Baked Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why can't you use canned chickpeas for falafel? ›

The problem is that canned chickpeas have too much moisture. The result is a dough that doesn't quite stick together, and tends to spread or flatten out in the pan. This is sad falafel and we don't want that.

Is baked falafel healthy? Yes! Baking instead of frying reduces the amount of fat and calories in this healthy falafel recipe! With protein and fiber rich chickpeas and loads of fresh herbs, these baked falafels are a great healthy meal!

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

Chilled falafel mixture is less likely to break apart during frying. Aim for at least 30 minutes to let the mixture firm up and enhance its structural integrity, this will also give the baking soda time to soak into the mixture.

If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.

Interference with medications. Canned chickpeas contain high amounts of potassium. Since people who are on certain medications, such as beta-blockers for heart disease, have increased levels of potassium in the blood, they should be careful about their potassium intake.

Falafel's Nutritional Profile

Also, it's full of complex carbs and fiber, which are good for a healthy gut and regular bowel movements, adds Zozos. If you want to see how falafel measures up nutritionally, here's how a serving of frozen falafel from Trader Joe's stacks up: Calories: 320.

It's a good source of fiber, an amazing source of proteins, and chickpea fiber; it helps manage blood sugar levels by slowing down carbohydrate absorption. Too much falafel can never be bad for your health, conditional to the fact that you're not deep-frying it every time.

Go with the falafel. The gyro has more saturated fat, more calories, and (usually) more sodium than the falafel—or chicken or vegetable sandwich fillings—on most menus. Take Daphne's, a "California-fresh" West Coast chain with 56 restaurants that lists calories on its menus and Nutrition Facts on its Web site.

Baking soda and powder: Baking soda breaks down and softens the chickpeas as they soak. Baking powder, mixed in just before baking, makes the falafel light and airy. Fresh herbs: The tender leaves of parsley, dill, and cilantro bring fresh, herbal flavor and color.

What are the 2 types of falafel? ›

There are three types of falafel--Traditional falafel, baked falafel and lemon falafel. “Where the traditional falafel is the basic fried falafel comprising a mix of chickpeas, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, baked falafels are made using fresh herbs in the chickpea mixture,” says Chef Sati from Ophelia.

Falafel is usually made with fava beans in Egyptian cuisine, with chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine, or either just chickpeas or a combination of both in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

3Fry the falafel in batches, placing them gently into the oil without crowding in the pan. Cook, without moving them, until they brown on the bottom sides. Using two forks, carefully flip the falafel to brown the other side, 3 ½ minutes to 4 minutes total.

Beans' and chickpeas' starchy compounds, stachyose and raffinose, don't digest completely in the small intestine, which often leads to gas. Skip the falafel truck on your lunch break, and your stomach (and everyone else in your yoga class) will thank you later on.

Its the deep frying in oil that should cook the beans. The moisture in the pre cooked beans make the falafels soggy and fall apart whereas frying the uncooked chickpeas makes them crispier.

The only difference is that canned chickpeas tend to be moist and hold extra liquid. This can make your hummus runnier than if you used dried chickpeas soaked overnight. Go ahead and try making hummus with canned chickpeas - it should still be delicious!

Using dried chickpeas eliminates the need for flour or other binders, giving you falafel that is light and crisp. Letting the falafel dough rest after grinding allows starch to seep out, making it easier for the balls to retain their shape.

You can eat chickpeas with the skin on, but they're better without. When making hummus, removing the skins will make your hummus much creamier and rich. When it comes to roasting chickpeas, I find removing the skins gives the chickpeas more flavor.

Can you make chickpea flour with canned chickpeas? You can. But you'll need to dehydrate them before making flour. You can do this by drying them out in the oven or using a dehydrator.