Storing (freezing) spare falafel: cooked, shaped, or just the mix?
I'm currently soaking chickpeas to make falafel for the first time - rather more than I need for this evening, so I'll have some spare mix, probably enough that I'll want to freeze at least some, rather than using it later in the week.
I know it's not supposed to hold together very well formed but uncooked, so I assume either cooking and reheating, or storing the unformed mix is the way to go, but which is better? Is there any difference if I'm freezing rather than refrigerating?
Best Answer
The best way to freeze felafel batter really is formed into small balls, but not cooked. Then you can toss the partially thawed balls into hot oil without further fuss. Because the balls are fragile, as you noticed, that means lining them up on a cookie sheet and freezing them that way, which you may or may not have room for.
I have not tried freezing a mass of felafel batter, so I don't know if that still works when thawed. I'd be concerned about water separating out of the ground chickpeas during the freeze-and-thaw cycle. If you do this anyway, and the batter doesn't want to hold together afterwards, I suggest adding a little dry chickpea flour to it.
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Can you freeze falafel after cooking?
Can I freeze Falafel? Yes, especially these ones are super freezer friendly. Bake them, then let them cool off completely, transfer them into a ziplock bag and freeze up to 3 months.How do you store leftover falafel?
To store leftover falafel, wait for it to cool to temperature before putting it in an airtight container lined with paper towels. Keep the balls from touching as much as possible and separate layers with more paper towels. The falafel will last for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it.How do you store frozen falafel?
Place cookie sheet in the freezer and allow falafel to freeze until slightly frozen, about an hour so. Remove cookie sheet from freezer and quickly place falafel balls into a freezer-safe bag or container. Place back into the freezer. Frozen uncooked falafel should last about 6 months in the freezer.Can you store falafel batter?
Transfer the falafel mix to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to help the balls hold together when cooking. If making ahead, you can refrigerate the mixture for a few days.FROZEN FALAFEL RECIPE | HEALTHY \u0026 TASTY FALAFEL RECIPE | RAMAZAN SPICIAL RECIPES
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Answer 2
In the end what worked for me was cooking them before freezing them. They hold together reasonably well, but the real benefit is that I can microwave them for a quick dinner if they only need reheating, and that fits with my partial meal-prepping approach that relies on freezing to balance weekly effort against variety.
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