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Is Falafel Vegan? What The Research Says In 2024
Updated on
- Written by Grace Fullerton, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD
If you follow a vegan diet, you may wonder: “Is falafel vegan?” Falafel is a chickpea or fava bean-based fried food. It typically does not include animal-based ingredients, meaning it is vegan-friendly.
If your vegan meal kit has falafel ingredients, you will probably want to know what falafel is and how to prepare it. Keep reading to learn all about eating falafel on a vegan diet!
Is Falafel Vegan Friendly?
Yes, falafel is a great option for vegan eaters. Falafel is made from plant-based ingredients like chickpeas, fava beans, onion, garlic, and herbs. Then the mixture is formed into a ball or patty and fried in oil or air fried to create a crispy exterior.
Can Vegans Eat Falafel?
Yes, vegans can eat falafel because it is made from mashed chickpeas or fava beans, herbs, spices, and oil. Since all of these ingredients fit into a plant-based diet, falafel is vegan.
That being said, if you are vegan, you should be careful about what falafel is served with. Sometimes falafel is served with non-vegan items, such as a yogurt-based sauce. Yogurt is typically made from animal milk, which is obviously not vegan. Plant-based yogurts are available but always assume that a yogurt-based sauce is not vegan unless you know otherwise.
If you are eating at a restaurant, always tell the staff that you are vegan before ordering. Sometimes restaurants use animal products in unexpected ways. For example, they may use animal fats instead of vegetable oil to fry food. Check the ingredients of anything you order and confirm with the staff that your order is vegan-friendly.
Falafel can be a great protein source for vegans. Check out a falafel pita or falafel balls! Or try out your favorite falafel recipe filled with herbs and spices and some middle eastern ingredients!
Additionally, the texture is sometimes compared to the texture of meat patties. Thus, if you are vegan and miss the texture of meat, falafel may be a good substitute for you.
What Is A Falafel?
If you have ever seen or tried falafel, you may have wondered: “What is a falafel?” These mysterious and totally delicious little bites of fried goodness are typically made of chickpeas or fava beans[1] if not a combination of both. The food originates from the Middle East, although the exact location of its origins is debated.
Regardless of where the dish originated, it is popular in Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Each of these countries has its own version of the dish. The spices in the falafel mix, as well as the way that it is served, vary between countries. Typically, falafels are served with some type of flatbread, pickled vegetables, and sauce.
Parsley, paprika, sesame seeds, onion, and garlic are popular seasonings for falafel. The sauce served with the falafel is typically tahini based. Tahini sauce is made from ground-up sesame seeds and is vegan-friendly.
Sometimes a yogurt sauce is also served. Remember that vegan food cannot contain animal-based ingredients like yogurt, meaning that vegans can’t eat falafel if it has been contaminated with a yogurt sauce.
How Is Falafel Made?
Now that you know what falafel is, you may be wondering: “How is falafel made?” First, the chickpeas, fava beans, or both have to be soaked in water.[1] After that, they can be ground up in a food processor with spices and fresh herbs and formed into a ball or a patty. The falafels are then fried for a few minutes until they are crispy.
Typically, the falafel is fried in soybean oil. However, recently the popularization of air fryers has expanded the ways that falafel can be prepared.[2]
Especially for home cooks, frying foods can be messy and impractical. Plus, frying food in oils means that the food absorbs that oil and its calories. Thus, for home cooks, air frying can be a more practical and healthier alternative to oil frying falafel.
Researchers have actually conducted a study to determine the best possible method[2] for air-frying falafel. These researchers measured the moisture content, fat content, color, firmness, and sensory experience of the falafel in order to determine the optimal cooking temperature and duration.
These researchers compared falafel air fried at different temperatures and durations with a control falafel deep fried in 180-degree oil for seven minutes. The study indicates that the optimal conditions for air-frying falafel are about 180 degrees for approximately 11 minutes.
Falafel air-fried in the optimal conditions was 45% lower in fat, crispier, and more appealing visually than the deep-fried control falafel. So, if you have an air fryer, you should try making your own falafel at home! It will be healthier and even crispier than traditionally deep-fried falafel!
Falafel Nutrition Facts
Falafel can be a great addition to a healthy diet because it is made from chickpeas[3] or fava beans,[4] both of which are rich in fiber, protein, and vitamins. Determining the exact nutrition facts of falafel will be difficult because each falafel recipe will have slightly different nutrition facts based on the ingredients and how the falafel is prepared.
The USDA offers an example of falafel nutrition facts[5] from a frozen falafel product. This frozen falafel contains the following nutrition information per 100 grams:
- Calories: 129.
- Carbohydrates: 12.5 grams.
- Fat: 8.21 grams.
- Protein: 3.57 grams.
However, the exact nutrition facts of the falafel you eat could vary significantly. The nutrition facts will vary for cooked falafel or uncooked falafel. And as we know from the air-frying experiment, the cooking method can greatly impact the calorie and fat content.
If you want precise nutrition information, making your own falafel at home is probably best. Making falafel at home allows you to measure your ingredients and control the cooking methods used.
Chickpea And Fava Bean Nutrition Facts
Regardless of the exact nutrition facts per gram, falafel is made from fairly standardized main ingredients – chickpeas and fava beans. This means that falafel definitely contains protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Researchers have determined that people who eat chickpeas have higher intakes of nutrients,[6] such as fiber, healthy fats, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron. This is likely because chickpeas contain all of these vital nutrients.
Fava beans have similar nutrients as chickpeas. They are good sources[4] of plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Of course, no one food can meet all of your nutrient needs. If you are concerned about meeting your nutrient goals, you should talk to a registered dietitian. You may need to supplement your diet with vitamins or alter your diet to include things like protein bars. You may also supplement your fruit and veggie intake with a supplement or greens powder.
The Takeaway
Falafel is made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or sometimes both. It is typically seasoned with fresh herbs and spices, then fried in oil. It is a common dish in the Middle East and is served with Middle Eastern sides like pita bread and fresh veggies. Since all of these foods are plant-based, falafel is almost always suitable for those on a plant-based diet!
Still, confirming the vegan status of foods purchased is important by checking with restaurant staff or the packaging. Any animal-based ingredient will make falafel not vegan. And, of course, homemade falafel recipes ensure the elimination of non-vegan ingredients. Consider asking your registered dietitian nutritionist for an easy recipe to try at home!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! All of the typical ingredients in falafel are vegan. Chickpeas and fava beans are the primary ingredients in falafel.
The only reason falafel would not be considered vegan is if an animal-based product is added to the dish. For example, if the falafel is stuffed with meat or cheese or adds a yogurt-based sauce, it would not be vegan.
No, falafel does not typically contain eggs. The ingredients in falafel are typically chickpeas or fava beans, garlic, onion, herbs, spices, and oil.
+ 6 sources
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- Ismail, M. and Erdoğan Küçüköner (2017). Falafel: A Meal with Full Nutrition. [online] 08(11), pp.1022–1027. doi:https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2017.811074.
- Fikry, M., Khalifa, I., Sami, R., Ebtihal Khojah, Khadiga Ahmed Ismail and Mokhtar Dabbour (2021). Optimization of the Frying Temperature and Time for Preparation of Healthy Falafel Using Air Frying Technology. [online] 10(11), pp.2567–2567. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112567.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173757/nutrients
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173753/nutrients
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1309397/nutrients
- Fulgoni, V.L., Murray, R.D. and Zelman, K.M. (2016). The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus. [online] 8(12), pp.766–766. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8120766.
Written by:
Grace Fullerton, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
