Air Fryer Falafel Recipe (With Canned Chickpeas) - Skinnytaste (2024)

FAQs

Why don t canned chickpeas work 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.

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! Baked, not fried. This recipe uses significantly less oil, and they bake all at once for maximum efficiency.

Or you could air fry them.

It's true that the falafel cooked this way doesn't get 100 percent as crispy as a traditional deep fry, but it's very close. Plus, the the easy clean-up and use of less oil make it totally worth it.

The best falafel is made with dried chickpeas that have been soaked but not cooked. If you don't have time to soak chickpeas overnight, you can use the quick-soak method, which only takes about an hour.

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!

Interference with medications. Canned chickpeas contain high amounts of potassium. Since people who are on certain medications, such as beta-blockers for heart disease, have increased levels of potassium in the blood, they should be careful about their potassium intake.

Canned chickpeas do have a different nutritionsl profile than cooked dried ones. The canned ones have fewer calories and carbs, but more fat. They are slightly lower in protein, and lower in other vitamins and minerals.

Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.

Some recipes try to counteract the wetness by adding flour, which significantly dulls the flavor and makes the texture more doughy. Soak the dried chickpeas for at least four hours. If your chickpeas aren't sufficiently softened, you'll have unpalatably tough pieces of chickpea in your falafel.

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).

What oil is best for frying falafel? ›

Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. This will give the falafel the characteristic taste of the Mediterranean. As long as you fry on a medium heat, the oil will be good for you. You just don't want the oil to smoke so be careful not to get it too hot.

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.

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.

The key to making really crispy falafel is using dried chickpeas that have been soaked for at least 12 hours. Stay away from canned chickpeas because they are cooked and won't hold shape.

Baking powder — We include baking powder as an optional ingredient because you can absolutely make amazing falafel without it. That said, if you have it in the kitchen, adding a little baking powder makes the center of the falafel just a little bit more tender, airy, and light.

The trouble you might encounter, the first time around, is getting the right consistency so that your falafel won't break apart as you drop it into the oil. 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.

Don't pack your patties too tightly.

Form the falafel balls gently, and if your mixture isn't holding together, pulse it a bit more in the food processor until it sticks together. If it's still too crumbly, pop it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes before shaping and baking the patties.

Before consumption, you have to soak them in water for a couple of hours, and then cook them for at least 45 minutes (to reduce cooking time, use an instant pot). You can then add them to different recipes and preparations. On the other hand, canned chickpeas are already pre-cooked and, most of the time, pre-seasoned.

Dried chickpeas provide better flavor than canned. Overcooking the chickpeas in water with baking soda makes them easier to blend. Puréeing the chickpeas while they're still hot lets you use a blender instead of a food processor for smoother texture.