help keep you full for longer throughout the day. hormones like cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide-1, and peptide YY ( 2 , 3 , 4 ).

Why is falafel not vegan? ›

Is Falafel Vegan? Since falafel is prepared with chickpeas, herbs, spices and alliums, it is vegan. However, falafel is sometimes served in wraps which may not be vegan, or with yogurt- or dairy-based sauces, so be sure to seek out vegan-friendly accompaniments.

What is the best binder for falafel? ›

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

What are the 2 types of falafel? ›

There are three types of falafel--Traditional falafel, baked falafel and lemon falafel. “Where the traditional falafel is the basic fried falafel comprising a mix of chickpeas, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, baked falafels are made using fresh herbs in the chickpea mixture,” says Chef Sati from Ophelia.

Why some people can't eat chickpeas? ›

In the case of a chickpea allergy, your body believes chickpeas are a threat, so it responds by releasing a chemical called histamine. The histamine gives you allergy symptoms like itchy skin, hives or difficulty breathing.

What is the liquid called in a can of chickpeas? ›

Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. (We're not talking about the liquid in a can of any other beans. Stick to the liquid from canned chickpeas—it works best.) This starchy liquid is a great binder directly from the can, but what really makes it magical is that it whips and creates a foam.

How long can you keep uncooked falafel in the fridge? ›

How to store falafel. The raw minced mixture is sometimes allowed to rest to integrate the flavours and textures, ideally refrigerated. Use the uncooked mixture within a day: cooked, refrigerated falafel should be eaten within three days.

How do you keep falafel fresh longer? ›

To maintain the authentic taste and crispiness of homemade falafel, it should be stored in the fridge within two hours of cooking to prevent bacterial growth. Use an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture, which can help retain texture and extend the shelf life up to 5 days.

Where is the best place to store falafel? ›

Homemade falafel, both cooked and uncooked, is perishable and should always be stored in the refrigerator within two hours of both preparing and cooking.

How do you cook frozen uncooked falafel? ›

The best way to cook frozen falafel is to bake them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), place the frozen falafel on a baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. This method will give you crispy falafel without the need for frying.

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