Have you ever tried making falafel only to end up with oily, soggy patties that fall apart in hot oil? Or maybe your falafel never quite turns out crispy enough? In this post, I'll walk you through everything you need to know about making Lebanese falafel from scratch-both the traditional deep-fried way and a lighter oven-baked option.
Reader Review
"Made this twice.. Turned out great. Thank you for the recipe😊 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Hamdha
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- Reader Review
- 😍Here's Why You'll Love this Recipe
- 🛒Ingredient Notes
- Need to substitute an ingredient?
- ⚙️ Equipment You'll Need
- 👩🏽🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Option 1: Frying (Traditional Lebanese Style)
- Option 2: Baking (Healthier Option)
- 💡Serving Suggestions
- 👩🏽🍳Pro Tips
- ☝️Recipe FAQS
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- ❄️Storage
- 📝Variations
- Arabic Savoury Snacks
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
😍Here's Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and protein-rich.
- Works with white or black chickpeas.
- Instructions for both fried and baked versions
- Great for meal prep as falafel can be shaped ahead and frozen.
🛒Ingredient Notes
To make Lebanese falafel, you will need these ingredients:
- Chickpeas (white or black) - Always use dried chickpeas, soaked overnight.
- Onion, garlic and green chillies - Adjust heat to taste.
- Fresh herbs - Parsley, coriander, or even mint. Don't skip the greens!
- Ground spices - A blend of cumin, coriander, pepper, and allspice gives falafel its distinctive flavour.
- Baking powder - Optional, but helps lighten the texture.
- Salt
- Oil - Use neutral oil for frying, or olive oil for brushing when baking.
👉 No flour needed! Chickpeas act as a natural binder, and adding flour only makes the texture dense.
Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
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⚙️ Equipment You'll Need
- Food processor or mixie grinder
- Baking tray (if baking).
- Deep frying pan or kadai (if frying).
- Optional falafel scoop/maker-but honestly, your hands work just fine!
👩🏽🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Lebanese Falafel Mixture
In a food processor, pulse onion, garlic, chillies, and herbs until coarse.
Add soaked & drained chickpeas with spices and pulse again. Don't add salt and baking powder until before shaping.
Scrape, pulse, scrape-until chickpeas are a little finer than coarse. Don't add water. (took me about 5 minutes in my mixie grinder)
For those who want to know the kind of blade inside my mixie jar. Rest the mixture in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
📝Take Note
Add salt and baking powder only 10 minutes before frying.
Shape the Falafel
Take the dough from the fridge, add the salt and baking powder and mix thoroughly.
Take small portions and roll gently into balls or slightly flattened the patties. Chill for 30-50 minutes or freeze for later. Do not thaw.
Option 1: Frying (Traditional Lebanese Style)
Heat oil on medium flame. Gently drop falafel balls/patties into the oil.
Fry 3-5 minutes, turning until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve!
Option 2: Baking (Healthier Option)
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking tray with foil or baking paper.
Place chilled or frozen falafel patties on a tray. Brush both sides with oil.
Bake them in the middle rack for a total of 25 minutes, but remove halfway to turn the patties.
Brush more oil if required. Continue baking for the remaining minutes or until the edges brown. Serve!
💡Serving Suggestions
Lebanese Falafel is so versatile! You can:
- Crumble falafel into a grain salad for a quick protein boost.
- Serve with labneh tahini dip.
- Tuck into homemade pita wraps with pickles, tomatoes, onions, and even boiled eggs!
- Build a falafel bowl with salad veggies, pomegranate, lettuce, tahini yoghurt, and olive oil drizzle.
For me, falafel wraps are never complete without boiled eggs - a little tradition from my Saudi, Yanbu days that still makes its way to my table.
👩🏽🍳Pro Tips
Tips to make Lebanese falafel hold shape:
- Drain chickpeas and herbs thoroughly. Pat dry or drain, or spin-dry the leaves thoroughly.
- Do not use water to process the mixture. The onions and leaves will release moisture that will help the soaked chickpeas break down. Grind only until all the chickpeas are ground to a coarse texture.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This will help you shape the dough.
- Gently shape with palms, lightly flatten if desired.
☝️Recipe FAQS
Yes! They come out golden and crisp on the outside, soft inside, and are lower in fat than the fried version.
Use dried chickpeas, avoid excess moisture, don't over-grind, and fry at medium heat.
Definitely! Less oil, fewer calories, but the same flavour punch.
Shape the falafels and line them on a flat tray. Freeze until every falafel is frozen completely. Remove and pack them in a ziplock bag or freezer-friendly box. You can freeze this for up to 2 months!
When you want to fry frozen falafel, please do not thaw! From the freezer into hot oil on a medium flame for 5 minutes, turning them around to fry evenly. Thawing frozen falafel will add moisture back into it, making it lose shape and suck oil while frying.
The simple answer is NO. If done, it is "falafel-inspired chickpea patty" rather than true falafel. They can work if baked (with lots of extra flour), but the flavour and texture will not compare.
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❄️Storage
- Store leftovers, fried or baked, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or oven for the best texture.
- Freeze shaped falafel on a tray until firm, then store in a freezer bag/box for up to 2 months.
📝Variations
Falafel is wonderfully versatile, and you will find different versions across the Middle East and North Africa. I read that in Egypt, falafel is mostly made with fava beans. The Palestinians use more cumin, while Syrians pair their falafel with a drizzle of tangy pomegranate molasses dip. And my favourite Yemeni falafel (Bagiyyah) is made with Blacked eye peas. Each version has its own charm, but all celebrate the same beloved snack.
Did you know you can make Lebanese falafel with black chickpeas, too? Once, I had soaked them for my famous Kadala Curry, but plans changed. Instead, I turned the kala chana into falafel for our evening snack - and it was such a hit! I'm so glad I tried it. 🙂
Arabic Savoury Snacks
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📖 Recipe Card
Lebanese Falafel Recipe - Baked or Fried
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight & drained
- ½ small red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 to 4 green chillies
- 1 cup fresh parsley, (or coriander/mint mix)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder, (optional)
- salt to taste
- cooking oil, for frying or brushing (if baking)
Instructions
Make the Falafel Dough
- In a food processor or mixie, add the onion, garlic, green chillies, herbs, and a handful of chickpeas. Pulse until coarse.½ small red onion (roughly chopped)2 garlic cloves2 to 4 green chillies1 cup fresh parsley ((or coriander/mint mix))1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight & drained)
- Add the remaining chickpeas along with the spice powders. Process in short bursts, scraping down the sides until you get a slightly coarse, grainy mixture (about 5 minutes).1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight & drained)½ teaspoon cumin powder½ teaspoon coriander powder½ teaspoon black pepper powder½ teaspoon allspice powder
- Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (up to 24 hours). Add salt and baking powder only 10 minutes before cooking.
Shape the Falafel
- Take the dough out from the fridge and mix in the salt and baking powder.¼ teaspoon baking powder ((optional))salt to taste
- Shape into equal-sized balls or patties, and place on a lined tray.
- Chill for 10 minutes or freeze for later use.
Fry Method
- Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.cooking oil (for frying or brushing (if baking))
- Fry falafel in small batches on low-medium flame for 3-5 minutes, turning often, until crisp and evenly browned.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Bake Method
- Preheat oven to 200℃ (hot air) and line a baking tray with foil or parchment.
- Arrange chilled or frozen falafel patties on the tray and brush both sides with oil.
- Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes, flipping halfway and brushing with more oil if needed, until golden and crisp.
- Serve with sliced veggies, labneh or tahini dip.
Notes
- Herbs: Use parsley, coriander, or mint - but always wash, drain, and pat dry to avoid excess moisture.
- Freezing: Shape falafel, freeze on a tray, then store in zip bags for up to 2 months. Fry straight from frozen (no thawing!).
- Serving Ideas: Enjoy in pita wraps, as part of mezze platters, or in falafel bowls with salad and tahini.
Famidha Ashraf says
I updated this post to include both methods of making falafels. Bake or fry, you’ll end up with beautifully golden falafels every time.These baked or fried falafels are crisp, herby, and easy to make. Can’t wait to hear how you’ll serve them up.