We all love falafel and we all love curries, so why not combine them?! This vegan Falafel Curry is a creamy dream come true!Serve it with fluffy basmati rice and homemade naan for the ultimate Indian-inspired feast!
I love falafel and I love curries, so I figured why not combine them? The result was a rich and creamy vegan Falafel Curry. And it turned out to be one of my favorite curry recipes ever!!
How to make falafel curry
The falafel
Whenever I make falafel, I always make a huge batch, because they freeze well and it’s not much more work to make a larger batch. Naturally, frozen falafelwill turn out to be a bit drier than fresh ones, so using them in thiscurry is the perfect opportunity, because itmakes the Falafel super softagain. Problem solved!
The base of the sauce
The sauce for this falafel curry is really easy to make and I also like to use this base for a variety of different curries. Add chickpeas, veggies, potatoes instead of falafel and boom… whole different curry!
You’ll only need two main ingredients for the sauce: tomato purée and coconut milk. It makes the creamiest and easiest sauce ever. I just love the combination of these two main flavors. To that, we add ginger powder, garam masala, salt, and fresh ginger. Aaand we’re done.
I’ve made a huge pan of falafel curry for an Indian-inspired dinner party lately and everyone loved it! Although there have been various curries, this one has been the star of the evening :)
Once you’ve made the falafel, the curry itself isn’t any work really. It’s a super quick and easy, but awesome dish!
Do I have to make the falafel myself? Can I use store-bought Falafel instead?
It depends! Make sure the falafel are not too soft, otherwise they will fall apart in the curry. If your falafel are on the softer side, you can also fry them separately and add them to the curry shortly before serving.
Can I use canned chickpeas for the falafel?
You can, but make sure the falafel don’t end up too soft. Otherwise, follow the advice above to prevent them from falling apart in the curry.
I don’t have onion powder or ginger powder. What can I use?
You can use fine diced onions and ginger instead (fry them in the oil with the falafel). Or you can use totally different spices such as garam masala! Feel free to play around with different spices! The basic curry sauce of coconut milk and tomato purée is very forgiving.
I want to prepare this curry in advance. Any advice?
No problem! Fry the falafel in a separate pan and add them to the curry shortly before serving. That way they won’t get super soggy. If you have rather dry falafel (e.g. when you’re using frozen falafel), feel free to let them sit in the curry longer to give them back some moisture.
More delicious vegan curry recipes
15+ Amazing Vegan Curries
Chickpea Curry
Coconut Curry with crispy tofu
Palak Tofu
Dal Makhani
I hope you enjoy this curry as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!
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In a large pot, heat the plant-based oil and add in the Falafel once the oil is hot.
Fry them for about 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat and reduce the heat to low.
Add in the tomato purée, coconut milk, salt, ginger powder, and garam masala.
Stir and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes (while slowly turning up the heat again). This is the point where you can adjust the curry to your taste by adding more coconut milk, salt, etc…
Peel the ginger root piece and cut it in very thin strips.
Once the curry is hot and it has reached your desired consistency, transfer it to a bowl and top it with the ginger strips and fresh cilantro.
Notes
*If you’re using other homemade or store-bought falafel for this curry they might fall apart, so add them later to the pan and handle them carefully.
**I used store-bought tomato purée (with salt, no additional herbs) for this recipe – it’s often canned or in cartons, not to confuse with tomato paste which is thicker in consistency.
Serve with: The Curry is best served with some Homemade Naan and basmati rice. Check out the post for more side dish recommendations!
This post was first published in April 2015. Updated in May 2019.
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Simply add chickpeas, parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices to a food processor or blender and pulse the mixture until combined. All-purpose flour (or your flour of choice) is added to soak up some of the moisture.
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.
Falafel are deep-fried balls or patties made from chickpeas or fava beans, sometimes both, plus fresh herbs and spices. Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern street food sold from vendors or fast-casual spots in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Israel, where it's the national dish.
Falafel is a Middle Eastern recipe that is basically mashed chickpeas with herbs and seasonings formed into patties and fried. It's a traditional food in Lebanon that's made with only a few ingredients and served plain with tahini sauce, hummus, or garlic sauce for dipping, or as a falafel sandwich or falafel wrap.
Yes! Falafel is considered vegan by almost any definition as these tasty fried chickpea balls are entirely plant-based. Sometimes, however, falafel is served with non-vegan additions like feta cheese or tzatziki sauce, both of which contain dairy.
Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.
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.
- Spices: cumin, coriander, and a little cayenne pepper. Along with the fresh herbs, this trio of spices is what gives falafel it's bold authentic taste. - Baking powder: this is what gives falafel an airy, fluffy texture (many recipes skip this, causing the falafel to come out too dense.)
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).
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.
Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.
Eating uncooked falafel that has been left out for a few hours can pose a risk of foodborne illness due to bacteria growth. Bacteria can multiply rapidly in foods left at room temperature, potentially causing digestive issues or food poisoning.
Historically, early versions of falafel were made with fava beans (and even earlier versions were made of lentils). Consequently, fava beans are still the falafel “legume of choice” in Egypt and other Arab countries. On the other hand, Israeli falafel is almost universally made from chickpeas.
Falafel features prominently in Israeli cuisine and has been called a national dish. Some Palestinians and other Arabs have objected to current identification of falafel with Israeli cuisine as cultural appropriation.
Yes, falafel is a good source of protein. It's primarily made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, both of which are rich in protein, making falafel a suitable option for vegetarians and vegans looking to increase their protein intake.
Falafel is high in many micronutrients and a good source of fiber and protein. As such, it may help curb your appetite, support healthy blood sugar, and lower your risk of chronic disease.
In most parts of the Middle East, falafel is made with ground chickpeas.In Egypt however, we make it with dried fava beans. These are best served with pita bread, tomato, onions, and tahini sauce.
I recommend olive oil, canola oil or avocado oil. Ground flaxseed. This is the binding agent in this vegan falafel recipe. You can substitute 1 egg for the 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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