Falafel is one of the most popular Middle Eastern food choices. It is made from ground chickpeas that are spiced and formed into balls. Falafel has a savory, fried flavor and is often served with tahini sauce, pickles, salads, and garlic sauce on top.
In this blog post, we’ll provide you with five delicious falafel package ideas that you’ll love. From easy falafel recipes to vegan falafel recipes, we’ve got you covered! So whether you’re in the mood for a simple falafel sandwich or something a little fancier, we’ve got you covered. Happy falafel-ing!
What is Falafel?
Falafel is a Middle Eastern food that is made from ground chickpeas. Popular Middle Eastern “fast food” known as falafel is created by combining chickpeas (or fava beans), fresh herbs, and spices to make little patties or balls. It is said that falafel came into being in Egypt when Coptic Christians searched for a filling substitute for meat during protracted fasting or lent periods. It is now a well-liked vegan dish throughout Egypt and the rest of the Middle East.
In Egypt, falafel is still a staple meal, and you can purchase it from street vendors in practically every district. It’s frequently served as a sandwich with slices of roasted or fried eggplant, heaps of Mediterranean salad, and a hefty sprinkling of tahini.
You won’t believe how quickly and simply this vegan recipe can be prepared using commonplace, ordinary ingredients. Wonderful falafel starts with great ingredients, so be sure to use cumin and coriander, two premium spices, in your falafel mixture.
5 Delicious Ideas
Falafel-Stuffed Peppers With a Coconut Dill Sauce
Like Jordan and Clark Cord’s Falafel Stuffed Peppers With a Coconut Dill Sauce, you’ve never tasted stuffed peppers before. Fresh basil, parsley, and lemon juice are added to the crispy falafels before baking them to flavorful perfection. The ideal dish with Mediterranean characteristics is then created by stuffing them into crunchy red bell peppers and drizzling it with a sour dill sauce.
Deep Dish Falafel Pizza
The foundation of Anthea Cheng’s original Deep Dish Falafel Pizza is a chickpea, fresh herbs, and spice dough. After coming out of the oven crispy, it is covered with colorful beet hummus and your choice of vegetables. After the vegetables are roasted, a layer of cheese-flavored tahini sauce is added as the finishing touch. This dish definitely steals the show!
Beet and Chickpea Falafel
You’ll never eat prettier falafel than Sofia Von Porat’s Beet and Chickpea Falafel. These falafel are brimming with vibrant flavors thanks to the beets. These can be wrapped in a pita with lots of greens or served over a bed of salad with a coconut yogurt tahini sauce.
Burgers with smokey falafel
Smoked paprika is the key component of Crissy Cavanaugh’s Smoky Falafel Burgers, which are inspired by the Mediterranean. A small amount offers a lot of smokey, somewhat spicy taste. You can serve these delicious, healthy falafel burgers in a variety of ways, including within a pita, on classic slider buns, or even over a bed of salad greens.
Tacos de Falafel
Falafel would be fantastic wrapped in tortillas if they taste excellent when wrapped in pitas. Del Sroufe’s Falafel Tacos are evidence for that idea. This is one wonderful fusion dish, served with a homemade green sauce prepared with tahini and loads of cilantro.
Falafel Ingredients
Falafel is a popular Mediterranean dish that is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This falafel package includes a falafel made with chickpeas, onions, garlics, and spices.
Avoid using canned chickpeas while using dried ones! Your falafel will have the proper consistency and flavor if you use dried chickpeas that have been soaked in water for 24 hours. (Tip: To help the dry chickpeas soften, I often add about a half teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water.)
Fresh herbs are essential to this traditional recipe, particularly fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill.
– Onion: I usually use yellow onions, but red or white onions would also be suitable.
Use fresh garlic cloves for the finest flavor when using garlic.
– To taste, add Kosher salt and pepper.
– Spices: a little cayenne pepper, cumin, and coriander. This trio of spices, along with the fresh herbs, is what gives falafel its robust, real flavor.
– Baking powder is responsible for the airy, fluffy texture of falafel (many recipes skip this, causing the falafel to come out too dense.)
Sesame seeds are optional in this recipe, although I really enjoy the nuttiness they add.
How to Make our Favorite Homemade Falafel Recipe
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish that is made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, and cumin. It is usually fried, but can also be baked or grilled. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make our favorite falafel recipe.
Step-by-Step Falafel Making Instructions
1. Soak chickpeas overnight. Add baking soda and lots of water to cover them.
Stir a mixture. Garlic, onion, fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, and dill), chickpeas, and spices can all be added to a food processor and pulsed until the mixture is finely ground. When the consistency resembles coarse meal more than smooth paste, it is ready.
Refrigerate & (important.) The falafel mixture should be transferred to a bowl, covered, and chilled for at least an hour or overnight. Forming the falafel patties will be simpler because the cooled mixture will stay together better.
3. Create balls or patties. The falafel mixture should be thoroughly refrigerated before adding baking powder and toasted sesame seeds. Scoop golf ball-sized portions and roll into balls or patties (if making patties, do not over-flatten them; you want them to remain fluffy when cooked).
4. Fry. Falafel is traditionally prepared by frying, which is the most effective and authentic method. The oil must be heated on medium-high until it softly bubbles (your oil should be hot enough around 375 degrees F, but not too hot that it causes the falafel to fall apart.)
Using a slotted spoon, carefully place the falafel in the oil, and fry for three to five minutes, or until the outside is medium brown. Falafel should not be overcrowded; if required, fry them in batches.
Always fry one falafel at a time to check that the oil temperature doesn’t need to be altered.
Falafel can be served at lunch, dinner, or even breakfast! Like many Americans in the United States, most Egyptians and others elsewhere in the Middle East begin their days with falafel.
Relevant Advice
Some of them were mentioned previously in the article, but in case you missed them:
Use just dry chickpeas. You may get the greatest texture and flavor by soaking dry chickpeas in water for 24 hours. Since dry chickpeas are naturally starchy, they will assist in keeping the shape of your falafels. The falafel you make if you use canned chickpeas will fall apart in the hot oil.
2. Freeze the falafel filling. The shaping is facilitated by chilling for at least an hour. The falafel mixture may be prepared and chilled overnight, which is fantastic news.
3. Before making the falafel mixture into balls or patties, add baking powder. Baking powder acts as a raising agent in this recipe and contributes to the falafel’s fluffy texture.
4. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying in oil that is boiling. Unfortunately, deep frying is the best method for creating wonderfully crispy falafel. Falafel should not crumble, but the cooking oil should be hot and softly bubbling. Use a deep fry-safe thermometer if necessary; it should register around 375 degrees F. (for my stove, that is medium-high heat.)
5- When finished cooking, falafel ought to have a medium-brown, medium-crisp exterior and a light-green, fluffy interior.
To make baked falafel
Lightly oil a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Before baking, quickly brush extra virgin olive oil on each patty. Bake the falafel patties for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.
preparation and freezing
Making ahead: The falafel mixture can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. When it’s time to fry it, shape it into patties.
Falafel patties can be frozen by placing them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and freezing them for an hour. After the patties have formed, place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Falafel can be prepared by frying or baking straight from frozen.
Decide how to present falafel.
Middle Eastern Style: Falafel are often served hot and with a liberal amount of tahini sauce on the streets of the Middle East.
As a Sandwich: To assemble a delicious falafel sandwich, assemble warm pita pockets, stuff them with falafel, sprinkle on tahini, and top with fresh greens (such as arugula), fresh diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles.
Serve your falafel alongside a variety of fresh vegetables, cheese, and dips, like I have done on my brunch board.
Serve falafel alongside small meals like Balela Salad, tabouli salad, and fried eggplant with a Turkish influence.
You should absolutely try my Classic Creamy Hummus or Baba Ganoush if you want to dip your falafel!
Conclusion
Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish that is made from ground chickpeas that are mixed with spices and sometimes oil. Our Falafel package includes 5 delicious falafel recipes that you’ll love. From the simple falafel balls to the more complex tahini falafel, we’ve got something for everyone. Try out our recipes and let us know what you think!
