Falafel recipes

Good falafel holds together when the mixture is chilled in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before frying – that way the balls won't fall apart in the oil. Falafel fry in hot oil, or in a generous amount of oil in a pan, for about 3–4 minutes until golden brown.

Falafel is traditionally made from dried, soaked chickpeas rather than cooked tinned ones, as too much moisture makes the mixture fall apart. If you use tinned chickpeas, drain and dry them thoroughly and add a little chickpea flour or breadcrumbs to bind the mixture.

Falafel tastes best warm with pita bread, hummus and a fresh salad, or alongside a bulgur or couscous salad. You can also bake falafel in the oven at 200 °C for about 20–25 minutes, which means the dish needs less oil.

For variety, you can replace some of the chickpeas with edamame beans or red lentils, but then keep a closer eye on how moist the mixture is. Shaped, uncooked falafel balls freeze well, so it's worth making a bigger batch at once.

In Ruokaboksi's falafel recipes the chickpeas and spices come pre-measured, so a falafel night comes together without separate soaking time or weighing out flour.