{How to Make} Homemade Falafel Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

Why not use canned chickpeas for falafel? ›

Canned chickpeas do not work for falafel. They're far too wet. If you try to use canned chickpeas instead of dried and soaked chickpeas, you'll end up with sad falafel pancakes. Some recipes try to counteract the wetness by adding flour, which significantly dulls the flavor and makes the texture more doughy.

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern “fast food” made of a mixture of chickpeas (or fava beans), fresh herbs, and spices that are formed into a small patties or balls. It's thought that falafel originated in Egypt as Coptic Christians looked for a hearty replacement for meat during long seasons of fasting or lent.

Simply mix until you have a paste-like consistency but it does not need to be perfectly smooth. A few rough bits are completely fine. If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them.

They compliment each other wonderfully as they share an earthy, slightly spicy flavor. Add cayenne for an extra kick. Baking soda — It may seem odd to add baking soda to a savory recipe, but it helps keeps the interior texture of the falafels fluffy.

Great news! Both canned and dried varieties of chickpeas are nutritious! When purchasing canned varieties, look for those labeled "no salt added" or "low in sodium." Overall, beans are budget-friendly, but dried can often be less expensive and also more flavorful than canned.

You can substitute 1/2 of the fava beans with chickpeas if you are used to that type of falafel.

Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.

Many Muslim and Jewish diners love falafels. Islamic and Jewish dietary laws enjoy a host of parallels. They share the ban on the consumption of pork and blood. They also put a great focus on maintaining cleanliness to ensure the purity of their food.

Turkish and Arab traders likely brought the dish westward into the Middle East. The first instance of frying dough made from dried beans was recorded as a meal in Medieval Egypt, where it was enjoyed by Copts, a Christian ethnic group who at times rejected meat and adhered to a vegan diet.

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. Just be sure you don't overwork the falafel batter.

How do you make falafel hold together? ›

4Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to help the balls hold together when cooking. If you are making this ahead, you can refrigerate the covered mixture for a few days.

Ensure the chickpeas are well-drained and relatively dry before blending them with other ingredients. Excess moisture can make the falafel mixture too wet, which can make the falafel too gooey in the end. Don't skip the chill. Many recipes use egg or flour as a binding agent.

The moisture in the pre cooked beans make the falafels soggy and fall apart whereas frying the uncooked chickpeas makes them crispier.

The second option, and the one best for nights when you forgot to soak the chickpeas, is to quickly boil the chickpeas and then set them aside to soak for an hour. The chickpeas should be tender enough to break apart with your fingers, but still have a bite to them.

Here is what we will need to make Falafel: Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): use dried, raw, chickpeas only. Soak them for 12 hours and make sure that you replace the water as often as you can. This will get rid off all the excess gases released by the chickpeas during rehydration.

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!

1. Using canned chickpeas instead of dried. Yes, in a pinch you can successfully make hummus with canned beans, but it just honestly won't be as good. Using freshly cooked chickpeas ensures your hummus will have the best flavor — they'll taste clean and nutty rather than potentially a bit metallic from the can.

Legumes such as chickpeas sometimes get a bad name because of something called anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrients can block the absorption of nutrients in your gut and are substances that naturally occur in plant and animal foods. Phytates, saponins and tannins are examples of antinutrients found in chickpeas.

Canned chickpeas are cooked and seasoned with salt prior to canning. Dried chickpeas are sold in a raw, dehydrated form. Before serving at home, they'll need to be both rehydrated and cooked.