Here’s our expert guide to falafel, how to make the perfect falafel along with easy falafel recipes. Try one of these ideas for a vegetarian midweek meal, including a fab falafel burger recipe. Our falafel recipes make great vegetarian entertaining ideas, too.
Guide to falafel
Falafels make the basis for a great quick, vegan meal (healthy aswell if you make baked falafel rather than deep fried). Falafel are great stuffed into pittas or flatbreads with pickled cabbage, hummus and hot sauce or as the main ingredient in a grain or salad bowl .
What’s in falafel?
Falafel are traditionally made in the Middle East from dried chickpeas or broad beans but most of our recipes start with a tin of drained chickpeas for speed. Flavourings include ground spices like cumin and coriander, chilli, garlic and chopped herbs such as parsley and coriander.
You can also make veggie-based falafel such as sweet potato. They contain the same flavourings as regular falafel and have a similar texture but don’t contain any chickpeas so they are a lot lighter. Alternatively you can add extra veg such as carrot or spinach to your falafel.
How to make falafel
Making falafel is really easy. Chickpeas are blended in a food processer with spices, herbs and a binder (usually gram flour or plain flour). These are then rolled into little balls or patties and left to chill for a while to set. Once set the falafel are deep or shallow fried until crisp and golden on the outside and hot and fluffy within.
How to bake falafel
If you’d like to make your falafel a little healthier it’s easy to bake them rather than fry. Line a baking tray with baking paper and put the falafels well spaced apart on top. Spray with spray oil and bake at around 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for 10-15 minutes until browned and crisped up on the outside.
Falafel mezze bowl
This quick and easy falafel mezze bowl makes a great vegetarian midweek meal. Just assemble the ingredients for a quick and easy dinner full of goodness. Try one of our quick vegetarian meals ready in under 30 minutes.
Carrot falafels with cumin and coriander
Try our take on the Middle Eastern classic, falafels. Use up your leftover carrots to give these delightful balls a lighter taste and texture. What’s more, they’re low calorie and full of flavour, and of course carrots can help you to see in the dark, even in falafel form. Bonus!
Spiced falafel burgers
Try our quick and easy spiced falafel burger recipe. These healthy burger patties are vegetarian and low in calories, a great vegetarian falafel recipe for 4.
Sweet potato falafel with coriander chutney and carrot salad
Our recipe for sweet potato falafel with coriander chutney and carrot salad is vegan, low-calorie and gluten-free. Plus, it’s ready in under an hour – perfect for midweek.
Sesame falafel salad with tahini sauce
An easy falafel recipe! A few clever cheats make this satisfying sesame falafel salad with tahini sauce quick and easy. Serve as part of a Middle Eastern mezze spread, more ideas here.
Falafel and halloumi burgers
A great low-calorie recipe for vegetarians. A hearty chickpea burger stuffed into a pitta pocket. For a smoky flavour, try cooking these easy-to-make falafel on the BBQ then serve in warm pitta with traditional pickled chillies.
Spinach falafel with sesame mangetout salad
Our low-fat and low-calorie falafel takes a spinach twist in this easy recipe. Accompany your homemade falafel with a fresh mange tout salad for a healthy, feel-good meal.
Falafel-stuffed pittas
Feed a crowd of veggies with homemade falafel topped with salsa and stuffed into pittas. Easier than you think and much tastier than shop-bought falafel.
