While all falafel are chickpea fritters, not all chickpea fritters are falafel. Falafel is a traditional recipe from Eastern Mediterranean and Levantine countries. They are made with soaked, uncooked dry chickpeas mixed with spices and fresh herbs, shaped into round patties, and deep fried in oil. If you are interested, this is our falafel recipe. Chickpea fritters are a nontraditional recipe often made with canned chickpeas, sometimes flour, and sometimes eggs. The recipe is looser than that of falafel. The patties are generally cooked in the oven, air fryers, or on a skillet and are not deep fried.