Easy Authentic Falafel Recipe: Step-By-Step
If anyone knows falafel, it’s Mamoun’s Falafel in the heart of Greenwich Village in New York City. A family-owned restaurant established in 1971, Mamoun’s is the oldest falafel restaurant in New York and one of the first ever Middle Eastern establishments in the United States. Their secret to making the Best Authentic Falafel you can find? Not changing a thing about the original recipe.
Like any famous recipe, Mamoun’s exact falafel recipe is a proprietary trade secret so we cannot publish it here. However, below is a delicious traditional falafel recipe with a complete step-by-step tutorial along with tips for frying or baking the falafel. You’ll also find plenty of ideas for the different ways to make and enjoy this versatile dish.
You might enjoy it just like Mamoun’s famous falafel sandwich — inside a pita with fresh veggies and tahini sauce. Or maybe you like your falafel as part of a Mediterranean spread or alongside other Middle Eastern cuisine.
Mamoun’s falafel recipe is a family recipe created by their founder, Mamoun, who is from Damascus, Syria where falafel is so common that it’s taken for granted. Since the 1970s, New Yorkers have gotten to enjoy this fresh, crispy, authentic falafel.
Once you find the perfect falafel recipe, you don’t need to change it. You’ll come back to it again and again until it feels as easy as your own family recipe. You don’t need a perfectly set table or have to wait for a certain season to make delicious falafel. This authentic, easy falafel recipe provides everything you need to know to enjoy today.
Table of Contents
What is Falafel?
What I Love about this Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Falafel: Step-by-Step
For Baked Falafel
Make Ahead and Freezing
Choose How to Serve Falafel
1. What is Falafel?
The precise origins of falafel are hotly debated. The greatest consensus among historians seems to suggest that falafel most likely originated in Egypt — more specifically, the city of Alexandria — though exactly when and by whom remains a mystery.
Falafel is considered to be a relatively “modern” cuisine in comparison to many world food traditions, and today, it is internationally appreciated as a sort of “fast food” or “street food” — perfect for enjoying on the go or around a table and always a healthy and filling choice with delicious spices.
The falafel itself is vegan, with its foundational ingredient as either chickpeas or fava beans, and flavored with fresh herbs and spices so it can be enjoyed among a range of dietary preferences.
The beauty of great falafel is that it is made with everyday ingredients, and the key to delicious falafel depends on the freshness of your ingredients and herbs and the quality of your spices.
After you bake or fry it just right, your falafel will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. A drizzle of tahini will be the final touch for a mouthful of perfectly balanced textures and flavor.
2. What I Love about this Recipe
Green in every way. Many falafel recipes are mostly filled with chickpeas, spices, and not as many herbs, which make them more muted in color. People often comment that Mamoun’s falafels are especially green. This distinctively green color comes from the fresh parsley Mamoun’s uses in their recipe. While falafel offers everything you need to feel full and energized because of its protein-packed patties and delicious blend of spices, it’s the fresh herbs that set this recipe apart.
It’s authentic. In addition to using only the freshest ingredients, another key to an authentic falafel recipe is using dry chickpeas (not canned). Using canned chickpeas will lead to falafel that is crumbly and falls apart when frying. Dried chickpeas will provide you with the right texture and cohesion that you need when baking or frying.
Easy to prep and freeze. Although Mamoun’s preps their falafel fresh on a daily basis, you can choose to prep a large batch of falafel (before frying or baking) and freeze it for later use. Then, whenever you need an easy, delicious meal, you can quickly shape falafel patties for cooking to just the right crispiness.
3. Ingredients
Dried Chickpeas: Preparing your dried chickpeas for this authentic recipe is totally worth it. You do need some foresight to soak the dried chickpeas in water for 24 hours before using them. Canned chickpeas will create a more difficult texture for frying your patties later on, so plan ahead for using dried chickpeas. (You could also add a pinch of baking soda to the water to help soften the chickpeas.)
Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley is key to this authentic recipe—it’s what turns the falafel so green! Cilantro and dill are optional herbs that you might experiment with to find the perfect blend for you. Whatever you choose, using fresh herbs rather than dried will make a huge difference.
Onion: Yellow onions are commonly used, but you can also use white or red onions instead.
Garlic: Again, using fresh garlic cloves is important for authentic Mediterranean flavor.
Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Spices: Cumin, turmeric, and cardamom.
Baking Powder: To avoid an overly dense falafel patty, you can include some baking power to help make the falafel the right texture and airiness.
Optional: Sesame Seeds: Some people enjoy the added flavor.
4. How to Make Falafel: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Remember to prep chickpeas one day ahead! The hardest part of this recipe is remembering to soak the chickpeas in water for 24 hours before you make the falafel. The day before you put the rest of the ingredients together, cover the dried chickpeas in water, add a pinch of baking soda, and soak for 24 hours. You can expect the chickpeas to grow, nearly doubling in size, by the time they are done soaking. Drain well and dry excess water with a paper towel before mixing.
Step 2: Combine mixture. You can use a food processor to grind together all of the ingredients. Begin by grinding the well-drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs first. Next add the spices and salt and pepper to taste and grind again. The mixture should be quite green in color and have a course meal texture.
Step 3: Refrigerate. You can refrigerate from 1 hour to overnight — be sure to cover it so it doesn’t dry out. You can also freeze this mixture for another day. When you chill the mixture, it will be easier to form into falafel patties that hold together for your next step.
Step 4: Shape round patties. After chilling your falafel mixture, you can stir in some baking powder (and toasted sesame seeds if you want to give that a try) before shaping the falafel into evenly rounded balls, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Do not flatten the falafel at this stage so that it can cook more evenly.
Step 5: Fry. Using an oil of your choice (EVOO is most common), frying is the authentic method for making falafel that is perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and light on the inside. Especially if you’re frying falafel for the first time, it’s important to measure the temperature of your oil. The oil needs to be around 375 degrees Fahrenheit (med-high) so that the falafel holds together and also cooks as evenly as possible. Once the oil is the right temperature, use a slotted spoon to gently set the falafel balls into the oil. Fry for 3 - 5 minutes until the outer color is an even, warm brown.
- Pro Tip: Test out your oil and technique with one falafel ball first. This may take a few tries to perfect the temp. After you are satisfied with one, you can make more in small batches, noting on the size of your fryer. Try not to over-crowd, and be sure to remain attentive during this part of the process.
Step 6: Serve. Serve falafel Middle Eastern style — hot with tahini sauce. You can assemble like Mamoun's famous falafel sandwich or alongside other delicious Mediterranean small plates. For a fiery and flavorful kick, you can serve your falafel with Mamoun’s iconic hot sauce.
5. For Baked Falafel
While frying falafel is the authentic cooking method, not everyone has access to this technique, or maybe you just prefer a baked falafel texture and flavor.
For baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray or lightly oil a baking sheet so the falafel doesn’t stick to it when done. Add a bit of extra EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and bake the rounded patties for 15 - 20 minutes. Pay attention to color and you can turn the patties halfway through for a more even outer bake.
6. Make Ahead and Freezing
Refrigerate for 1 - 2 days: This falafel mixture is something you can prep whenever you have a window of time in the 2 days leading up to when you plan to make falafel. It can also be great to prep early in your week so you have an easy, healthy meal just waiting for you in the fridge.
Freeze: The easiest way to freeze your falafel (and what will make it easy to cook later) is if you shape the round patties beforehand. You can freeze these round falafel patties on parchment paper (not touching) for one hour. Once they are hard and won’t stick together, you can transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for another day. They stay fresh for up to one month frozen, and you can even fry or bake them while frozen without thawing first.
7. Chose How to Serve Falafel
Like Mamoun’s Famous Falafel Sandwich: As Mamoun’s son, Galal, best describes Mamoun’s famous falafel sandwich: "it’s simple, it’s elegant, and it tastes fantastic.” Make a falafel sandwich just like Mamoun’s by layering hummus, falafel, lettuce, and tomatoes inside a soft pita bread and top it with tahini sauce. You can gently smash the falafel before or after adding it to the pita so that it fills the pocket and, in turn, every delicious bite.
As a Side or on a Brunch Board: Falafel is a wonderful option that adds flavor, protein, and convenience to any array of bite-sized foods. You can serve it alongside tabbouleh, grape leaves, or fresh or pickled veggies. Falafel also goes well with creamy light dips like hummus and baba ganouj.
