Easy falafel recipe

Our easy falafel recipe with broad beans recipe is a great way to use beautiful green broad beans to put a twist on a classic vegetarian dish. We've served ours with fresh and creamy tzatziki and a carrot and cabbage slaw for a light and summery lunch.

Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish, typically made from blended chickpeas blended with herbs and spices, which are shaped into balls and fried or baked. These flavourful croquettes are often served alone as a snack, or as part of a mezze spread, but are now commonly enjoyed as a replacement for meat in wraps, pittas and salads. Broad beans, also known as fava beans, are a good source of protein as well as vitamins A, B1 and B2. They are really easy to grow, and our easy falafel recipe is a great way to use a surplus of broad beans to make a delightful vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

• 250g broad beans
• 2tbsp plus 300ml groundnut oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 5 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
• 1tsp each ground cumin and coriander
• 1tbsp each chopped mint and parsley
• 2tsp cornflour or gram (chickpea) flour
• 3tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Mint leaves, tzatziki, and grated carrot, and red and white cabbage, to serve

Method

1. Put the broad beans into a pan of boiling salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 mins, until just tender; drain.
2. Heat 2tbsp groundnut oil and fry the garlic for 3 mins. Add the spring onions, cumin, coriander and drained broad beans. Tip into a food processor with the mint, parsley and the flour. Pulse to combine.
3. Divide mixture into 8, roll into balls and then flatten. Cover in sesame seeds. Chill for 10 mins.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add the falafel and fry for 3 mins, turning once. Serve with mint leaves, tzatziki, carrot and cabbage 'slaw.