Short answer
Falafel are deep-fried balls or patties made from ground soaked chickpeas, fava beans or a mix, blended with parsley, onion, garlic and spices. They are crisp outside, green and fluffy inside, and are eaten in pita, on mezze plates or with tahini sauce.
Falafel are deep-fried balls or small patties made from ground soaked chickpeas, fava beans or both, mixed with fresh parsley, onion, garlic and spices such as cumin and coriander. The outside turns dark golden and crisp while the inside stays fluffy and green. Falafel are a staple of Levantine and Egyptian cooking and are served in flatbread or on a mezze plate.
What are falafel made of?
Falafel are made of soaked raw dried chickpeas or fava beans, fresh herbs, onion, garlic, salt and ground spices, with a little baking soda or flour used by some cooks. No eggs or dairy are needed, so the basic recipe is naturally plant-based.
A typical mixture has these parts:
- Legume base: dried chickpeas, dried fava beans, or a blend of the two
- Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley and cilantro, sometimes dill or mint
- Aromatics: onion or scallion and raw garlic
- Spices: ground cumin and coriander seed, salt, black pepper, sometimes cayenne or cardamom
- Binder or lift: a spoonful of flour or a pinch of baking soda, which many cooks skip
The beans are soaked but never cooked before grinding. Raw soaked beans hold together in hot oil and give the fluffy interior, which is why canned chickpeas are the wrong ingredient.
Where do falafel come from?
Falafel are a Middle Eastern street food, and their exact origin is disputed. Egypt, where the fava bean version is called ta’amiya, and the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Israel) each claim a long history with the dish.
Food writers disagree about which came first, and no single source settles it. What is clear is that the fava bean version dominates Egyptian cooking, the chickpea version dominates in the Levant, and both spread through migration to Europe and North America. Treat any single confident origin story with caution.
What do falafel taste like?
Falafel taste nutty, earthy and herby, with a savoury garlic and cumin background and a salty, crunchy crust. The centre is soft and slightly crumbly rather than dense, and the flavour is fresh from the parsley and cilantro.
Falafel are not sweet and not very spicy unless chilli is added. On their own they can seem plain, which is why they are almost always served with something sharp or creamy such as tahini sauce, pickles or lemon wedges.
How are falafel made step by step?
Falafel are made by soaking dried chickpeas overnight, grinding them with herbs and spices to a coarse crumb, shaping the mix, and frying it in hot oil until deep golden. The method has five main steps.
- Soak: cover 400 g of dried chickpeas with plenty of cold water and soak for 12 to 24 hours. They will roughly double in size.
- Drain and dry: drain well and pat the chickpeas dry. Wet beans make a loose mix that falls apart in the oil.
- Grind: pulse the chickpeas in a food processor with a large handful of parsley and cilantro, a chopped onion, 3 or 4 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of coriander and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stop when the mix looks like coarse sand, not a smooth paste.
- Rest and shape: chill the mix for 30 minutes, then shape into balls the size of a walnut or small flat patties with wet hands.
- Fry: heat neutral oil to about 175 to 180 °C and fry in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden. Drain on a rack.
If a test ball falls apart in the oil, stir in a tablespoon of flour or chickpea flour and chill the mix again.
Falafel balls vs patties vs ta’amiya: what is the difference?
Falafel balls and patties are the same mixture in different shapes, while ta’amiya is the Egyptian version made from fava beans. The shape changes the crunch, and the bean changes the colour and flavour.
| Type | Main bean | Shape | Typical look and taste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levantine falafel | Chickpeas | Balls or small domes | Brown crust, green or pale interior, nutty |
| Egyptian ta’amiya | Split fava beans | Flat patties | Bright green inside, earthy, often sesame on top |
| Mixed falafel | Chickpeas and fava beans | Balls | Softer, slightly sweeter interior |
| Baked falafel | Chickpeas | Balls or patties | Drier crust, less oil |
Patties give more crust per bite, while balls stay fluffier in the middle. Some falafel moulds produce ring-shaped falafel, which cook evenly and are popular for sandwiches.
How do you eat falafel?
Falafel are eaten stuffed into pita or flatbread with salad and sauce, as part of a mezze spread, or on a plate with rice, salad and hummus. They are hand food and are usually served hot.
Common ways to serve falafel:
- Sandwich or wrap: with tomato, cucumber, pickled turnip, lettuce and tahini sauce
- Mezze plate: beside hummus, baba ghanoush, olives and pita
- Falafel bowl: over rice or bulgur with salad and a lemony dressing
- Breakfast in Egypt: ta’amiya in bread with salad and tahini, a common morning street meal
Can you bake or air fry falafel instead?
Yes, falafel can be baked or air fried, and the result is lighter but less crisp. Brush the shaped falafel generously with oil and cook at about 200 °C for 20 to 25 minutes in an oven, turning once, or about 12 to 15 minutes in an air fryer.
Baked falafel taste good but do not have the deep crust of the fried version, and they dry out faster as they cool. Eat them fresh and serve with plenty of sauce.
How do you store and reheat falafel?
Cooked falafel keep in the refrigerator for about three days in a covered container, and they reheat best in an oven or air fryer rather than a microwave. Reheat at about 190 °C for 8 to 10 minutes to bring back the crust.
Raw falafel mix can be shaped and frozen on a tray, then stored in a bag and fried straight from frozen with an extra minute or two. Cooked falafel can be frozen as well, but the texture is slightly drier after reheating.
Which ingredients for falafel does Elsafadi Supermarket list?
The store lists several pantry items that fit a falafel meal, but no ready-made falafel and no dried chickpeas appear on the recorded list. This guide is independent and does not take orders.
Elsafadi Mediterranean Supermarket in Edmonton has no printed menu. Based on a 2014 Canadian Grocer article, the items recorded on the menu page include tahini for the sauce, fresh bread from an in-house bakery, and fresh olives from large bins. The article also describes a hot and cold deli, but no specific falafel product is recorded and the range may have changed since 2014. Check dates and stock by phone using the details on the hours and location page before making a trip.
Common questions
Are falafel made from chickpeas or fava beans?
Both are used. Chickpea falafel is the style most people know in North America and the Levant, while Egyptian ta’amiya is traditionally made from split fava beans. Some cooks blend the two for a softer texture.
Why are falafel green inside?
The green colour comes from fresh parsley, cilantro and sometimes scallion or dill blended into the mix. Falafel with few herbs turn beige inside, and a heavy hand with herbs gives a bright green centre.
Can falafel be made without frying?
Yes. Falafel can be baked or air fried at a high temperature after brushing with oil. The crust is drier and less crunchy than deep-fried falafel, but the flavour of the chickpea and herb mix stays the same.
What sauce goes with falafel?
Tahini sauce, made from tahini, lemon juice, garlic and water, is the classic pairing. Many people also add a yogurt and garlic sauce, hot sauce, pickled turnips or a chopped tomato and cucumber salad.
Before you go, check the Elsafadi Supermarket guide for the current hours and the menu.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Elsafadi Mediterranean Supermarket itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.