Easy Homemade Falafel Recipe with Canned Chickpeas

If you want your falafel fix and you want it now, try this easy falafel recipe using canned chickpeas!

This homemade falafel recipe delivers those flavor-packed, golden brown falafel balls that we love, in half the time as if you had used dry chickpeas. 

While the traditional way to make falafel is by using dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight, it is possible to make falafel using canned chickpeas!

This is a hotly contested topic that people get very emotional about, and there are many falafel recipes out there that insist that the recipe simply will not work using canned chickpeas.

Good news – this recipe works! And it’s so delicious. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade, delicious falafel:

• 1 can of chickpeas
• Onions
• Garlic
• All-purpose flour. Choose chickpea flour or gluten free flour for a gluten free option. 
• Egg. This works as a binding agent. 
• Lemon
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh cilantro
• Cumin
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Red pepper flakes 

How to Make Falafel with Canned Chickpeas

PREP THE FALAFEL PATTIES

Making the falafel mixture will only take a few minutes. Start by draining the chickpeas, but don’t rinse them. We want to keep them as starchy as possible.

Then, load your drained chickpeas, fresh herbs, egg, onions, garlic, flour and dried seasonings into a food processor. Blend it until it’s smooth but still a little chunky. 

Then, cover the mixture with plastic wrap and get it into the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.

FRY THE FALAFEL BALLS

Start by filling a large skillet with about an inch of oil. Because we are using canned chickpeas, the falafel mixture will be loose, even after refrigeration. 

Use a large spoon to drop the batter into the oil. Then, use the spoon or a spatula to nudge the falafels into shape. They will look more like hockey pucks than golf balls. 

Let the falafel patties get nice and golden brown on both sides. Don’t worry, you can’t overcook them!

Remove the fried falafel patties onto a paper towel-lined plate. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature. 

 

Serving Falafel

You’ll never run out of ways to enjoy falafel! Here are some of my favorite ideas:

• Falafel Salad. Start with a big plate of fresh vegetables like crispy lettuce, cherry tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers. Top with warm falafel patties and drizzle with tzatziki sauce or tahini yogurt. 
• Falafel Sandwich. Enjoy falafel street cart-style! Pile warm falafel into pita pockets and load them up with crunchy veggies and tzatziki sauce. 
• Falafel Bowl. Serve crispy falafel over bed of golden turmeric rice with pickled red onion and crunchy vegetables. Don’t forget the tahini sauce for drizzling and dipping!
• Falafel Platter. This is my favorite way to eat falafel, complete with hummus, tzatziki, cubes of tangy feta cheese, Mediterranean olives and – of course – lots of fluffy pita bread. 

Can you bake or air fry falafel?

Because the batter for these falafel balls will be pretty loose due to the use of canned chickpeas and very little binding agents, I do not recommend trying to bake or air fry them. 

That said, you can still use less oil for frying than you would if you were deep frying them.

Pour about 1/4 inch of oil into the frying pan, cook them on one side until they are golden, and then flip them over. No need to fully submerge them in frying oil. 

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover falafel patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For best results, reheat them in the oven at 400 degrees for 3-5 minutes. I have also reheated them in the microwave and they come out just fine. 

 

When you make this canned chickpeas falafel recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy! 

For delicious ways to use falafel, try these:

• Falafel Platter with Hummus and Tzatziki
• Falafel Pita Sandwich with Easy Tahini Sauce
• Falafel Rice Bowl Recipe

For more vegetarian recipes, try these:

• Baja Bowl Recipe with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
• Indian Roasted Cauliflower Curry with Coconut Rice
• 30 Minute Saucy Ginger Sesame Noodles with Vegetables