Falafel are delicious balls of chickpea and herby goodness that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This falafel recipe is made with canned chickpeas so it's quick and easy to make, packed with protein, and delicious served with tons of fresh veggies and 2 irresistible sauces (tahini and tzatziki).

Vegan falafel wrap with tomatoes hummus and cucumbers in a pita with tahini sauce.

I've been searching for the perfect quick and easy, baked falafel recipe that has the flavors and textures of traditional falafel but is made with canned chickpeas. After lots of testing and tasting, my family agrees this is the best vegan falafel recipe. I think you'll love it too!

Convenient: Falafel are inexpensive, quick, store well in the fridge, and freeze beautifully so they are great for meal prep and a quick weeknight meal.
Versatile: There are so many ways to serve falafel! They are delicious in wraps and burgers, bowls, platters, salads, and so much more!
Healthy and Nourishing: Falafel are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber.
Special Diet Friendly: Falafel are the perfect choice for vegan, vegetarian, plant based, dairy free, eggless, gluten free, oil-free, soy free, and sugar free dietary preferences.

Falafel Ingredients

The ingredients for this falafel are easily found at the grocery store or market. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients for vegan falafel including chickpeas, onions, tahini and spices.

For the Falafel Filling

Canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans): Form the base of the falafel. Falafel made with canned chickpeas have a softer texture than a traditional falafel made with dried chickpeas, but they're much quicker and taste just a delicious.
Onions and garlic: I used white onion, but yellow or red onion work too. I like fresh garlic versus powdered for a more robust flavor.
Parsley and cilantro: Fresh parsley and cilantro are the ultimate herb combination for falafel.
Cumin, coriander, salt, pepper: Some tradition spices used in Middle Eastern cooking that have an earthy, bold flavor you’ll love.
Red pepper flakes: For a kiss of heat.
Tahini paste and flour: To help bind the falafel so they don't fall apart. To keep the falafel gluten free - use chickpea flour.

Falafel Topping & Sauce Ideas

Veggies: Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and onions add freshness, crunch and pungency.
Something sour: Pickles or pickled onions add some zing to every bite.
Tahini sauce is a classic falafel sauce!: Try one of these three versions - lemon tahini sauce, green tahini sauce or sweet and spicy tahini. Can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Vegan tzatziki is a popular sauce for falafel wraps. It takes only a few minutes to make from scratch or buy your favorite store-bought brand.
Homemade hummus or your favorite store bought hummus adds creaminess.
Best bread/wrap/pita: Select something a bit substantial so the falafel doesn't get soggy. Warm mediterranean bread like pita is utter perfection, but store bought flatbread or pita pockets are a great choice.

How to Make Falafel

It's pretty quick and simple to make falafel using canned chickpeas. It's really just a dump and blend situation. Grab your food processor and let's get started.

Ingredient for falafels in a food processor.

Top down view of food processor filled with vegan falafel filling.

Mix the falafel dough: Add the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until chunky (not too smooth) stopping to scrape down sides as necessary. Don't over process the mixture - leave some texture for the best results (see photo). Stir in the tahini and flour just until the mixture sticks together
Chill: Cover the falafel dough with plastic wrap or a lid then chill for 30 - 60 minutes in the fridge.

Falafel balls rolled on a baking sheet ready for the oven.

Shape the falafel: Once the mixture is chilled, use a cookie scoop or your hands to form balls (about the size of ping pong balls) or flatten for a smaller patty shape.
How to cook falafel: Preheat the oven, air fryer or frying pan with oil and cook until brown and crispy on the outside. See recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Building a falafel sandwich or wrap: Smear a warm pita with hummus, pile on the veggies of choice and a few falafel balls, drizzle with tahini and tzatziki. Enjoy!

Falafel and cucumber slices on a platter with tzatziki sauce.

Falafel Tips!

Although simple to make, here are some tips to help you make falafel from scratch:

Chickpea (garbanzo beans) dough: The secret to achieving the best falafel texture using canned chickpeas without the falafel texture getting too soft or falling apart is to pulse the ingredients - DO NOT over blend the mixture. (We’re not trying to make hummus here!).
How should I cook vegan falafel?: I tested 3 ways, air fryer, oven baked, and pan fried. I usually bake them. If you want to skip the oil altogether, the air fryer is the best choice. For the crispiest, most traditional results, pan fry with a bit of oil.
Warm the pita: Gently warm the pita or flatbread on a griddle, in the oven or microwave before serving to make it more pliable.

Serving Suggestions

Falafel are best served immediately after cooking when they are warm and crispy. They are super versatile though - here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy homemade falafel:

Falafel sandwich or wrap: Smear a warm pita, flat bread or wrap with hummus, pile on the tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, shredded lettuce, and a few falafel then drizzle liberally with tahini and tzatziki sauces.
Falafel plate: A delicious snack plate of falafel, hummus, and tahini for dipping.
Mezze platter: Meze is a selection of small dishes such as falafel, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, dolmas, olive hummus with sun dried tomatoes, muhammara dip, roasted garlic with mediterranean pita bread or pita chips for scooping. Add olives, dates, pickles and nuts and serve as a show stopping appetizer platter or light meal with a glass of crisp chilled wine on a hot summer night.
Falafel bowl: Make a Mediterranean salad bowl! Start with a mixed greens add homemade falafel, couscous or quinoa, olives, avocado slices, pickled onions, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, crispy air fryer chickpeas, and a drizzle of your favorite vegan sauce. The perfect plant-based, protein rich, gluten-free, hearty salad bowl for lunch or dinner!

Pita topped with hummus, tomato, cucumber, pickled onions, falafel and tahini sauce.

Storage Tips

Perfect for batch cooking or meal prep, baked falafel keeps well in the fridge all week. When ready to eat, just pop into a toaster oven or air fryer to crisp up and warm through.

Freezing cooked falafel: Store leftover cooked falafel in the freezer in an airtight container for several months. I recommend freezing them in a single layer on a baking sheet and then once solid, transferring them to a freezer bag.

Reheating falafel: Take out the number of falafel you need. Let them come to room temperature, then warm in a 350ºF oven, air fryer or toaster oven until heated through.

Freezing unbaked falafel: After shaping the falafel, place on baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a ziplock back and store for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, preheat the oven and cook as per recipe adding a few minutes as needed.

More Vegan Dinner Ideas

If you love this easy vegan falafel as much as we do, here's a few more vegan dinner recipes to try:

Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!
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Easy Falafel Pita (with 3 sauces!)

Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, this easy vegan falafel recipe is a super versatile, Mediterranean style plant-based dinner for weeknights!. Serve these healthy, protein rich, falafel in a pita, falafel bowl or salad with dairy free tzatziki, tahini or hummus!

Author : Tracy Halasz

Servings: falafel

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Equipment

food processor

INGREDIENTS

Vegan Falafel Balls or Patties

1, 19 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, patted dry
½ cup onions, rough chop
4 cloves garlic, rough chop
½ cup fresh parsley (more to taste)
½ cup fresh cilantro (more to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
salt & pepper, to taste
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tahini paste
2-4 tablespoons all purpose flour*

Falafel Pita Toppings

2 medium tomatoes, sliced or diced
4 mini cucumbers (unpeeled) sliced or diced
½ red or white onions, thinly sliced
1-2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
1-2 dill pickles, thinly sliced
hummus, store bought or homemade
tahini sauce, store bought or homemade
vegan tzatziki, store bought or homemade
6 pitas or flatbread

INSTRUCTIONS

Making the Falafel Mixture

Drain, rinse, and pat dry a can of chickpeas.
Place the onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped.
Add the chickpeas, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and pulse until desired consistency is achieved (chunky or smooth). Stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of the food processor as necessary. Don't over process.
Taste and adjust seasonings and herbs as per your preference.
Stir in the red pepper flakes, tahini and flour* and mix together - adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time as needed until the mixture sticks together when formed into a ball.
Cover the bowl and pop into the fridge for ~60 minutes until chilled.

Vegan Sauces

While the falafel is chilling, make the tahini sauce, tzatziki sauce, hummus. If using store bought, skip this step.
Slice, chop or dice veggies while the falafel mixture is chilling.

Shaping the Falafel (balls or patties)

Using a cookie scoop or your hands, shape the chickpea mixture to form balls (around the size of ping pong balls) or slightly larger and flatter to form patties.

Baked Falafel Option (with or without oil)

Preheat oven to 400º F
Drizzle a tablespoonful (or more to taste) of oil onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll the falafel balls/patties through to lightly coat on both sides. Or mist with cooking spray.
Skip if baking the falafel oil-free.
Bake for ~20-25 minutes* until golden and crisp. Gently flip the balls halfway through.
*Time will vary depending on size of falafel (ball/patty) and how deeply golden you prefer the crust.

Cooking Falafel in the Air Fryer

Preheat air fryer to 370º F
Place a single layer of falafel in the basket of an air fryer leaving room between each. Lightly spray with cooking spray or brush with oil.
Cook for 12-15 minutes* at 370º F (turning halfway through) until deep golden.
*How long to cook falafel in the air fryer will vary depending on size of the falafel ball/patty and the type of air fryer.

Pan Frying Falafel Option

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the falafel balls/patties and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden. Flip and cook the other side for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Pan fried falafel are delicate when hot, use a slotted spoon or frying pan flipper to handle them. They will firm up as they cool.

How to Serve Vegan Falafel

Right before serving, warm the pita pockets on the stove in a dry pan, in a 300º oven for a few minutes or in the microwave for ~15 seconds..
Slice in half, slather with hummus, fill with falafel balls and veggies of choice. Drizzle with tahini and tzatziki. Enjoy!!

NOTES

Extra Time Required - for best results, place the covered falafel mixture in the fridge for ~60 minutes. Make the sauces, pickled onions, toppings, etc while the falafel mixture is hydrating and binding.

Flour - can sub chickpea flour or 1:1 gluten free flour in this recipe which produces a slightly different texture and flavor.

Binding Agent - tahini adds good flavor and also acts as a binder for the falafel. Alternatively, aquafaba (the liquid from the chickpeas) can be used for a binder. The flour soaks up liquid creating a sticky mixture. If there's not enough binder, the falafel balls will break apart.

Tender when Hot - the falafel are tender when hot, but firm up as they cool down. Handle them gently during the cooking process so they don't break apart.

Falafel Sauces - if making from scratch, the sauces can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge for ease and convenience the day of.

Freezing & Reheating:
Cooked Falafel - store leftover cooked falafel balls in the freezer in an airtight container for up to two months. Let them come to room temperature and then reheat them in a skillet, on the stove, air fryer or in the microwave until heated through

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