Falafel Inc One Loudoun: Make a Falafel Pita at Home

Falafel Inc. at One Loudoun serves a quick-service take on falafel: crisp chickpea patties tucked into pita with fresh vegetables and sauce. This home version is inspired by that style rather than a restaurant-certified copy, and uses soaked dried chickpeas for a tender center and a deeply browned crust.

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas
½ small yellow onion, roughly chopped (about ½ cup / 75 g)
¾ cup (15 g) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
½ cup (10 g) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
3 garlic cloves, peeled (about 9 g)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (2 g)
½ teaspoon fine salt (3 g), plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon baking soda (1 g)
2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon (8 g) more if needed
2 cups (480 ml) neutral oil, such as canola, for frying; use only as much as needed for a 1-inch (2.5 cm) depth
4 pita breads (about 240 g total)
1 cup (150 g) diced tomato
1 cup (100 g) thinly sliced cucumber
½ cup (75 g) thinly sliced red onion
½ cup (120 g) tahini sauce, or plain tahini thinned with 3–4 tablespoons (45–60 ml) cold water and a squeeze of lemon
1 lemon, cut into wedges (about 60 g)

Instructions

Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) cold water. Soak for 12 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. They should become plump and easy to split but should not be cooked. Drain thoroughly and pat dry; excess water makes the mixture difficult to shape and can cause hot oil to spatter.
Pulse the drained chickpeas in a food processor until they look like coarse, damp crumbs, with no whole chickpeas remaining. Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, baking soda, and 2 tablespoons flour. Pulse until the mixture holds together when pressed but still has a slightly grainy texture. Scrape down the bowl as needed; avoid blending it into a smooth paste.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This brief chill helps the patties hold their shape. If the mixture feels wet or falls apart when squeezed, mix in the extra tablespoon of flour. Taste a small pinch and adjust the salt before shaping.
With damp hands, form 16 small patties, about 1½ inches (4 cm) across and ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick. Set them on a tray. A small cookie scoop can help portion them evenly; flattening them slightly helps the centers cook before the outside gets too dark.
Pour oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) and heat over medium to 350°F (175°C). If you do not have a thermometer, test with a tiny crumb of mixture: it should sizzle steadily without browning instantly. Fry in batches, leaving space between patties, for about 3–4 minutes per side, turning once, until crisp and deep golden. Keep the oil near 350°F (175°C), adjusting the heat between batches.
Move the cooked falafel to a wire rack or a paper-towel-lined plate and let excess oil drain. Check that the centers are hot and cooked through; split one open if needed. Frying time varies with patty thickness and oil temperature, so do not rely on color alone.
Warm the pita briefly in a dry skillet or wrapped in a clean towel in a low oven. Fill each pita with four falafel patties, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and tahini sauce. Serve with lemon wedges and extra sauce.

Tips

Use dried chickpeas, not canned. Canned chickpeas contain too much moisture and are already cooked, so they tend to make soft, fragile patties. If dried chickpeas are unavailable, choose a baked falafel recipe designed for canned beans instead of swapping them directly here.
Dry the drained beans well. Water left on the chickpeas can make the mixture loose and cause oil to splatter. If the food processor struggles, pause to scrape it down rather than adding water.
Fry a test patty. If it crumbles, work a little more flour into the mixture and chill it again. If it browns too quickly while still soft inside, lower the heat slightly and make the remaining patties thinner.
Keep the oil steady and avoid crowding. Adding too many patties at once drops the oil temperature and can make them greasy. Let the oil return to temperature between batches, and never leave a pan of hot oil unattended.

Serving Suggestions

For a pita in the spirit of a falafel counter meal, add crisp lettuce, pickled turnips, or sliced cabbage alongside the tomato and cucumber. Serve extra tahini sauce at the table and offer lemon wedges so each person can brighten the filling to taste. For a plated meal, arrange falafel over chopped salad with warm pita on the side, or serve with hummus and a simple cucumber-tomato salad. If you want a little heat, put harissa or hot sauce on the table rather than mixing it into the whole batch.

Variations

Swap half the parsley for extra cilantro, or use all parsley for a milder, more herb-forward flavor. For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of chickpea flour; the texture may be a touch denser. Make a green tahini sauce by blending tahini sauce with a handful of parsley and a little lemon juice. You can also form the mixture into smaller balls for a snack platter, but keep them small and cook them in batches so the centers have time to heat through.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked falafel within 2 hours of frying, in a covered container, for 3–4 days. Store pita, cut vegetables, and sauce separately so they do not become soggy. Reheat falafel in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer until hot throughout and crisp again; leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe reheating temperature. A microwave works for speed but softens the crust. Uncooked shaped patties can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 24 hours; for longer storage, freeze them in a single layer and transfer to a freezer container once solid. Cook from frozen over slightly lower heat, allowing extra time to cook through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned chickpeas?
Not reliably in this recipe. Their moisture and softer texture make the mixture prone to falling apart, and the crust will differ. Use dried chickpeas soaked overnight, or follow a recipe specifically formulated for canned chickpeas.

Can I make the falafel mixture ahead?
Yes. Cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, then shape and fry when ready. If liquid collects in the bowl, drain it off and mix in a little flour only if the mixture still feels too loose.

Why did my falafel fall apart in the oil?
Common causes are canned or insufficiently drained chickpeas, a mixture that was processed too coarsely to bind, or oil that was not hot enough. Press the mixture firmly when shaping, chill it, and fry one test patty before cooking the batch.

Can I bake these instead of frying?
This mixture is designed for frying, which produces the characteristic crisp crust. Baking is possible but usually yields a drier, less evenly browned result. Brush or spray the shaped patties generously with oil and bake at 425°F (220°C), turning once, until browned and hot through; check early because ovens vary.

Is the recipe vegan?
Yes, as written, provided the pita and tahini sauce contain no animal-derived ingredients. Check packaged bread and sauce labels, since recipes and additives vary.

How do I keep falafel crisp while cooking batches?
Set finished patties on a wire rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you fry the rest. Avoid covering them, because trapped steam softens the crust. Serve soon after the final batch is done.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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