Baked Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is baked falafel good for you? ›

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!

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.

Fried food.

Falafel is usually deep-fried. Fried foods are appetizing and crunchy. But they absorb the oil they're fried in. It may be as much as 20% of a food's weight.

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.

In some ways, falafel's nutritional profile stacks up to red meat, since it's also full of nutrients like iron, folate, magnesium and vitamin B, Zozos says.

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.

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. If you find the mixture is too wet, simply add little more breadcrumbs. The falafel mixture after prepared can be shaped by hand or with a tool called an alb falafel (falafel mold).

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 beans will need soaking for a few hours (overnight if you have time), but then there is no peeling or pre-cooking. Everything is just thrown in a blender, formed into shapes, and fried. The falafel hold together better if they've had a little chance to rest before shaping, and frying.

May Help Control Weight

With its high protein and fiber content, falafel may aid weight control by inducing feelings of fullness. Eating low-GI foods like chickpeas can also help manage blood sugar levels.

Does falafel spike blood sugar? ›

High-carb foods, such as pizza and chips, raise blood sugar levels quickly, leading to energy slumps. 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.

Chickpeas, the main ingredient in falafels, are a rich source of fibre. When eaten, the indigestible fibre ferments and produces flatulence. As with beans and lentils, therefore, eating a large amount of Falafel will cause you to fart.

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.

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.

That said, falafel is traditionally deep-fried in oil, so falafel purchased at restaurants can be high in fat and calories. Falafel contains a variety of important nutrients, but it's traditionally deep-fried in oil, which can make it high in fat and calories.

Yes, falafel is a good source of fiber. It's made primarily from ground chickpeas or fava beans, which are rich in dietary fiber, contributing to digestive health and providing a feeling of fullness.

4 pieces of baked falafel (Fabalish) contains 120 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 64% carbs, 23% fat, and 13% protein. 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.