• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Homemade Italian Cooking

Recipes, secrets and tips on how to cook a great Italian meal at home

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes & Search
    • Appetizers
    • Bread & Pizza
    • Desserts
    • Meat & Fish
    • Pasta, Rice & Grains
    • Vegetables & Salads
    • A Cookbook
  • Videos
  • News & Events
    • Cooking Classes
    • Giveaways
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Press
    • Product Reviews
  • Shop
    • Cookbooks
    • Ingredients
    • Kitchen Equipment
  • For Bloggers
  • About
  • Nav Social Menu

    • YouTube
Home » The Best Falafel

The Best Falafel

November 25, 2016 by Cara Kretz 2 Comments

Share

FalafelMaking Falafel from scratch is easy and so much better than making them from a box mix. The secret is to use dried chickpeas and soak them in cold water overnight. The plumped chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro and spices are pulsed in a blender to create a paste that  is rolled into balls. Deep fry. Done. Wow.  The flavor and texture is amazing.  Do not use canned chickpeas. They will be too mushy.

raw-falafel        Falafel

Falafel are also a great vegetarian option, and perfect for a party. Add savory Lamb Kabobs, lots of Hummus, rice and Tabouleh and you have a wonderful Middle Eastern buffet for the last Grand Prix race this season!

Falafel

The 21st and final Formula One race is going to be held at the beautiful Yas Marina Circuit, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This is the Middle East’s biggest international sporting event and the only twilight race on the F1 calendar.  The scene is magical to watch.  We know that a Mercedes driver will win the Drivers World Championship, but which one?

The movie Rush is a must see. Not only for the great story of Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda, but to watch Chris Hemworth’s amazing performance.

Rush Chris Hemsworth

Falafel
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The Best Falefel

Making Falafel from scratch is easy and so much better than box mix or store-bought falafel. The secret is to use dried chickpeas and soak them in cold water overnight. The plumped chickpeas, garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro and spices are pulsed in a blender to create a paste that can is rolled in to balls. Deep fry. Done. Wow. The flavor and texture is amazing. Do not use canned chickpeas. They will be too mushy.
Course Vegetable
Prep Time 10 hours
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 10 hours 6 minutes
Servings 24
Author Homemade Italian Cooking with Cara

Ingredients

  • 1 pound 2 cups dried chickpeas (not canned)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley packed stems included
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro packed stems included
  • 1 medium white onion peeled and quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 to 3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • Place chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water least 1 - 2 inches above chickpeas. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. The plump chickpeas will double or triple in volume. The next day, rinse and drain the chickpeas.
  • Transfer chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor. Add parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion and spices. Pulse until a thick paste is formed, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides as necessary. Test the paste by squeezing a handful of the mixture into a ball. It should be able to hold together enough for frying. If not process a bit more.
  • Place the chickpea mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. This will help absorb any moisture and make them easier to form.
  • Using wet hands or a small ice cream scoop, gently form the mixture into balls the size of small limes (or small patties). Place the falafel on a piece of parchment paper while you form the rest of the mixture. It is recommended to form all the falafel before starting the frying process.
  • Pour enough vegetable oil into a large, deep cast iron skillet to a depth of about 1 ½ inches. Heat over medium high heat on the stovetop until the oil registers 375°F on an instant-read thermometer. Carefully place a falafel into the hot oil allowing space between each one. Do not crowd the pan. Cook without touching the falafel until the bottom is nicely brown. The falafel will bind together as it cooks. With a fork, flip over and cook until brown on the other side. The total cooking time is 5-6 minutes so that the center is cooked.
  • Transfer falafel to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Continue cooking the remaining falafel in batches.
  • Serve with hummus, pita bread, cucumbers, lemon wedge and a drizzle more of olive oil.

 

Filed Under: A Cookbook, Grand Prix Recipes, Recipe Index Tagged With: F1, Grand Prix, vegetarian

Previous Post: « Thanksgiving Leftovers: Stuffing Waffles with Turkey & Gravy
Next Post: Time to buy Limited Edition Nestle’s Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels »

Reader Interactions

You might also like

Comments

  1. Jeanmarie Kapp

    September 13, 2018 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last weekend and it was super easy and so delicious!

    I did have to make a couple adjustments: I thought I had vegetable oil and I didn’t, so I made a quick internet query and determined my refined coconut oil would work. Actually, I must say the coconut oil is preferable, as it can cook at a very high heat without smoking and transfers no flavor to the food. I also put more parsley and cilantro in, but I’m a cilantro fan.

    My Cuisinart couldn’t hold the processed peas and grind the herbs; next time, I will process the garlic and herbs first, then add the peas.

    I served with tzatziki sauce, easily made with greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill & cucumber. Scrumptious!

    Thank you Chef Cara!

    Reply
    • Cara Kretz

      September 14, 2018 at 8:16 am

      Great feedback! So glad you liked them!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




13 − six =

Primary Sidebar

Delicious Detox & Powerfoods Cookbook! BUY NOW

About Me

Welcome to my home kitchen! I'm Cara. Are you a busy foodie looking for fabulous recipes and menu ideas? This is the place for you. Learn my tips and tricks to being a great home cook. Food, family and love are everything. Read More…

Popular Recipes

Boost Your Immunity with this Great Detox Soup

Detox Soup

Are you stuck indoors and looking to make some healthy comfort food. This ...

Read More

Marisa’s Pasta Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)

pasta fazool

Pasta Fagioli or Pasta with Beans is a comfort food from my childhood. The ...

Read More

DAILY DETOX DRINK: Cranberry, Apple Cider Vinegar & Lemon Juice

Daily Detox Drink

Do you need to give your body a break from all the Christmas cookies, ...

Read More

Paella on the Grill

Paella

Spanish Paella is an amazing and easy homemade meal! Layers of seafood, ...

Read More

All Pork Belly Porchetta Roast with Crispy Skin

All Belly Porchetta Roast

This is the King of Pork Roasts, or another way to put it a BACON ROAST! ...

Read More

Feast of the Seven Fishes: Lobster Arancini with Saffron Aioli Sauce

Lobster Arancini Cut to see inside

Lobster Arancini are a Sicilian delicacy!  The creamy risotto rice balls ...

Read More

Chocolate Almond Olive Oil Cake with Brown Butter Glaze for Mother’s Day!

Choc_Almond_Olive_Oil_Cake-1

Italian Almond Olive Oil Cake or Torta di Mandorla is a classic and simple ...

Read More

Appetizers

scallion pancakes

Scallion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Fried Polenta & Pesto

Amazing Fried Polenta Cakes with Pesto

See More →

Desserts

Slice of Three layer Chocolate Cake

Three-Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Individual butter cake on plate

Warm Butter Mini-Cakes or 1000 Calories of Bliss

See More →

Meat & Fish

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata: Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Cutlets with Lemon & Caper Sauce

Crispy Pork Belly with Chinese Steamed Buns

Succulent and Crispy Pork Belly on Chinese Steamed Buns with Pickled Cucumbers and Hoisin Sauce

See More →

Pasta, Rice & Grains

Autumn Farro Salad

Autumn Farro Salad with Tart Cherries, Kale, Pecans, and Honeycrisp Apples

Paella

Paella on the Grill

See More →

Archives

Footer

Homemade Italian Cooking with Cara LLC.

Thanks for visiting my kitchen! Family, homemade Italian cooking, and traditions are important to me. My goal in writing this blog is to pass on our family recipes to the next generation, and hopefully inspire a few new great Italian home cooks. I'd love your feedback! Please send me your comments, suggestions and questions. To learn more about me click here →

or email me cara@homemadeitaliancooking.com

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework