Perfectly spiced, gluten-free chickpea patties inspired by the classic, Middle Eastern favorite.
I’ve recently become interested in the pantry challenge trend. I love to cook, but in an effort to reduce my grocery bill, I’ve been endeavoring to waste less, choose cheap but versatile ingredients, and substitute with what I have on hand. For example, a can of chickpeas is less than a dollar, depending on the brand you buy, but you can seriously make so many delightful recipes and dips with this one simple item. Today’s recipe, easy gluten-free falafels, is an example of turning a can of chickpeas into a truly satisfying and drool-worthy meal without digging into your savings. Pantry challenges can be more or less strict, but personally I still want to enjoy fresh food. This means that I do still buy fresh ingredients, like fruits and vegetables. Yet I also find it fun to challenge myself to think up creative solutions to putting dinner on the table without looking further than my pantry cupboard.
This falafel recipe is inspired by the Middle Eastern classic, but the texture is somewhat different. These patties still work excellently well with pita bread, hummus, or cucumber salad. Making these falafels couldn’t be easier. The ingredient list is short and simple, and everything is blended together and then fried. There are only a handful of ingredients, and the result comes together quickly for all your busy weeknight needs.
Using rice flour keeps this recipe gluten-free. Sweet white rice flour, in particular, makes a firmly bound chickpea patty, but when I tried regular rice flour, it also held the falafels together quite well.
Let’s go through the ingredients:
Chickpeas - Use whatever brand you prefer. I like the texture of Goya chickpeas, but recently I’ve been using Trader Joe’s chickpeas as they are considerably cheaper! If the chickpeas are salted, be careful with how much salt you add.
Egg - This binds the patties. If you are vegan, you could try substituting a flax egg, but I have not tried this to vouch for its success. An egg substitute could also possibly work.
Rice Flour - My favorite type to use in sweet white rice flour because of its exceptional binding properties due to it being made of sticky rice. However, I’ve found that regular rice flour works well enough, too. I most often use brown rice flour, but you can use what you have on hand.
Cilantro - Adds the classic falafel flavor, along with the spices. Plus, the flecks of green look so pretty! 🙂 Use either a small bunch or half a large bunch.
Cumin - Works with the cilantro to create the flavor. Definitely a must! I use ground cumin, but you could bloom cumin seeds and grind.
Salt - Always! Adjust the amount to your own preference. Start with less, then add more, especially if your canned chickpeas contain added salt.
Oil - I typically use olive oil when I cook, but for frying the falafels I recommend an oil with a higher smoke point, so that it doesn’t burn as easily, such as avocado oil. The amount of oil is up to you; a larger amount will result in a crispier, more traditional “fried” texture.
Want to try more recipes, using a can of chickpeas? Try this Banza Copycat 5-Ingredient Chickpea Pizza Crust or this Easy Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus!
EASY GLUTEN-FREE FALAFELS (GF, DF, VG, SD)
Yield: approximately 16 falafels
What You'll Need:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 egg
¼ cup rice flour
1 small bunch or ½ large bunch cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
For frying: oil
How To Make it
1. Add the chickpeas, egg, rice flour, cilantro, cumin, and salt to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, take heaping tablespoons of batter, slightly flatten, and place the patties in the oil. Fry until nicely browned, about 4-6 minutes, then flip the patty over for an additional 4-6 minutes.
3. Serve hot with flatbread or rice, hummus, olives, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, and tomatoes, or whatever you find in the recesses of your over-stocked pantry. Leftover falafels should be refrigerated, or frozen, and make great packed lunches!
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Abby
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