Can falafel be made using previously frozen chickpeas?
Many falafel recipes caution against using canned chickpeas. For example, this recipe has this to say about using canned chickpeas for falafel:
- No canned chickpeas (very important!) If you're after the best texture and flavor, you need to start with dry chickpeas. Many falafel recipes use canned chickpeas which is not authentic and will cause the falafel patties disintegrate in the hot cooking oil.
Because of warnings like this, I'm wondering if using previously frozen chickpeas is fine. I had some dried chickpeas which I soaked overnight, but I soaked too many of them, so I froze the remaining ones. If I thaw these frozen chickpeas, will they work well for making falafel?
Best Answer
I made 4 test case batches:
- Dried chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours
- Dried chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours, frozen, then thawed
- Canned chickpeas
- Canned chickpeas, frozen, then thawed
I tested with canned chickpeas even though it's well known that they don't work well for falafel so that I'd be able to provide more points of comparison.
I started with the dried but never frozen chickpeas, and it went great! No surprises there.
Next came the previously frozen chickpeas. The consistency of the batter made with them was, as far as I could tell, practically indistinguishable from that made from the never frozen chickpeas. When I deep-fried them it seemed like they bubbled more, so maybe freezing them resulted in the chickpeas holding onto less water. The batter held together just as well as the batter made from the never frozen chickpeas. After eating some of both types, I think the falafel made from previously frozen chickpeas were a bit drier, but still good.
Finally came the (never frozen) canned chickpeas. The batter had a finer consistency than the other ones. When I put the first ball of batter into the oil, it began bubbling much more than the previous ones, and within about 45 seconds the ball had broken apart, and had seriously dirtied the fry oil. I tried again with another ball, this time a bit smaller, and made very carefully, but the same thing happened. After that I called it off, since the canned chickpea batter clearly wasn't working. I made the (small amount of) remaining batter into patties, and shallow-fried it. It was edible, but it wasn't falafel, and so I can't meaningfully compare it to the falafel - at least it didn't go to waste.
In conclusion, falafel can certainly be made using previously frozen chickpeas. It may be a bit drier than falafel made using never frozen chickpeas, but is still quite good, and it comes with the added convenience of being able to soak the chickpeas in advanced.
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Should you pre cook chickpeas for falafel?
Because the chickpeas need to be totally raw before the falafel balls are formed, the standard quick-soak method of bringing the beans to a boil and letting them sit for an hour will not work with this recipe.Can you use frozen chickpeas for hummus?
Chickpeas. Those in a hurry can use canned or frozen chickpeas [they are already cooked]. Personally, I prefer to cook them myself. I have an Instant Pot, which allows me to cook the legumes in a few minutes [after soaking], but it can take a long time depending on your cooking method.Can you refreeze chickpeas?
Can You Refreeze Chickpeas? It isn't recommended that you refreeze chickpeas once you have thawed them out. In fact, you need to ensure you use them within 24 hours of defrosting them. After this, they can start to deteriorate.How do you use frozen cooked chickpeas?
Using the Frozen ChickpeasRemove from the freezer and allow them to thaw then add them to meals while cooking, or reheat by themselves in a pot or in the microwave. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments.How to Make Baked Falafel With Canned Chickpeas
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Images: Anete Lusina, shutter_speed, Nataliya Vaitkevich, Nataliya Vaitkevich