So it’s two for one day over here at IBIH! Why are you getting a bonus post today? Because I just couldn’t sit on it for another day, that’s why!
Recently I posted this low carb hummus recipe, and in the post I mentioned having an idea for a cauliflower-based falafel. Well I had so much cauliflower in my fridge that I finally decided to start testing it out this afternoon.
I wasn’t really sure how I was going to go about it, just had a few theories on what might work and what wouldn’t. I figured I’d at least start today, but never dreamed that it would turn out as well as it did on the first try!
This cauliflower-based low carb falafel recipe is so good that it was all I could do not to burst into song like a Disney princess when I took the first taste of it.
I wanted the crunchy texture of a chickpea-based falafel so I started with raw cauliflower, first roughly chopped, and then ground in the food processor. I was worried that it would be too mushy when it cooked, so to keep the chickpea-like texture, I thought maybe ground almonds might do the trick.
I used the slivered almonds you can buy in the baking section of most grocery stores and ground them to a still slightly chunky texture in my magic bullet. To that I added the classic flavorings of falafel, a little heavier on the cumin to hide any cauliflower flavor.
To help bind it I used coconut flour and eggs.
When I formed them they held together well, but I never dredged them and I worried that they wouldn’t brown. As you can see by the picture they DID and perfectly!
Super crunchy like falafel should be! And the interior texture was so good – the slight crunch of the nuts mimicked the chickpeas unbelievably well! The real test though, was whether or not I could get them by my husband and four year old son. Hungry Jr. pronounced them “delicious” and Mr. Hungry never even tasted the cauliflower!
This is a major win for me because he HATES cauliflower and can sniff out even a hint of it like a cadaver dog in a cemetery. So when he got home from work I’d already cleaned up the evidence and had him taste one. He thought they were great except for the slight crunch of the nuts which is a weird thing he has.
Never caught the cauliflower though and was surprised when I told him. YYESSSS! In your FACE!!! (LOL, just kidding! I didn’t really say that but I did think it and do a mental victory dance!) They really are THAT good!
I can’t wait for you guys to try them and tell me what you think! If you like falafel, I think you’ll really enjoy them. If you’ve never tried falafel, then you’ll really REALLY enjoy them! Heck if you have a mouth, you are going to enjoy them!
Keto Falafel with Tahini Sauce (Gluten Free)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: (8) 3" patties
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
A Keto Falafel and Tahini Sauce recipe with a taste and texture that beautifully mimics the real thing! Gluten free, Low Carb, Keto.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cauliflower, pureed
- 1/2 cup ground slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- Tahini sauce:
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste if desired
Instructions
- For the cauliflower you should end up with a cup of the puree. It takes about 1 medium head (florets only) to get that much. First chop it up with a knife, then add it to a food processor or magic bullet and pulse until it’s blended but still has a grainy texture.
- You can grind the almonds in a similar manner – just don’t over grind them, you want the texture.
- Combine the ground cauliflower and ground almonds in a medium bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well blended.
- Heat a half and half mix of olive and grapeseed (or any other light oil) oil until sizzling. While it’s heating, form the mix into 8 three-inch patties that are about the thickness of a hockey puck.
- Fry them four at a time until browned on one side and then flip and cook the other side. Resist the urge to flip too soon – you should see the edges turning brown before you attempt it – maybe 4 minutes or so per side.
- Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Serve with tahini sauce and a tomato & parsley garnish if desired.
- Tahini sauce: Blend all ingredients in a bowl. Thin with more water if you like a lighter consistency.
Notes
Approximate net carbs= 5.5g
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 patties
- Calories: 203
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 5.5g
- Protein: 6g
Gina says
Not sure what I did wrong. :( I made the recipe, I thought precisely according to your directions. But I only came out with four 3-inch patties. There was no way that was going to make 8 of them. The only thing I was confused about was the amount of cauliflower. I used what I considered to be a medium head, pulsed it in the food processor as directed. But I came out with way more than one cup of pureed cauliflower. It was at least twice that. Maybe I didn’t puree it enough?? Maybe I should have just used all of it anyway?? What do you think? I have never had falafel before, but these taste great and the texture is exactly as you described. I am thinking that the cauliflower, eggs and coconut flour could work as a great binder in crab cakes and tuna or salmon patties. Oh the possibilities…… :) Thanks for all you do Mellissa. Want you to know that you are extremely appreciated!!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Gina! The recipe calls for the one cup so you did that right, but it’s been so long since I’ve made these that I’ll have to test it out again to see about the quantity. Glad you enjoyed the flavor and texture though, thanks for the feedback!!!
Sandi says
Mellissa , this recipe is amazing!!! I haven’t had falafels for years because of my tummys dislike of chickpeas.Now I can have them whenever I want! Thank you ,thank you, thank you!
I am new to your site and I am really enjoying it. The recipes I’ve made so far have all been very good. Keep up the good work, thanks again.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Welcome Sandi, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the falafel! It’s one of my favorite recipes on the blog but it’s been ages since I’ve made it myself – really need to make these again soon! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Wafaa Wali says
I tried your recipe today but being a vegan, I decided to skip the patties part and just cooked it and added rice milk till it cooked and used it the way I would use couscous or lentils with salad. Great recipe, thank you.
Aaron says
This is seriously one of the most brilliant recipes that I have ever tried! This blows falafel out of the water. Thank you for being so smart.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Um…you’re welcome? ha ha! And thanks – so glad you liked it! I haven’t made it in AGES, time to add this one to the weekly rotation again – thanks for the reminder! :)
Colleen Stewart says
I just tried these and they are amazing!!! I seriously was waiting to feel sick and gross afterwords finding it hard to believe these were not made with chickpeas ;) Happily I feel great :) Two filled me up! I’m looking forward to leftovers tomorrow. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Jennifer says
Made these and just had to say they were AMAZING. Best ever!
Suzanne says
I made these tonight for my family but wanted to share my substitution — we’ve got zucchini coming out of our ears from our garden so I actually substituted a cup of raw pureed zucchini instead of the cauliflower (also because I was already using cauliflower “rice” to make a grain-free tabouleh as a side dish). I had to add a bit more almond and coconut flour to account for the added moisture in the zucchini, but otherwise they were FABULOUS. We wrapped them in swiss chard leaves (also from the garden) to make them pita-esque, and topped with the tahini sauce, tomatoes, and red onion. Thank you SO much for this recipe — it was a huge hit!!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for the feedback Suzanne! I’m going to try your zucchini version soon, sounds awesome! :)
Mitch says
These were awesome!
I’ve made “falafel” before, chickpea and non-chickpea variations and these were definitely the best.
Thanks :)
Christina W says
I just made these, and they are seriously amazing!! I’m so excited right now over the fact that I can have falaffel again!
However, I think that the size of cauliflowers here in Denmark must be enormous, because I got FOUR cups of cauliflower-rice from one semi-small (imo) cauliflowerhead :D. Oh well, just had to make more falaffel ;)
Coral says
Hi, great recipe, however do you have a suggestion for an egg free version ?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Coral, I’m not really sure about making it egg free. Theoretically, mixing in 2 Tbl of flax meal (ground flax seeds) or chia seeds would act as a binder to replace the egg, but I’m not sure how much it would alter the flavor. If you try it, do let us know if it works or not and how the flavor is!