• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Vegan Larder
  • Recipes
  • Cook Books
  • About
  • Work
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cook Books
  • About
  • Work
  • Connect with me...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cook Books
    • About
    • Work
  • Connect with me...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Recipes

    Herby Fava Bean Falafel

    Published: Feb 17, 2019 ยท Modified: May 1, 2019 by Louise-Claire Cayzer ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท This blog generates income via ads ยท Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    Falafel. Crunchy on the outside & tender in the middle. Full of flavour & stuffed into a flatbread with salad & tahini sauce, or served as part of a sharing plates spread. The one thing it should be to be the most delicious it can be is freshly made. Falafel are surprisingly easy to make. Try this Herby Fava Bean falafel for a delicious twist!

    Fava beans and chickpeas are both used for the basis of falafel, depending on where the falafel is from. Chickpea based falafel are common in across Middle East, in particular Israel & the Levant, whereas fava beans are more commonly used in Egypt.

    Crazy fact: Fava beans are actually dried Broad Beans, & are a crop that has been grown in the UK since the iron age. For some reason they fell out of usage, & so the UK exports pretty much all it's crop to places like Egypt who can't get enough of them!

    Herby Falafal on a plate with celeriac remoulade this recipe

    Fava (or Broad Beans) are also grown by farmers to help improve the soil. Legumes - in particular beans & peas are great at fixing nitrogen in the soil, which helps nurture the crop that is planted after.

    So. Why aren't we eating the ancient but delicious fava beans? Honestly, I think we've just forgotten how to make them tasty. Also maybeย  the idea of getting beans out of the cupboard & pouring some water over them the night before to let them soak is just one step too many. (I'm going to say it.. purleese. Pouring water onto some beans does not require skill. At all. Seriously)

    Anyway. Fava Bean Falafels are delicious. And are ridiculously easy to make. All you need to do is soak the beans overnight (again.. not hard!) then blend them up (not cooked!- yet) with some delicious herbs & spices, then form into little patties & fry. This recipe has lots of extra herbs and warming spices such as cumin, coriander & cardamon which give them a wonderful aroma & utterly delicious & moreish flavour.

    So simple.

    So so so delicious.

    Serve with tahini sauce, some salad & maybe some flatbreads, hummus & a few pickles & olives.

    ๐Ÿ“– Recipe

    Herby Falafel with hummus dip on a plate

    Herby Fava Bean Falafel

    Louise-Claire Cayzer
    A yummy falafel recipe that's made with sustainable & delicious local UK fava beans & lots of herbs
    No ratings yet
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    soaking time 13 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Dinner, Snack
    Servings 24 pieces

    Ingredients Note:

    For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.

    (Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)

    Ingredients

    • 500 g split fava beans
    • 4-5 tablespoon parsley (around large hand full) (You can also use other soft herbs such as dill & coriander.)
    • 2 teaspoon cumin (ground)
    • ยฝ teaspoon cardoman (ground)
    • โ…“ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
    • salt to taste
    • neutral oil such as sunflower oil for frying.

    Instructions

    • Soak the fava beans overnight ( or at lease 4-5 hours) in lots of fresh water. This will soften them. 
    • Drain the fava beans & rinse in cold water.
    • In a food processor pulse the fava beans until they become like breadcrumbs. x 
    • Add the herbs, spices, bicarb soda (this makes the falafel fluffy!) and salt to taste & pulse again so the herbs are minced & incorporated into the fava bean mix. 
    • Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry the falafel ( I like to use a small saucepan & approx 5 cm (2-3 inches) of oil) 
    • When the oil is hot (drop a breadcrumb in , when it bubbles & turns crispy the oil is hot enough) drop small spoons full /small balls of the falafel mix into the oil - about 4 -5 at a time. 
    • Fry until crispy & brown on the outside. 
    • Serve with tahini sauce (a mix of tahini, lemon juice & water) or hummus. Or in a wrap with lots of salad, tahini sauce, chilli sauce & pickles. 
    • You can also make balls or burger shapes & oven bake the falafel at approx 180c for around 10 mins. 
    Tried this recipe and loved it? Follow and Mention @vegan_larder or comment and โญ below

    Herby Fava Falafel for Pinterest

    More Recipes

    • A white bowl of Green Pea Dip with Olives and extra peas on top with little leaves of mint and a drizzle of olive oil on top.
      Green Pea Dip with Olives and Mint
    • A bowl of tofu crispy crackers with a few spilled next to the bowl.
      Tofu Crispy Crackers (Healthy High Protein Chips)
    • A plate of white bean salad with peppers and olives with some smaller plates and extra dressing in a pot in the background.
      Easy Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Olives
    • A bowl of dill pickle hummus with crackers in a bowl behind it.
      Dill Pickle Hummus - with Creamy Butterbeans.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Louise-Claire! I believe vegan and plant-based food should be easy to make, never scary and above all, absolutely delicious. Also, it's for everyone, not just for vegans!

    I'm a photographer, recipe developer and gardener. You'll find me in the kitchen, in the studio or wandering the garden, picking delicious veggies to make recipes for you! So why not stay a while, check out some of my recipes and try one or two for yourself...Find out more on my About Me page.

    Vegan Air Fryer Recipes

    • Butternut squash halved on a tray stuffed with sage and chickpea stuffing.
      Chickpea and Sage Stuffed Butternut Squash; Air fryer or Oven method
    • Cauliflower and broccoli being served on a plate.
      Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower
    • Crispy Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms
    • Vegan Spanakopita Triangles ready to eat.
      Vegan Cheese and Spinach Spanakopita Triangles (Air Fryer or Oven Baked)

    Tofu Lover? These are for you...

    • A little bowl of vegan bacon bits with a jar of bacon bits in the background.
      Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits-Easy DIY Recipe!
    • A casserole dish with vegan tuna noodle casserole in it ready to eat.
      Vegan Tuna Casserole (Tu-no Noodle)
    • A roasted pumpkin filled with hot cheese dip with a hand reaching in with a corn chip to scoop up some dip.
      Cheesy Pumpkin Dip: Savory & Dairy Free
    • A bowl of zucchini pasta ready to eat.
      Creamy Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Basil Sauce

    Vegan Dinner Inspo

    • A plate of spaghetti with vegan mushroom scallops on top. Next to the plate is a glass of white wine and half a lemon.
      Vegan Scallops with Garlic Pasta (King Oyster Mushroom)
    • 50 vegan asparagus recipes.
      50+ Vegan Asparagus Recipes
    • Collage of 4 recipes suited for a BBQ that are vegan.
      30+Yummy Vegan BBQ Main Recipes
    • A bowl of white bean puttanesca with a few olives on top ready to eat.
      White Bean Puttanesca - One Pot Recipe

    Craving something sweet?

    • Peach and Raspberry Cake with a slice cut on a plate ready to eat.
      Raspberry and Peach Cake- Dairy and Egg Free
    • Sticky Toffee pudding with ice cream and more sauce being poured over it.
      Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding (Sticky Date Pudding)
    • Vegan Pineapple Upside Down cake ready to slice.
      Easy Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
    • Vegan Cardamom and Spinach cake with lemon buttercream and a candle on the top.
      Vegan Cardamom & Spinach Celebration Cake
    • Rhubarb cake with a slice taken out of it.
      Easy Vegan Rhubarb Cake
    • Delicious Tofu Dessert Recipes

    Recipes you're all loving!

    • A large bowl of potato salad with peas, sugar snap peas, dill and pickles mixed through it. There is a large jar of dill pickles in the background.
      Dill Pickle Potato Salad (with no mayo!)
    • A bowl of asparagus and pea pasta salad ready to eat with some lemons in the background and a little jug of extra dressing in the foreground.
      Asparagus & Pea Spring Pasta Salad with Lemon Dressing
    • Cheesy Chickpea flour crackers in a bowl. The crackers are topped with poppy seeds.
      Crispy Chickpea Flour Crackers (with chia & flaxseed)
    • A plate of lentil salad with spiced roasted carrots ready to eat.
      Spiced Roasted Carrot and Lentil Salad

    Lovely Lentils

    • A plate of lentil salad with spiced roasted carrots ready to eat.
      Spiced Roasted Carrot and Lentil Salad
    • A bowl of lentil bolognese with spaghetti.
      Easy Vegan Lentil Bolognese Sauce
    • A bowl of lentil and tomato soup with some vegan cheese sprinkled over it, ready to serve.
      Lentil and Tomato Soup (Lentils Monastery Style)
    • A bowl of swede and carrot soup with a hand scooping up a spoon of soup.
      Classic Swede (Rutabaga) and Carrot Soup
    • Contact Me
    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy, Cookies, Ads & T&C's

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Me
    • My Story

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • What I Do

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 The Vegan Larder on the Cravings Pro Theme

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required