Falafel

Gluten-free falafel.

Is there a better food than falafel? No, I say, there is not. Except maybe mashed potatoes. It’s a close call.

Finding gluten-free falafel out in the wild is hard. Making it at home is so easy, you won’t miss going out for this wonderful food at all. As a bonus, falafel makes a great vegan option for those times you need one.

One huge note, that I’ll repeat in the Notes section as well: do not use canned chickpeas when making falafel. They have absorbed too much liquid in the can, and will create a heavy, less fluffy falafel. You will thank yourself for soaking your garbanzo beans the old-fashioned way!

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Gluten-Free Falafel

Gluten-free falafel.

By Kassia Krozser Published: December 1, 2013

  • Yield: 10 - 20 falafels, depding on the size (6 Servings)
  • Prep: 30 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Ready In: 1 hr 2 mins

Falafel is one of my favorite foods in the world, and making a gluten-free version is super-easy.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add the chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, flour, salt, cumin, coriander, black pepper, and cayenne to your food processor. You'll probably have to work in batches, so try to divide the seasonings among the batches as well.
    Falafel seasoning.
  2. Pulse the chickpea mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl periodically, until you get a rough paste. The mix will be a bit sticky, but will still have tiny chunks of chickpeas. If you make the mixture too smooth, it will be more like hummus. Too chunky, and it won't hold together for frying. If the latter, you may need to add a bit more flour.
    Falafel ingredients in the food processor.
  3. Add to a bowl, and mix together with a fork one more time. Cover the bowl and put the mixture into the refrigerator for one to two hours.
    Parsley for falafel.
  4. Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven until about 350 degrees. Form the falafel mixture into balls, using about two tablespoons of mixture per ball. Or create patties. Or larger balls (they will take longer to fry, but this is your falafel!).
    Frying a batch of falafel.
  5. Test fry one falafel -- if your oil is hot enough, it will brown on one side in about three minutes. Brown the other for another three minutes. If the oil is ready, fry the falafel in batches of 6 or so at a time. Do not crowd the pan.
  6. Remove the golden brown falafel from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven if not serving immediately.
    Falafel, ready to eat
  7. Serve with hummus on the side.

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7 thoughts on “Falafel”

  1. YUM I love falafels! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂

    Hope your week is great!

    Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

  2. My MIL is Lebanese and she taught me how to make falafels and your recipe is almost spot on. Try adding 1/4c cilantro as well. And we don’t add flour for binding. We add baking powder (1Tb). Cheers

  3. here’s the problem: i have a husband who buys hummus like i buy purses. or shoes. but tahini sauce is just about perfect with anything. and by anything, i mean, well all foods on this planet. except, i guess raspberries.

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