Cut Down on Prep Time With This Easy Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why can't you use canned chickpeas for falafel? ›

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.

If you want to soften dry chickpeas before using them in hummus or falafel without boiling them, here are a few methods you can try: Soak the chickpeas overnight: Rinse the dry chickpeas and then soak them in a large bowl of water overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

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.

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).

If you don't have time to soak your beans ahead of time, you can use this “quick soak” method, which shortens the overall cooking time. To quick soak beans: Pour the dry beans into a saucepan and cover them with 3 inches of water. Bring a boil, and let it boil for 5 minutes.

Alternatively, if you're short on time, you can use the quick-soak method: place the beans in a pot and cover with water by about three inches; bring to a rolling boil and boil for five minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and let stand for one hour. Drain the chickpeas.

If you forgot to soak chickpeas overnight, don't worry. You need nothing more than water and a stockpot or large saucepan. Put rinsed chickpeas in the pot, add 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of beans, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Use a spoon to remove any foam that rises to the surface.

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.

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.

What makes falafel bitter? ›

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

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.

The from-scratch problem was always moisture: cooked chickpeas, whether prepped at home or poured from a can, always made the falafel mixture too moist. I'd add binders, like flour or breadcrumbs, but these made the falafel too dense and doughy.

To help out, I often stir a little flour into the mixture along with some baking powder — the flour binds the falafel together while the baking powder helps keep them from being too dense. Resting the mixture overnight before baking the patties also helps them hold together a little better.

No soaking required.

Yes, you can make falafel from canned chickpeas instead of dry ones that you have to soak ahead of time. It's a huge time saver!

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!

Really, canned chickpeas will NOT work! They'll throw off the ratios in this recipe, and they'll make the patties too wet and mushy. In order to achieve the light texture of traditional falafel, you MUST use dried chickpeas here. Soak them overnight (but don't cook them!) before making the recipe.

They are the basis for foods like hummus and falafel and, while it is convenient to use canned chickpeas, dried chickpeas really are a better option. Dried chickpeas are much more economical and they tend to have a more natural flavor because they aren't soaked in preservatives.