Four-Ingredient Falafels

So a few days ago my dad brought home a variety pack of three 1lb tubs of Teva brand hummus from Costco (so silly since it will definitely go bad before he and my mom can eat it all). So I thought to myself, how can I use this hummus to make something delicious? Then it clicked. FALAFELS! Falafels are a middle eastern food that are made from cooked chickpeas or fava beans, (which is essentially what hummus is) that are fried. This recipe was definitely an experiment, but happily I can say that it was really successful! Everyone was a little skeptical when they first saw them, but I didn’t end up with any leftover! With only FIVE required ingredients, these falafels are so easy to make, and I highly recommend make this recipe again.

Serving Size: About 12 Falafels (each 2-inch round)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of the hummus (either homemade or store bought)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• Dried bread crumbs
• A dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Mix together the hummus, eggs, baking soda, and cayenne pepper together. Gradually add bread crumbs until the mixture is just thick enough to roll into balls. **If you add too much breadcrumbs to the mixture, it will dry out your falafels.
2. Roll the hummus balls in dried bread crumbs to coat. **If the bread crumbs aren’t sticking to the falafel balls, rinse your hands in water, give ’em a quick shake, and then roll the balls in your hands before rolling them in the bread crumbs.

   

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-size sauce pan (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) over medium-high heat. Place the falafel balls into the oil mixture and fry them until they are nice and golden brown (about 2 minutes each side). When removing them, place them on a paper towel (to soak up the excess oil).

   
4. Serve as an appetizer with some tsatziki sauce (see my recipe), or in a pita as a sandwich and enjoy!