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Easy Vegan Falafel Burgers

These easy vegan falafel burgers have all your favorite Middle Eastern flavors of classic fried falafel but in burger form! They are perfectly crispy and dark golden brown on the outside with a light, tender, seasoned chickpea center! Sandwich them with fresh veggies in a pretzel bun and drizzle with dill yogurt sauce for the best vegetarian dinner ever!

Close up shot of a vegan falafel burger straight on drizzled with yogurt dill sauce


 

You Will Love These

  • They’re quick and easy! Yes – the garbanzo beans do require an 8-hour soak. But, how hard is it to pour water over dried beans and then go to bed? Not hard at all! In total, these falafel burgers require less than 10 ingredients and about 10 minutes of active prep time. Easy peasy!
  • They’re a great option for meatless Monday! These are a great alternative to those boring frozen veggie burgers you might be pulling out of the freezer for dinner each week. Spice it up with falafel burgers instead! Add some Greek Potato Wedges with yogurt sauce, tasty Vegan White Chickpea Chili, and this delightful Arugula salad with dried cherries and goat cheese and you’ll have a flavorful and filling vegetarian meal. 
  • The falafel mixture stays fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days! That means you can have freshly fried falafel burgers any night of the week! Just make sure you store them in an airtight container in the fridge – there’s a lot of fresh flavors in these burgers (garlic, onion, cilantro, parsley) which means they’ve got a fresh fragrance too! 🙂
Overhead shot of a platter filled with falafel burgers and waffle fries

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Dried Garbanzo Beans – You’ll need to use DRIED garbanzo beans for this falafel burger recipe to get the best texture. I have not tested this recipe with canned chickpeas so I cannot speak to whether it would work or not.
  • Onions – You could also use dried onion or onion powder in place of the onion in this recipe. The measurement will be different though. For this falafel burger recipe, I’d recommend substituting 2 tablespoons of dried minced onion or 1/2 a tablespoon of onion powder in place of the fresh diced onion.
  • Fresh Garlic – Look in your spice cupboard for garlic powder if garlic cloves aren’t in your kitchen! Use just 1/8 of a teaspoon of powder in place of each clove. You can also substitute garlic salt. Use 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt in place of each clove. This adds an extra 3/8 teaspoon of salt, so decrease the salt in your recipe accordingly. 
  • Parsley – If you’re missing this fresh ingredient, try celery leaves or carrot greens! If you have some, try using the same amount as the parsley in the recipe. Alternatively, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes equals 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley. (Tip: This ratio of dried-to-fresh applies to all herbs, including oregano, thyme, rosemary, and basil).
  • Cilantro – This has a stronger flavor that stands out. If you don’t have fresh, (or don’t like it) try using other fresh herbs like basil, oregano, or even mint, for a different, but still delicious, falafel.
  • Cumin – If you’re missing cumin, reach for some chili powder instead. Cumin is one of the principal ingredients in chili powder, so using it as a substitute is a way to get some of that cumin flavor back into your recipe. Start with half the amount that is called for, and increase if you prefer a stronger flavor. You can always add more, but it’s difficult to remove. 
  • Baking Powder – If you don’t have baking powder on hand, replace it with â…“ the amount of baking soda.
  • Flour – If you’re out of flour or simply want a gluten-free option, use oat flour ground from gluten-free oats or grind up your own in the blender. 

Instructions

Add dried garbanzo beans to a large bowl. Pour water over them.

Large glass bowl with dried chickpeas in it and water being poured over them

Soak for 8-12 hours. They will nearly triple in size.

Large glass bowl with soaked chickpeas in water

Drain water from chickpeas

Silver metal strainer filled with soaked chickpeas

Add onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, baking powder, 3 tablespoons flour, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper to a food processor

Food processor with herbs garlic and onion ready to be processed

Pulse until everything is well minced, scraping the sides as needed. Transfer to the large bowl

Food processor filled with minced herbs onion and garlic

Pulse garbanzo beans into two batches in the food processor until well minced, scraping the sides as needed.

Food processor filled with minced chickpeas

Transfer to the large bowl with the herb mixture. 

Large glass bowl filled with minced herbs and minced chickpeas

Mix garbanzo beans and herb mixture together. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. 

Large glass bowl filled with minced herbs and minced chickpeas mixed together

Use hands to gently form a large burger patty. 

A hand holding a large falafel burger patty over a bowl of falafel burger mixture

Carefully flip the falafel patty onto a large spatula and gently slid the patty into the hot oil. 

A black spatula holding a large falafel burger patty over a bowl of falafel burger mixture

If you’re having trouble getting the burgers to stick together, please see the notes section below.

Fry falafel burgers in batches for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until the outside is a deep golden brown and very crispy.

A large white pan of hot oil with a vegan falafel burger patty frying in it

Transfer to a paper towel lined platter to soak up any excess grease. 

Fried vegan falafel burger patties on paper towels on a large white platter

Serve burgers in a pretzel bun garnished with sliced tomato, cucumber, and onion along with crumbled feta and a drizzle of yogurt sauce

Overhead shot of a white platter filled with three vegan falafel burgers

Tips

  • Use a heavy bottom pan for frying. The heavy bottom of the pan will help distribute the heat more evenly and maintain temperature throughout the frying process. I like to use either this 3.3 Quarter Enameled Cast Iron Pan or this 4.3 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven for this type of shallow frying.
  • If you don’t have a candy or meat thermometer, you can test the heat of the vegetable oil by adding a drop of water to it. If it sizzles immediately the oil is warm enough. BE CAREFUL when doing this – don’t add more than a drop of water as the water will cause the oil to spit and spatter.
  • The falafel mixture is going to be very crumbly. This is normal! It will hold together more once formed into a patty but will still fall apart easily so you have to handle the burger patties very gently. Once the patty hits the oil and starts to fry it will hold together very well.
  • Use a spatula to finesse the falafel patties it into the hot oil. I find it easiest to form a patty and hold it in one hand, then place a large spatula upside down over the patty and gently flip the patty onto the spatula. Then slide the patty off the spatula and into the hot oil. It’s easiest to make one patty at a time, immediately frying it in the oil after forming it. You can cook 3-4 patties at a time depending on the size of the pan you’re using.
  • Your oil may start to get too hot as you cook the falafel in batches. If the falafel patty is getting dark golden brown on one side in less than 3 minutes, turn the heat down just a bit. Alternately, if the falafel is taking longer than 4 minutes to cook on each side, you may need to turn the heat up a bit.
  • If you’re having trouble getting the mixture to stay together, try adding more flour. Depending on the day and how much moisture is coming from the herbs, garlic, and onion mixture you might need just the 3 tablespoons, or you might need all 6 tablespoons.
Close up shot of a vegan falafel burger straight on drizzled with yogurt dill sauce

FAQ

What is a falafel burger made of?

This meatless burger is made with the Middle-Eastern food falafel instead of a meat patty. Falafel is made of a mixture of chickpeas, spices, and herbs, and then fried to create a hearty, flavorful protein that is as delicious as it is versatile.

What does a falafel burger taste like?

Falafel is mostly made from chickpeas or fava beans, but since those don’t have a particularly strong flavor on their own, it gets most of its flair from the other ingredients in the recipe. Onion, garlic, cilantro, and cumin will feature as the main flavors.

Are falafels vegan?

Classic falafel is made with chickpeas, herbs, and spices, making it vegan. This changes when you add bread or sauces. Typically falafel is vegan, but it all depends on what you pair with it!

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Overhead shot of a platter filled with falafel burgers and waffle fries
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Vegan Falafel Burgers

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5 from 3 reviews

These easy vegan falafel burgers have all your favorite Middle Eastern flavors of classic fried falafel but in burger form! They are perfectly crispy and dark golden brown on the outside with a light, tender, seasoned chickpea center! Sandwich them with fresh veggies in a pretzel bun and drizzle with dill yogurt sauce for the best vegetarian dinner ever!

  • Author: Kylie
  • Prep Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 burgers 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Indian/American

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • l lb. dried garbanzo beans
  • 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
  • 4 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3–6 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • vegetable oil for frying

Serve with:

Instructions

  1. Add garbanzo beans to a large bowl. Pour water over the garbanzo beans until they are covered by at least a few inches of water. They will nearly triple in size so you want to make sure there is enough water to cover them as they expand. Soak for 8-12 hours. 
  2. Drain water from chickpeas. 
  3. Add onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, baking powder, 3 tablespoons flour, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper to a food processor. 
  4. Pulse until everything is well minced, scraping the sides as needed. Transfer to the large bowl. 
  5. Add half the soaked garbanzo beans to the food processor and pulse until well minced, scraping the sides as needed. Transfer to the large bowl with the herb mixture. 
  6. Pulse remaining garbanzo beans until well minced and add to the large bowl. 
  7. Mix garbanzo beans and herb mixture together. 
  8. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. 
  9. Heat a large pan over medium heat. 
  10. Add about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil depending on the size of the pan. 
  11. Use hands to gently form a large burger patty. 
  12. Carefully flip burger patty onto a large spatula and gently slid the patty into the hot oil. 
  13. If you’re having trouble getting the burgers to stick together, please see the notes section below. 
  14. Continue making burgers and adding them to the hot oil in batches of 3-4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan. 
  15. Fry falafel burgers for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until the outside is a deep golden brown and very crispy. A slotted spoon or a second spatula is helpful when flipping the falafel in the hot oil. 
  16. Transfer to a paper towel lined platter to soak up any excess grease. 
  17. Serve burgers in a pretzel bun garnished with sliced tomato, cucumber, and onion along with crumbled feta and a drizzle of yogurt sauce. 

Notes

Use a heavy bottom pan for frying. The heavy bottom of the pan will help distribute the heat more evenly and maintain temperature throughout the frying process. I like to use either this 3.3 Quarter Enameled Cast Iron Pan or this 4.3 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven for this type of shallow frying.

If you don’t have a candy or meat thermometer, you can test the heat of the vegetable oil by adding a drop of water to it. If it sizzles immediately the oil is warm enough. BE CAREFUL when doing this – don’t add more than a drop of water as the water will cause the oil to spit and spatter.

The falafel mixture is going to be very crumbly. This is normal! It will hold together more once formed into a patty but will still fall apart easily so you have to handle the burger patties very gently. Once the patty hits the oil and starts to fry it will hold together very well.

Use a spatula to finesse the falafel patties it into the hot oil. I find it easiest to form a patty and hold it on one hand, then place a large spatula upside down over the patty and gently flip the patty onto the spatula. Then slide the patty off the spatula and into the hot oil. It’s easiest to make one patty at a time, immediately frying it in the oil after forming it. You can cook 3-4 patties at a time depending on the size of the pan you’re using.

Your oil may start to get too hot as you cook the falafel in batches. If the falafel is getting dark golden brown on one side in less than 3 minutes, turn the heat down just a bit. Alternately, if the falafel is taking longer than 4 minutes to cook on each side, you may need to turn the heat up a bit.

If you’re having trouble getting the mixture to stay together, try adding more flour. Depending on the day and how much moisture is coming from the herbs, garlic and onion mixture you might need just the 3 tablespoons, or you might need all 6 tablespoons.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 304
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 24 mg
  • Fat: 10.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 42.7 g
  • Fiber: 7.8 g
  • Protein: 12.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

15 Comments

    1. I think so! They may lose a bit of their crispiness, but when reheating in a pan I think you could get most of that crispiness back! Great question, Mariela!

  1. Delicious, I found the recipe after I had cooked the chickpeas. I then the cooked chickpeas and followed the recipe. They were delicious! The first batch we fried as directed, the second batch we cooked in an air frier and they were even better.






    1. Great question, Chava! Because you’re using uncooked chickpeas, the frying process not only helps the patty to stick together but also ensures that the chickpeas are cooked all the way through. I worry that the mixture would not hold together well enough for baking. I do have a pan-fried falafel recipe that uses canned chickpeas. This recipe can be baked instead of fried: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/secret-family-recipe-falafel-and-tzatziki/ Check out the comments of that post for details on baking. Thanks for the question!!

  2. I noticed when doubling the recipe, everything doubles except for the amount of chickpeas. Is this accurate? Thanks!

    1. Are you using the tool through the recipe card (the 1x, 2x, 3x)? If so, I know it can sometimes be wonky depending on how the ingredients are measured. I would double everything, including the chickpeas. Great question, Abbi!

    1. I’d recommend probably 2 (15 oz.) cans. Also – the burgers may not hold together as well with the canned beans. The flavor will still be delicious, but I’d recommend adding an egg (if you’re not trying to keep it vegan) or more flour so that it holds together better. You could also saute or pan fry the burgers instead of shallow frying them if you’re having trouble getting them to hold together. I’d love to hear how it goes if you end up making this recipe!! 🙂

  3. These are great burgers! I didn’t have cilantro so I only used parsley. I will have both on hand next time. The falafel fried up really nicely. I really didn’t have an issue with them falling apart. I will make these again and using the pretzel bun is a great idea!






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