Falafel Inc Tysons is known for a quick-service take on falafel: crisp, herb-filled chickpea patties served in pita or over a bowl with fresh vegetables and sauces. This home version is inspired by that style, not the restaurant’s proprietary recipe; it uses soaked dried chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, and warm spices for a tender center and crunchy crust.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas, rinsed and picked over
- ½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped, about ¾ cup (100 g)
- 1 cup (20 g) loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
- ½ cup (10 g) loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 3 garlic cloves (about 9 g), peeled
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (about 1 g)
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) all-purpose flour, plus up to 1 tablespoon (8 g) more if needed
- 3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil for frying, or enough to reach a depth of 1½ inches (4 cm) in a heavy pot
- 4 pita breads, about 8 inches (20 cm) each, for serving
- 1 cup (150 g) diced tomato
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded lettuce
- ½ cup (75 g) thinly sliced cucumber
- ½ cup (120 g) tahini sauce or plain yogurt sauce
- ¼ cup (60 g) amba, optional; mango chutney or a little mango pickle is a practical substitute, with a sweeter, less tangy result
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas: Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) of cold water. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight. They should be plump but still firm. Drain thoroughly and pat dry; canned or cooked chickpeas are too soft and can make the mixture fall apart.
- Make the mixture: In a food processor, pulse the drained chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper, salt, and baking soda. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Process until the mixture resembles coarse, damp crumbs that hold together when pinched, not a smooth paste. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour. If a test pinch crumbles, add the remaining flour.
- Chill briefly: Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This firms it for shaping and helps the patties hold together in the oil.
- Shape: Form the mixture into 16 small patties, each about 1½ inches (4 cm) across and ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. Set them on a tray. Keep the patties evenly sized so they cook at the same rate.
- Heat the oil: Pour the oil into a heavy, deep pot, leaving plenty of room at the top. Heat over medium to 350°F (175°C), checking with a deep-fry thermometer. Set a wire rack over a tray or line a tray with paper towels. Never leave hot oil unattended, and keep water away from it.
- Fry in batches: Carefully lower 4 or 5 patties into the oil without crowding the pot. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp. Keep the oil near 350°F (175°C); if it drops too low, the falafel can absorb oil. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on the rack. Repeat with the remaining patties, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- Serve: Warm the pita briefly in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a low oven. Fill with falafel, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, tahini or yogurt sauce, and amba if using. Serve promptly while the patties are crisp.
Tips
- Use dried, soaked chickpeas: This is the key to a sturdy interior. Canned chickpeas contain more moisture and are already cooked, so they tend to produce soft, fragile falafel.
- Keep the mixture coarse: A smooth puree behaves more like a paste and can turn dense. Pulse in short bursts, and stop when the crumbs hold together when squeezed.
- Test one patty first: Fry a single piece. If it breaks apart, mix in a little more flour and chill the mixture again for 10 minutes. If it is too dense, pulse the remaining mixture briefly to loosen it.
- Fry safely: Use a deep, stable pot and do not fill it more than halfway with oil. Lower patties gently, work in small batches, and never add water to hot oil. Let the oil cool completely before disposing of it.
Serving Suggestions
For a pita sandwich, add falafel, crunchy lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce. Pickled turnips, red onion, or sliced cabbage add sharpness and crunch. For a bowl, serve the patties over rice or chopped salad with hummus, pita wedges, and sauce on the side. Offer amba for a tangy, fruity condiment; it is optional rather than essential to the falafel mixture.
Variations
For a milder flavor, reduce the garlic to two cloves and use parsley alone. For a more pronounced herb character, replace up to half the parsley with additional cilantro, keeping the total herbs close to the listed amount so the mixture stays balanced. Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne for gentle heat, or leave it out for a classic, warm-spice profile. To make the patties gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with chickpea flour or a certified gluten-free flour blend; add it a teaspoon at a time only if the mixture needs help holding together. For a lighter, less traditional result, brush the patties lightly with oil and bake at 425°F (220°C) for about 20–25 minutes, turning once; they will be less evenly crisp than fried falafel.
Storage and Reheating
Cool cooked falafel and refrigerate it in a covered container within 2 hours. It keeps for 3–4 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 8–12 minutes, turning once, until hot throughout; an air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 4–6 minutes also restores some crispness. Avoid the microwave if you want a crisp exterior. The USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Freeze fully cooled patties in a single layer, then pack airtight for up to 2 months for best quality. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F (190°C) oven until hot throughout. Store the uncooked mixture covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and shape just before frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned chickpeas?
Not for this recipe as written. Canned chickpeas are soft and wet, so the patties are likely to crumble or turn pasty. Dried chickpeas soaked overnight provide the firm texture needed for frying.
Why did my falafel fall apart?
The mixture may be too wet, too smooth, or insufficiently bound. Drain and dry the soaked chickpeas well, pulse only to coarse crumbs, and add flour a little at a time. Chilling the mixture and maintaining the oil near 350°F (175°C) also help.
Can I make the mixture ahead?
Yes. Cover it and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then shape and fry. The mixture may darken slightly from the herbs, but this does not necessarily mean it has spoiled; discard it if it has been left out too long or shows signs of spoilage.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes, though the texture will be less crisp. Arrange lightly oiled patties on a lined baking sheet and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 minutes, turning once. Check that they are hot in the center; a small test batch can help you judge the timing for your oven.
What is amba, and what can I use instead?
Amba is a tangy, spiced mango condiment often served with falafel in parts of the Middle East. It may be sold in jars at Middle Eastern groceries. Mango chutney or a small amount of mango pickle works as a substitute, although it is usually sweeter or less sour.
Is this the exact Falafel Inc Tysons recipe?
No. It is a home-cookable version inspired by the crispy falafel-and-pita style associated with the Tysons search term, not a claim to reproduce a restaurant’s exact ingredients or method.
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