These gluten free falafel patties are naturally vegan, and packed with fresh, flavorful, healthy ingredients. Stock up on dried chickpeas (or your favorite substitute), then soak them overnight when you have handfuls of fresh herbs ready for this flavorful street food.
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This is the best gluten free falafel recipe — here's why
If you're looking for a simple, protein-packed recipe that's full of flavor, healthy, easy to make, crisp outside and tender inside, these naturally vegan gluten free falafel patties tick all the boxes!
The key to any good falafel recipe is to soak dried chickpeas overnight in water, with a little baking soda to help soften the skins. But this recipe holds together better than most, for foolproof results from the start.
You'll notice a touch of olive oil in the falafel mixture (not for frying, though!) to add richness and to help the raw dough hold together more easily in patties. We also add a couple of tablespoons of a binding gluten free flour, but you can use anything from so-called glutinous white rice flour to tapioca starch to chickpea flour, if you have it.
Letting the mixture rest in the refrigerator for a bit before shaping the patties also helps them hold together. With these little tweaks, you'll make falafel patties so fresh that they're still good ffor a couple days after frying!
Gluten free falafel ingredients (and substitutions)
Soaked dried chickpeas
Canned chickpeas have already been cooked, and you need dried chickpeas that have only been soaked, not cooked. Once they've been soaked, they'll have just enough moisture but not so much that they're ever mushy. Perfect for falafel!
If you'd like to make falafel without chickpeas, try soaking dried green peas as you would chickpeas. If you've ever had sprouted peas, they have a similar texture to soaked chickpeas. Dried fava beans may also work, when soaked.
Chickpea flour / Gluten free flour
This recipe for gluten free falafel calls for a couple tablespoons of gluten free flour, but you have lots of options for what type of gf flour to use—except you should avoid anything with xanthan gum in it, so no all purpose gf flour blends!
I usually use our gum-free gluten free flour blend, since I always have some on hand. It's made simply with a combination of superfine white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour/starch.
But you can use any individual gluten free flour that will bind gently, like superfine sweet white rice flour (made from so-called “glutinous rice”), tapioca starch/flour, or even chickpea flour. I always have that on hand, too, since I make our chickpea crust pizza regularly!
Onions and garlic
You really must use fresh onions to make falafel, but you can use many types of onions. For a more mild flavor than yellow onions, try shallots, red onions, or Vidalia onions.
This recipe is rather flat without garlic, so I don't recommend leaving out those fresh cloves. Just be sure they're fresh, and not a tall sprouted, or they'll be bitter.
Fresh herbs: parsley and cilantro
Your herbs simply must be fresh, but that doesn't mean you must use the mixture of fresh herbs I specify. Flat leaf parsley has the most flavor, so I recommend using that, but you use all cilantro.
If you don't care for cilantro (it really does taste like soap to some people!), just use all parsley. I bet fresh basil would also work well.
Spices
Gf falafel mix is made with lots of fresh, uncooked ingredients that are cooked only in the frying oil, so they retain lots of fresh flavor. That means I only like to add kosher salt and pepper to flavor our fresh onions, garlic, and all that fresh parsley and cilantro.
If you'd like a little spice in your falafel, you can add some chipotle chili powder. If I were to add chili powder, I'd probably also add some smoked Spanish paprika, since it is chili powder's best friend!
Preparing gluten free falafel
Baked vs. fried
This recipe calls for frying falafel in a couple inches of neutral frying oil at 350°F/177°C. Frying in properly prepared oil quickly seals the outside of the falafel patty and then gently cooks the inside to perfection.
If you're looking for a baked gluten free falafel recipe, you should be able to use this same recipe for a gluten free falafel mixture, and bake the patties in a 375°F oven.
Line a rimmed baking sheet, then grease it generously with the same frying oil. Bake until firm and browned on the outside, flipping the patting after about 15 minutes, and continuing to bake for a final 10 to 15 minutes.
Shaping your gluten free falafel
My first experience with falafel was in Israel many years ago (the best street food in the world!), and the patties were round. They were delicious, but I prefer to make flat patties when making falafel at home, since they are easier to fry (or bake) quickly, all without making your falafel dry.
Tips for making gluten free falafel
Falafel is made pretty simply by processing dried, soaked chickpeas with fresh onions, garlic, salt, pepper and fresh herbs and a bit of olive oil. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you work through the recipe, to ensure early success:
Canned chickpeas don't work for gf falafel
You may have heard that you can't used canned chickpeas in your falafel recipe. It's true, that you must use dried chickpeas that you've soaked for 12 hours to get the proper texture in your falafel.
Be sure to have a food processor on hand
Soaked chickpeas are crispy and snappy, and not at all mushy. They have to be processed in a processor to be combined with the onions, garlic, and herbs for the right gf falafel mixture.
Choose an oil with a high smoke point
My favorite, stable frying oils are peanut, corn oil, or refined coconut oil, all of which have high “smoke points,” which is just the temperature at which they begin to burn. Avoid using extra virgin olive oil or butter, for frying, though, as they have low smoke points.
Keep your oil hot to keep your gf falafel from falling apart
If you don't have a lid to cover your frying oil as your falafel cook, keep a candy or deep fry thermometer attached to the pot the whole time you fry. If your oil temperature drops much below 350°F, allow it to come back to temperature before you continue to fry, so your falafel hold their shape as they cook.
How to store and reheat leftover gluten free falafel
Since falafel is made with such simple ingredients, even though fried food is best when eaten immediately, your homemade gf falafel will still stay relatively fresh for a couple of days. Just keep them in a sealed container at cool room temperature (the refrigerator will dry them out).
To refresh leftover gf falafel, if you're concerned that the patties have dried out at all, just sprinkle them lightly with tap water and microwave for about 30 seconds or place in a 300°F toaster for a couple of minutes. They should taste good as new!
Serving falafel
Anything fried, and gf falafel is no exception, is best enjoyed immediately, when still warm. It can be served in a variety of wraps, and with a ton of toppings, your choice.
Here are some serving ideas:
- For wraps or flatbread options, try:
- Gluten free naan, rolled thinner than normal and cooked quickly so it's flexible
- Gluten free pita bread, the usual way
- Gluten free piadina wraps, for a little cultural fusion
- Cauliflower tortillas, homemade or store bought minis
- For spreads, try:
- Red pepper or plain hummus, for more chickpeas
- Tahini dip, made with sesame paste, garlic, and bright lemon juice
- Cashew butter, in place of sesame paste
- For serving, try:
- Sliced cucumbers
- More fresh herbs
- Sliced tomatoes
- Toasted sesame seeds
- A bed of lettuce
FAQs
This falafel recipe is gluten free, and many recipes for falafel don't call for any wheat flour or other gluten-containing ingredients. But store-bought, prepared falafel often contains wheat flour, so be careful to avoid anything like that.
There are some packaged gluten free falafel mixes that you can buy, but many of them are made on shared equipment with wheat, so cross-contamination is a potential issue. Trader Joe's makes a falafel mix that doesn't seem to have any gluten-containing ingredients, and Orgran makes a mix, but both can be hard to find.
Yes, you can allow the prepared gf falafel mixture to sit in the refrigerator, covered tightly, overnight. Store-bought falafel mixtures are all dried, though, making them shelf stable. This is a fresh, wet mixture that can't be stored raw, in the pantry.
Yes! This falafel mixture has only soaked, dried garbanzo beans, fresh onion and garlic, and fresh herbs. And if it's fried in oil at the proper temperature, your falafel patties shouldn't soak up much frying oil at all!
Yes! This recipe would work well in an air fryer, and could be air fried in similar style to our air fryer gluten free chicken nuggets. Be sure to use a high temperature, spray liberally with oil, and flip those patties halfway through!
If your falafel is mushy, and you used soaked, dried chickpeas (not canned chickpeas), you may not have blotted your soaked chickpeas dry before processing them.
Be sure your frying oil is hot enough, and your patties pressed together properly before frying them. And keep those frying patties from sticking to the bottom of the frying pan or fryer by moving them around after just a few seconds of first being added to the oil.
How To Make The Best Gluten Free Falafel
Gluten Free Falafel Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor fitted with steel blade
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) dried chickpeas
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 small yellow or red onion peeled and quartered
- 6 garlic cloves peeled
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) gum-free gluten free flour blend (or chickpea flour, sweet white rice flour, tapioca starch/flour, superfine white rice flour), plus more as necessary
- 1 ½ cups fresh parsley leaves
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Place about 2 inches of your cooking oil in a small but deep, heavy-bottom skillet or electric fryer and heat to 350°F.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve as soon as possible on a salad, with gluten free naan or pita, or just with some hummus for dipping.
- 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
Nutrition
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Mary says
These falafels are absolutely restaurant quality! Your recipe has provided this celiac household with an amazing, flavourful treat. By carefully reading all of your notes and following the instructions to a “t”, they came out perfectly. I added cumin and coriander which worked really well. My cooking time was 3 1/2 min. Thank you so much for a great addition to our menu!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so great to hear, Mary! I do tend to be really specific, and I’m so happy you were willing to go the extra mile!
Lisa Schuck says
Nice flavor. Didn’t stick together. Made a bit of a mess.
Nicole Hunn says
If you’d like a suggestion, I’d take a look at your flour blend, Lisa, and whether or not you began with dried, not canned chickpeas. If you used a flour blend that is overly absorbent, like some of the inferior blends are, this recipe might not have enough to hold together.
Erica says
Hello,
Do you think dried lentils would work?
Nicole Hunn says
I actually discuss that in the post, Erica, and no, I don’t think they would. They’re just too small. Even when you cook lentils, you never soak them because they’ll fall apart.
John says
Can you use canned chickpeas instead of dry?
Nicole Hunn says
No, you definitely can’t, John. I discuss that in the text of the post.
Christine says
This recipe reminds me of hush puppies. I have about 25 oz of just soaked and cooked pea beans. Do you think that would work?
Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid anything you’ve already cooked won’t work, no, Christine. But uncooked, soaked peas would probably work. I discuss that in the post, actually.
Christine R. says
Thank you for your reply and my apologies for asking a question that was apparently already addressed. I’m a very black and white person, I don’t like to deviate from a recipe, especially the first time I make it. In rereading your post I don’t see pea beans mentioned specifically. I see “your preference” and split peas but because you were so specific in using garbanzo beans and not wanting to waste food, I asked.
Nicole Hunn says
No worries, Christine, I love that you don’t want to deviate from the recipe as written! I’ve never actually heard of “pea beans,” but do mention dried peas (not split peas, which don’t have enough texture). I don’t want you to waste food, and I don’t mind your asking. I referred you back to the post to read what I had already written since most haven’t actually read the post yet, and just use the “jump to recipe” button. :)
Randy says
I never deep fry anything. Would this recipe work if fried in a pan with a little oil, or baked in the oven? Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
I discuss alternative cooking/baking options in the post, Randy. Please refer to that!
Anita says
How do you think these would hold up frozen (after frying)? I’m in metro Detroit and it kills me not to have falafel when we get Middle Eastern take out.
Nicole Hunn says
I think they’d freeze really well, Anita! I haven’t tried it yet myself, since they last long enough at cool room temp, but once completely cool, I think they’d do well. Just be sure to wrap them really tightly and eliminate any air to avoid freezer burn. Then refresh by sprinkling with water and popping in a warm toaster oven, as described at the end of the recipe. You should not have to be without!
Katie says
I actually freeze them before frying. Just shape the patties and freeze individually on a sheet then store in a bag or container until ready to fry. Works great for both gluten free and regular falafel. I use to work for a Jordanian restaurant owner and this is what we did. I would make a large batch and fry on demand from frozen! We also made the most amazing hummus. Sold it in our local stores and around the region until he passed away earlier this year! Best hummus ever. Creamy and low in fat compared to most. Lots of flavors including a luscious chocolate flavor that was great of fruits and right off the spoon!