Oven-Baked Falafel Balls Recipe (Freezer-Friendly!) | Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to freeze falafel cooked or uncooked? ›

HOW TO FREEZE. You can freeze the falafel pre- or post-frying. Either way, you'll need to arrange them on a baking tray in a single layer, freeze until solid, then pack into food bags and label.

After removing the Falafel from the freezer, heat it in the oven on 425 for 10-12 minutes, with an option to broil for 3-5 minutes for an extra crunch.

Tips we've gotten include fully frying ahead of time, freezing on sheet pans when cool and storing in Ziplocs until ready to serve. Then spritzing with olive oil spray and reheating from frozen at 400F on sheet pan.

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.

Can I freeze Falafel? Yes, especially these ones are super freezer friendly. Bake them, then let them cool off completely, transfer them into a ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months.

Remove cookie sheet from freezer and quickly place falafel balls into a freezer-safe bag or container. Place back into the freezer. Frozen uncooked falafel should last about 6 months in the freezer. To thaw uncooked falafel, place in refrigerator the day before you plan to eat it.

The grocery retailer says it was alerted by a supplier that its fully cooked falafel, sold in about three dozen states including Massachusetts and New Hampshire, "may contain rocks." The products have been pulled from shelves and destroyed.

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.

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.

Defrosting and cooking.

To defrost, simply place the bag on a plate in the fridge overnight. It will be thawed by the next day, then shape into balls and cook as you normally would (fry, oven-baked or air fried).

How long to reheat falafel in the oven? ›

Make a double batch, and freeze the extras.

To reheat frozen falafel, pop them in a 400°F oven for about 10 minutes, until they're crisp and heated through.

The Falafel are sold frozen, and should be heated prior to eating. In a traditional oven or toaster oven, heat for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees, or use an air fryer and heat at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Chickpeas are made up of oligosaccharides, sugars that are also found in other foods like rye, onions, and garlic. Since they are highly concentrated in chickpeas, a lot of it has to pass through our system, causing longer and more severe bouts of bloating or uneasiness.

Generally undercooked chickpeas will not make you sick unless and until you have a weak gut. Chewing helps in breaking undercooked chickpeas which prevents them from falling sick. If you happen to eat undercooked chickpeas with weak gut health, you might end up having loose stools.

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.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to generously coat the pan – about 2 Tbsp (30 ml). Swirl to coat. NOTE: If not cooking all of the falafel right away, FREEZE uncooked falafel between layers of parchment paper and store in a container in the freezer up to 1 month.

How to store falafel. The raw minced mixture is sometimes allowed to rest to integrate the flavours and textures, ideally refrigerated. Use the uncooked mixture within a day: cooked, refrigerated falafel should be eaten within three days.

Homemade falafel, both cooked and uncooked, is perishable and should always be stored in the refrigerator within two hours of both preparing and cooking. Store both unused falafel mix and cooked falafel in the refrigerator, covered, for up to four days.

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).