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Gluten-Free Falafel Recipe

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★★★★★

4.3 from 26 reviews

A delicious gluten free falafel recipe featuring soaked chickpeas, fresh herbs, and a crispy golden-fried finish perfect for serving with salad, gluten free bread, or hummus.

Ingredients

Scale

Falafel Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 small yellow or red onion (peeled and quartered)
  • 6 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons gum-free gluten free flour blend
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (plus more as necessary)
  • Neutral oil for frying (peanut, corn oil, or refined coconut oil work best)
  • Coarse salt (for sprinkling)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chickpeas. In a large bowl, place the dried chickpeas. Sprinkle with the baking soda, and add enough lukewarm tap water to cover the beans by about 1 1/2 inches.
  2. Soak the chickpeas. Cover the bowl tightly and allow the beans to soak for at least 12 hours, and up to 18 hours. The beans should be edible and crunchy. Drain the soaking water, rinse the chickpeas, and pat them dry with a paper towel.
  3. Load the food processor. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the prepared chickpeas, onion quarters, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons of the gluten free flour, then the parsley and cilantro leaves. The food processor will be quite full, so you may have to pack in the herbs with your hands, in bunches.
  4. Process the mixture with olive oil. Place the lid on the the food processor and process until the leaves of the herbs have been incorporated into the mixture. With the food processor still processing, stream in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and process until the mixture comes together in large clumps.
  5. Finish processing. Remove the lid of the food processor and stir the mixture to loosen and redistribute it. Close the lid again and process until you no big pieces of chickpeas remain.
  6. Refrigerate the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the container and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
  7. Adjust the mixture texture. After refrigerating the mixture, stir it and add up to another tablespoon of gf flour as necessary to hold the mixture together in a relatively uniform patty. Don’t add too much flour, or your falafel will be fluffy.
  8. Heat the frying oil. Place about 2 inches of your cooking oil in a small but deep, heavy-bottom skillet or electric fryer and heat to 350°F.
  9. Shape the patties. Shape the patties by scooping about 2 tablespoons of the falafel mixture and shaping with your hands into patties about 1 1/2-inches wide and 1/2-inch thick.
  10. Fry the falafel. Place the patties in the hot oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes total, flipping a few times, until uniformly golden brown on the outside and firm to the touch. Be sure not to crowd the oil.
  11. Drain and season. Remove the finished patties from the hot oil, and place on paper towel-lined plates or baking sheets to drain. Sprinkle the falafel patties with coarse salt when they’re still warm.
  12. Serve. Serve as soon as possible on a salad, with gluten free naan or pita, or just with some hummus for dipping.
  13. Store leftovers. Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refresh before serving by sprinkling with water and placing in a warm toaster oven until heated through.

Notes

  • Don’t add too much gluten free flour or your falafel will be fluffy.
  • Be sure not to crowd the oil when frying the patties.
  • Store leftovers at room temperature and refresh before serving by sprinkling with water and heating in a toaster oven.

Keywords: gluten free falafel, vegan falafel, gluten free appetizer, healthy falafel recipe, Middle Eastern vegetarian

Find it online: https://foodarohub.com/gluten-free-falafel-recipe/