Tofu Falafel – It Actually Tastes Like Falafel

This week, I was hit by a severe lack of inspiration.

Suddenly, all my recipe ideas vanished, and I was left with a head hollow of ideas (some might say hollow of brains too).

I decided to turn to you, the blog's followers, and ask in my Stories: Do you have any recipe ideas you'd like me to prepare and film?

From the moment I posted the question, it felt like the starting gun of the New York Marathon.

I received dozens upon dozens of comments, suggestions, and wonderful ideas for dishes (thank you to everyone who sent something—you are wonderful).

Then, a wonderful woman named Maayan Lapidot, who is both a nutritionist and a fitness trainer (my favorite combination), sent me a photo of a falafel dish she made.

My first thought was: Okay, great, she made lentil falafel, big deal.

But then she told me it was made from tofu.

At that moment, I realized she was onto something brilliant.

The reason I got so excited is that tofu is such a convenient ingredient to work with; it has a neutral flavor and wonderful nutritional values.

The combination with cilantro and cumin creates a patty that tastes exactly like falafel.

Note – the texture is very different:

While traditional falafel has a slightly grainy texture, tofu falafel has a smooth texture.

Is it good? That's up to you to decide—I absolutely loved it, as if it weren't scorching August outside.

A bit about Tofu Falafel

As mentioned, the characteristic taste of falafel comes from the combination of cumin, garlic, onion, and cilantro.

If you don't like one of these spices, feel free to replace or remove it entirely. The taste will differ from falafel, but it's guaranteed to be delicious.

To bind the mixture into balls that won't fall apart during baking, I used one cup of breadcrumbs.

If you want a gluten-free version, try to use gluten-free breadcrumbs or alternatively replace them with finely ground oats (oat flour).

Nutritional values by clinical dietitian and fitness trainer Noam Bachar:

A serving of 3 tofu falafel balls weighing 100g contains:

204 kcal

9g protein

15g carbohydrates

12g fat

Adding half a whole wheat pita will contain:

139 kcal

4g protein

24g carbohydrates

1/2g fat

Adding half a tablespoon of tahini diluted with a little water (15g):

50 kcal

2g protein

1g carbohydrate

4.5g fat

Want tofu and basil patties? Check them out here

Tofu Falafel

Same taste - 5 minutes of work

Keyword Falafel, Tofu, Cilantro, Cumin

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 20 balls

Ingredients

• 300 g tofu
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1 heaping tsp cumin
• pinch salt
• 1 cup breadcrumbs 90g
• 1/4 cup olive oil 60 ml
• Juice of half a lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to medium heat (180°C/350°F).

2. In a blender, thoroughly blend the tofu, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, and salt until smooth and lump-free.

   

3. If your blender struggles with the grinding, add a tiny bit of water to help it along.

4. Transfer the mixture to a deep bowl and add the breadcrumbs, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mix well until the texture is uniform.

   

5. Note (this is important): If you added water while blending the tofu, or if the tofu you bought is very soft, you may need to adjust the amount of breadcrumbs. My advice is to add breadcrumbs a little at a time until you get a stable, uniform dough (you might need less than a cup).

6. Using your hands, form 20 even-sized balls.

   

7. Place each ball on a baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil over each one.

8. Bake the falafel balls for about 15-20 minutes until browned.

9. Stuff a whole wheat pita with the falafel balls, add tahini and some hot sauce, and devour with joy!