Lazy Falafel (Vegan + GF) - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are vegan falafels made of? ›

Simply add chickpeas, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices to a food processor or blender and pulse the mixture until combined. All-purpose flour (or your flour of choice) is added to soak up some of the moisture.

Soaked chickpeas are blended with onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, cardamom, coriander, and sea salt. A little gluten-free oat flour keeps these gluten free while also helping them bind/form into a dough. After letting the mixture chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, simply form into balls or discs and pan fry.

Is Falafel Vegan? Since falafel is prepared with chickpeas, herbs, spices and alliums, it is vegan. However, falafel is sometimes served in wraps which may not be vegan, or with yogurt- or dairy-based sauces, so be sure to seek out vegan-friendly accompaniments.

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.

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.

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.

Traditional Falafel is usually made with flour, to help the mixture bind together. However, I wanted to keep things Gluten-Free, so I used Chickpea Flour instead and it worked out perfectly! This recipe does make quite a lot of Falafel.

Almond flour and coconut flour are both good keto alternatives to chickpea flour. Due to its high absorbency, you'll need less coconut flour than chickpea flour. Start by substituting ¼ to ⅓ cup of coconut flour for every 1 cup of chickpea flour. You'll also need to increase the liquid content in the recipe.

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).

Eating uncooked falafel that has been left out for a few hours can pose a risk of foodborne illness due to bacteria growth. Bacteria can multiply rapidly in foods left at room temperature, potentially causing digestive issues or food poisoning.

Is tahini vegan friendly? ›

The seeds are ground until they form a thin paste-like sauce—it's the same process for making any type of nut butter, except that instead of cashews or almonds, you're using sesame seeds! Tahini is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free; unless you have a sesame allergy, it's totally safe to eat.

In most parts of the Middle East, falafel is made with ground chickpeas. In Egypt however, we make it with dried fava beans. These are best served with pita bread, tomato, onions, and tahini sauce.

I recommend olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil. Ground flaxseed. This is the binding agent in this vegan falafel recipe. You can substitute 1 egg for the 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed.

New Organic Greek food item spotted at Costco Organic Falafel by Hannah Foods! Vegetarian patties; gluten free; ready to eat; source of iron and calcium; freezer friendly.

Hummus is a vegan staple that allows you to have some versatility in your diet. It's an immensely popular food amongst vegans so you may have found a new favourite yourself. It's available in a wide range of flavours and is very versatile in the kitchen so you can experiment with it if you wish to.