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
Denise says
Plant based vegetarian. I was looking for something without beans or flour…The cauliflower dried out wonderfully..The spices..spot on..color… and texture…yup a falafel…yup excellent
Tasha Martin says
Oh my goodness! I love falafel and now I love you! Thank you so much for this recipe. I purchased your cookbook “Keto for Life” and have loved every recipe. This one is my absolute favorite! You’re brilliant! Thank you so very much!
Leila says
I’m seriously amazed by this recipe! Hubby even liked these and he HATES cauliflower! And he’s a falafel junkie! Delicious!
Jenni says
Do you think I could use almond meal instead of coconut flour. We have a coconut allergy to consider. Does anyone know the substitution ratio? I know that I would need more almond meal than coconut.
Sophilia says
These were amazing! Better than the real thing.
Carolyn Wallis says
I followed all recipe except I had whole almonds on hand so I just chopped them up a bit AND I used flax “eggs” (since I avoid chicken eggs).–so, yes, you can make this vegan! This recipe was amazing. My husband was delighted as falafels are one of his favorite international foods and we are reducing carbs. Thank you! I do want to mention that due to my work schedule, I had to mix up the falafel ingredients in advance and refrigerate before frying. It worked wonderfully. I am a bit confused on how much oil to put in the skillet. Did I miss that in the instructions?
Tamiko says
I was just wondering if using a flaxseed egg would work. THanks for the tip:)>
Kristen says
Sounds awesome! Can I sub almond meal or while almonds and pulse more? Don’t have any slivers on hand lol
Ody says
Loved this and I don’t even like falafel! I must have Donne something wrong though becuse I see no other comments regarding the issues I had. I weighed my batch in order to make sure each piece was the correct size but mine were far from hockey puck size and Moreno along the size of a golf ball. They were still very filling and I can’t imagine what I did becuse I followed the instructions to a tee. Also, does Thani come in different thickness? I had to toss the first batch of sauce becuse when the water was added it was nothing more than thani tinted water. I used far less water in AE cold batch and it was wonderful just curious why I seem to be the only one with these issues. My cauliflower husband could not believe it didn’t include chickpeas. I’ll definitely make again,
Ody says
Sorry for the typos the entry on my iPad wasn’t was a bit choppy?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m not sure how weighing them would make sure they are the right size – I didn’t mention weight anywhere in the post that I could see when I reread this. If you didn’t stir your tahini well then there is probably a solid lump at the bottom of your jar – once you stir it in then your tahini will be thicker and so will your resulting sauce. Glad you liked the flavors though!
Georgina says
I think she weighed the mix to get eight equal portions and those didn’t come up to hockey puck size. That’s how I understood it at any rate.
Em says
The taste of these was DELICIOUS, but I had the same issue. Definitely impossible to make eight 3” diameter, hockey puck thickness (which is about 1”) patties. It did make 4 perfectly though, so I just doubled the recipe. Again, great flavor though!
Gigi says
Hi there! This recipe sounds absolutely fantastic and as I am throwing a Mediterranean themed low-carb dinner party next Saturday, I’d like to try this. The only question I have: I am making this for 10 people and have a starter, side, and desert to take care off, too. Has anyone tried to make these and then heat them up in the oven later? I would hate it if they turned out too dry, but don’t want to serve them cold either, as we are already having gazpacho as a starter. Any tipps would be greatly appreciated, thank you!:)
Michelle says
Had to revisit this site to leave a comment. Wow!
This is a fantastic recipe!! Thank you!
I’m seriously impressed and prefer them to ‘normal’ falafel! All the flavour and none of the dryness.
I felt a little nervous about how they would turn out as I baked them to avoid the oil and they browned-up beautifully! (180 celsius for 30 minutes – in a rubbish oven, I’d start at 20 mins if you have a good one!),
I also used ‘flax eggs’ to make the recipe vegan and that worked great.
I blitzed up a bit of extra cauliflower and used it make a tabbouleh-style salad to go with it, which was a perfect accompaniment!
Thanks again, I think this will become a regular in my kitchen!