How to Reheat Falafel
Falafel is a dish that originated in Egypt but is widely eaten in the Western parts of Asia. They are made by frying or baking.
It is possible to store them before or after baking them. One common observation is that they get hard or burnt on after reheating.
How can falafel balls be heated without losing their texture and taste? How to reheat falafel? Falafel balls can be reheated in a skillet, toaster, or oven. To make sure the falafels are heated thoroughly, the oven is typically the best method. This way, you won’t need to use any additional oil to reheat the falafels, which will keep them crispy.
In this article, we look at great ways to heat falafel after cold storage.
Every Way to Reheat Falafel
It always comes down to how best to keep them and serve them warm without losing the texture of the falafel.
To pick a method to use, you first want to consider your available kitchen appliances and what texture you want for your falafel balls.
Deep Fry
If they were fried in the first place, you want to take care not to deep fry as most people probably think is needed. This often leaves the balls oily and soggy.
The oil must be properly heated before dropping the Falafel balls in it. The disadvantage of this is that the internal parts of the balls might not be heated up properly.
Skillet
You can also heat falafel balls in a skillet. This should take a shorter time than would be required with an oven. You can be sure that the balls will remain crispy and this method is even easier than deep frying.
You should use a heavy skillet, preferably one that is made from cast iron, like this one.
Put oil into the pan as you feel should be sufficient for the number of balls you want to heat and whether you want them dry or oily. If a sufficient amount of oil is used the resulting balls are crispy and not soggy.
Ensure that the skillet is very hot before putting the balls in it, which takes about 5 minutes.
It is also possible to cut the falafels open before heating which makes the process more effective and crisps up more parts of the balls.
Toaster Oven or Conventional Oven
Another quick and simple way of heating falafel is heating in a toaster oven. You can toss them into the toaster.
It is important to ensure that the toaster is not too full in order to ensure smooth airflow.
Reheating falafels in a toaster oven is similar to reheating in a regular oven. Here are the steps to reheating falafels in any type of oven:
- Preheat the toaster oven or conventional oven to 350 degrees F.
- Wrap the falafels loosely (not completely) in aluminum foil. This prevents the falafels from drying out.
- Heat the falafels for about 5-15 minutes depending on their size. Smaller falafels will take less time, and bigger falafels could take double the time.
- For the best results, flip the falafels over halfway through reheating.
Note: Do NOT put aluminum foil in a microwave. Aluminum foil is only safe for the toaster oven or conventional oven.
Reheating Falafel the Right Way
In order to prevent excessive drying out resulting in rock-hard balls, you want to use a moist towel or vessel of water when heating with dry air.
Take care to use as little oil as possible when using the skillet or frying. Too much oil would result is soggy and undesirable falafel balls.
Sometimes, less is better. When frying, ensure to turn the balls over at regular intervals so that some sides are not left under heated or burnt.
If you leave one of the balls in contact with the oil for too long, they will soak up oil and be unpleasant for eating.
Despite the usefulness of all these processes in providing you with heated falafel, this delicacy is best enjoyed fresh. It is best to have the balls freshly baked or fried.
It is advised that you make as much of the dough as you know will be needed for the next few days, take as much as you need for the day while you keep the rest in the freezer, mold them and prepare them by baking or frying.
How Falafels Are Made
Falafel is a doughnut-shaped snack made from fava beans or chickpeas. The dough is garnished with spices and vegetables.
It is featured as street food or as part of the vegetarian diet around the world. It is also called Felafel.
The beans are soaked, ground, and mixed into a dough with uncooked chickpeas and other ingredients like garlic, coriander, parsley, and cumin.
The chickpeas are soaked for some hours and then crushed. Falafel balls containing chickpeas are a modification of the original recipe, which originated out of Israel.
The dough is then molded into the desired shape and deep-fried or oven-baked.
They may be wrapped in a taboon which is a type of flatbread or in a kind of pocket called pita. The balls can also be wrapped in bread and eaten as a falafel sandwich which is also a wonderful treat.
Related Questions
Is Falafel Better Fresh or Reheated?
As stated earlier falafel balls taste amazing when prepared fresh. Although, there are techniques to preserve them after they have been prepared, reheating them requires patience and caution to not alter their taste.
You can make an excess of the falafel dough, mold all of them, fry as many as you need, and store the rest properly in the refrigerator.
People have different tastes and the only common ground we can reach is that most people perceive fresh food as tasting better than preserved and reheated.
Your heated falafel balls can be enjoyed with fried eggs, hot sauce, tahini sauce, and hummus.
How Long Should You Reheat Falafel?
You should heat them for as short a time as possible to prevent burning and drying out. The heating usually takes 3 to 5 minutes.
If it is too long, especially in the oven, the results are very hard Falafel balls. It takes about 20 minutes in an oven.
How to Freeze Falafel?
Uncooked Falafels – Mold the dough into the desired shapes on a cookie sheet. Then, you place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about half an hour to allow for the falafel balls to freeze.
Take them out and transfer them into a freezer-safe bag for proper protection. Put them back in the freezer. These can keep for about 6 months.
Cooked Falafels – First, prepare the falafel balls. Allow them to cool. Put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for about an hour. Take them out and arrange them layer by layer in a freezer-safe bag.
Then, put them back in the freezer. If you want to place them in an airtight plastic container, you should separate them with wax paper to avoid sticking.
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