Easy Keto Falafel Recipe with Paleo Ingredients (2024)

FAQs

Can I eat falafel on a keto diet? ›

No, traditional falafel is made from chickpeas, and legumes of any kind are generally not considered keto friendly due to their carb content. However, there are keto-friendly falafel recipes that use keto-friendly ingredients, such as cauliflower, hemp hearts, or nuts instead of chickpeas.

Chickpeas are not keto because they are relatively high in carbohydrates. One cup of chickpeas has 45 grams of carbs.

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 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.

May Help Control Weight

With its high protein and fiber content, falafel may aid weight control by inducing feelings of fullness. Eating low-GI foods like chickpeas can also help manage blood sugar levels.

Tivall Falafel Balls (4 balls) contains 24g total carbs, 21g net carbs, 6g fat, 5g protein, and 170 calories.

To make hummus Paleo friendly you've got to get rid of the chickpeas, which requires a little creativity, and we've seen everything from zucchini to cauliflower to macadamia nuts or cashews used to replicate the taste and texture.

What is a keto alternative to chickpea flour? Almond flour and coconut flour are both good keto alternatives to chickpea flour. Due to its high absorbency, you'll need less coconut flour than chickpea flour. Start by substituting ¼ to ⅓ cup of coconut flour for every 1 cup of chickpea flour.

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.

What is falafel called in English? ›

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.

Falafel is typically served in a pita sandwich along with tahini sauce, tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers and pickled turnips. They are also often served as part of a mezze platter.

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).

Try to grind canned chickpeas, form them into balls, and deep-fry them, and they completely fall apart in the oil. The common solution for this type of recipe is to add some extra starch in the form of flour.

How do you get a falafel to stick together? Falafel will stick together when you follow the recipe and make sure they chill long enough. You should also scoop the balls of dough tightly and that will keep them in one piece.

Carbs. A falafel patty contains a little more than 5 grams of carbohydrates, the majority of which come from the chickpeas or fava beans. The food is high in complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber—the type of fiber that helps lower LDL cholesterol (known as the "bad" cholesterol).

Hummus can definitely be part of your keto diet, but just one or two servings can quickly expend a significant portion of your daily carb allotment. If you do eat hummus, you'll want to limit yourself to a small amount — perhaps just 2–4 tablespoons (30–60 grams), which provide 4–8 grams of net carbs.

A keto dieter needs approximately 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day, and one small falafel contains 5.41 grams of carbs.

Chickpeas, while nutritious, are high in net carbs and can disrupt the state of ketosis, making them not keto -friendly. Consuming chickpeas can increase carb intake beyond the desired limit for a keto diet, potentially leading to challenges in maintaining ketosis.