Baked Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is baked falafel good for you? ›

Health benefits may include weight management, heart health support, and management of anemia. Baking falafel instead of frying can reduce fat content and make it healthier. Some downsides may include potential allergies and sodium content concerns.

Let the falafel cook in the oil until the exterior is a deep golden-brown, rotating them with tongs to ensure that all sides have even color. Once cooked, remove them to your paper-towel lined sheet pan and give them a quick sprinkle of salt.

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

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.

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.

Whereas falafel is a complex carbohydrate, which contains fibre, vitamins and minerals that take longer to digest. Fibre slows down sugar absorption, which helps to control blood sugar levels. Soluble fibre – the kind that is in falafel – can also reduce levels of bad cholesterol.

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.

Too much moisture can result in a softer texture, so be sure to drain and rinse your chickpeas well before mashing them. Chill the mixture: Before forming your falafels, chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help to firm up the mixture and prevent it from falling apart during cooking.

They have to have enough fresh herbs and onion. Too much onion and your falafel will have a bad after taste. Too little and they won't be as moist and fluffy as they should be. It's all about balance.

Classic, plain hummus is my go-to dip here, but roasted red pepper hummus or avocado hummus are also great options. Add a salad. Tabouli, fattoush salad, and shriazi salad go well with falafel, but nearly any fresh green salad with a light olive oil dressing will work. Don't forget the olives and pickles!

What is the jelly in canned chickpeas? ›

What Is It? Aquafaba is the thick liquid that results from soaking or cooking legumes, such as chickpeas, in water for an extended period of time. It's the translucent viscous goop you probably rinse down the drain when you open a can of chickpeas.

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.

If the chickpeas or other ingredients are stale or past their prime, the falafel may taste dull or have an unpleasant aftertaste.

Some folks add baking powder to the mix instead, which is a combination of an acid and a base; but baking powder is overall slightly basic, so it has a similar effect on chickpeas (if this makes you go “wait, how?!”, scroll down to the note on baking powder that's above the falafel recipe).

The key to making really crispy falafel is using dried chickpeas that have been soaked for at least 12 hours. Stay away from canned chickpeas because they are cooked and won't hold shape.

Falafel has several qualities that may benefit your health in various ways. To start, it's a good source of fiber and plant-based protein, two nutrients that work synergistically to help keep you full for longer throughout the day. hormones like cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide-1, and peptide YY ( 2 , 3 , 4 ).

This has a relatively low calorie density, with 128 Calories per 100g.

Falafel are flavorful balls of ground chickpeas, herbs, and spices. In Middle Eastern cooking, they're typically fried, but here, I bake them for an easy homemade twist. Serve them in a pita wrap with all the fixings, or find more serving suggestions in the post above.

Carbs. A falafel patty contains a little more than 5 grams of carbohydrates, the majority of which come from the chickpeas or fava beans. The food is high in complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber—the type of fiber that helps lower LDL cholesterol (known as the "bad" cholesterol).