Easy Keto Falafel Recipe with Paleo Ingredients (2024)

FAQs

Is falafel allowed 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.

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 paleo keto diet is based on animal fat and protein consumption. It combines aspects of the paleo diet, which emulates the foods of our ancestors, and the ketogenic diet, which is a very low-carbohydrate diet. The paleo keto diet is based on animal fat and protein consumption.

If you cook those dried chickpeas before making falafel, you run into the same issues you find with canned—they just don't bind. The key to great falafel is to soak the dried chickpeas, but grind them while they're still completely raw.

The other main ingredient of hummus (besides chickpeas) is tahini. Not only is that sesame-based product keto-friendly, but it's also high in calcium and fat, explained Foroutan. And while you can't have hummus made of tahini alone, make sure you look for or make a batch made with other low-carb ingredients.

Is falafel good for weight loss? Falafel can be part of a weight loss diet when consumed in moderation due to its high fiber and protein content, which helps promote satiety. However, it's essential to consider portion sizes and cooking methods, as deep-fried falafel can be higher in calories.

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).

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.

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.

Potential Health Benefits

While both paleo and keto diets work for weight loss, the paleo helps you lose weight through whole, unprocessed foods which are nutrient-dense and lower in calories than processed options. Meanwhile, keto promotes weight loss by increasing ketone bodies through carbohydrate restriction.

What fruits are not allowed on paleo? ›

Of course, any and all fruits are welcome on the paleo diet including apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and more. And don't forget tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams, and so on.

Cereal grains that are not paleo-friendly include wheat, barley, oats, rice, and corn. Those are not paleo because they were not introduced into the human diet until the Agricultural Revolution. Cereal grains are difficult to digest and can contain unhealthy fats.

Quinoa. Containing all essential amino acids, quinoa can be a nutritionally similar replacement for chickpeas. Its texture resembles ground chickpeas, making it an easy chickpea substitute in falafel.

Falafel have to be crispy on the outside yet soft and fluffy in the inside. 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.

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.

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).

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

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.