Easy Baked Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is baking soda or baking powder better for falafel? ›

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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).

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.

There are also ample amounts of B-vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Four to five pieces of traditionally prepared, deep-fried falafel contains about 540 calories and 26 grams of fat, but there is also a whopping 17 grams of fiber and 19 grams of protein. Overall, not such a bad meal.

A cooked falafel is supposed to be crispy and crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Due to variations in preparation methods and recipes - some falafels are mushier and with more moisture, while others are a bit more on the dry side.

Why is my falafel wet inside? ›

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.

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.

Testing showed the E. coli in the falafel was closely related to the bacteria found in case-patients meaning that after months of persistence, Michigan investigators had found the likely source of this multi-state outbreak, and a recall was issued.

Falafel (/fəˈlɑːfəl/; Arabic: فلافل, [fæˈlæːfɪl]) is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter of Egyptian origin, featuring in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly Levantine cuisines, and is made from broad beans, ground chickpeas, or both.

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!

The baking soda makes the water more alkaline, which softens the chickpeas more quickly by weakening their pectic bonds. Also, sautéing the chickpeas with the baking soda before adding water adds a friction which helps break down the skins and gets the baking soda to penetrate the skin better.

While both serve as leavening agents, they operate differently in recipes. Baking soda requires an acidic component to activate its leavening properties, while baking powder contains both an acid and a base, offering a more versatile option when additional browning and specific textures aren't required.

Baking soda is a raising agent that contains one or more acid ingredients, such as cocoa powder or buttermilk. Baking powder is better for recipes that contain little or no acid ingredients. Baking soda helps make fried foods crispy and light. It is also useful for cleaning and removing stains.

Baking powder does most of the heavy lifting in the rise department and while baking soda aids in leavening, it also helps neutralize the acid." Take buttermilk pancakes, for instance. Fryer says the "swift reaction between the buttermilk and the baking powder and baking soda makes lofty, fluffy pancakes."