Almond meal pulp and zucchini falafels are a great way to use up left over almond meal.
I like to make my own almond milk as that way I know that there has been nothing unnatural sneaked it but it hurts me to throw away the left over almond meal. I tried to make a cracker with it which did not work out well. I would rather lick the conveyor belt at the supermarket then eat those again (not every recipe is a success!).
Finally, I made a lovely savoury dish from the almond meal so it's not gone to waste. I am also missing a decent falafel since moving away from the Middle East, and this was a half decent substitute (you still cannot beat the real thing). More importantly for me, it is a great low carb version of falafel. Perfect with a cauliflower wrap and salad. It works out to be about 2 net carbs per falafel. Nom nom!
The added zucchini gives the falafel the moistness you normally get from the chickpeas when you are making the traditional version with chickpeas. As ever, it's a great way to sneak vegetables into a dish! More importantly, a tasty way to use up the almond meal from home made almond milk! I'm still unsure how to categorize these, a vegetarian side dish, main or a snack? I eat them in all three categories!
Other low carb falafel recipes
You can make a low carb falafel from cauliflower too. Try this cauliflower falafel recipe too.
Almond meal & zucchini falafel
Ingredients
- ½ Cup almond meal pulp (leftover from making almond milk)
- 20 g coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup zucchini grated
- 1 tablespoon parsley, fresh chopped
- 2 tablespoons coriander, (cilantro), fresh chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients, except the baking soda and coconut flour in a food processor and blitz until combined.
- Spoon the mixture into a bowl and add the baking soda and coconut. Mix well. Add more coconut flour if required.
- Take about a tablespoon of the mixture, and make into balls, flattening slightly.
- Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm.
- Heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a frying pan.
- Fry the falafel on both side for until golden and firm.
- Eat and enjoy!
Notes
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Lee Fraser
Oh dear - I think you mean baking powder instead of baking soda? These tasted really strongly of baking soda with a whole teaspoon in there.
Angela Coleby
No, it's baking soda as you would use in a falafel recipe. Perhaps try half next time?
Katie
Wow! These are TAST-E. I have a couple of quick questions for future reference. What purpose does the Coconut flour serve? Also, could these be baked instead of fried?
Angela Coleby
I use the coconut flour to bind them together as it soaks up the moisture of the zucchini. You could try it without but they may fall apart. I've baked this too which were okayish.. I prefer the crispy coating of the fried version. Split the batch into 2, bake one and fry one to see which ones you prefer!
joy
I have someone who has a nut allergy..What are you thoughts on using tapioca starch or potato starch in place of the almond meal?
Angela Coleby
Ooohh, that's a puzzling. I would guess you could, but probably reduce the quantity. Use the starch as a binder rather than a main ingredient.
Jade
does it have to be pulp left over from making milk. I have no interest in making milk but would love to make this. Can i just use Almond Meal that I buy at the store?
Angela Coleby
Hi Jade, I don't think that the almond meal would work as it may make it a bit too dry.
Nancy
Hi there these look great, can you make it with ground almonds instead?
Angela Coleby
Hi Nancy. Although I haven't tried it with ground almonds, I think it would work. Let me know how it turns out!
Kate
I made these yesterday along with the cauliflower hummus because I'm Paleo and had a vegan friend coming round for lunch. They were delicious. Even our partners were impressed and came back for more. I'm so glad I trebled the recipe so I had leftovers for lunch today.
I used just normal ground almonds that I got in the supermarket and I baked them because I was worried about them falling apart if I fried them.
Thank you for the recipe. I'll definitely be making this again.
Angela Coleby
Hi Kate! Glad you all enjoyed them and good choice with the cauliflower hummus too! Thanks for popping by!
Jen
Hi there,
I would like to try this recipe. But the almond meal mentioned in the ingredients list, is that the shop bought almond meal or the wet almond pulp left from making almond milk? Or is it dehydrated wet almond pulp?
Thanks.
Angela Coleby
Hi, it's the almond pulp left over from making almond milk. I hate throwing it away! I've also made brownies with it, but prefer the falafels. Hope you enjoy it!
B Lee
Greetings! I tried making this recipe. The only thing I didn't have was fresh coriander so I just added a little more ground coriander. I had a problem though. They just crumbled in my pan. Even though I formed the patties and put them in the fridge for the stated amount of time they just came apart when I tried to flip them and I was careful. What is supposed to be binding them together? I wondered if there is supposed to be an egg in the recipe? If not can you please offer me some suggestions as to what I did wrong. I followed the recipe exactly as written except for the fresh coriander which wouldn't in anyway contribute to binding the patties together.
Divalicious
Hi! Perhaps the zucchini was a bit too wet? This helps bind the mixture together but if it's a bit too wet it would fall apart. Make sure any excess water is squeezed from the zucchini. Hope the next batch works out! Thanks for popping by.
BreAnna @ Crafty Coin
I absolutely LOVE this!! Almond pulp is one of those things I'm never quite sure how to use. I've never seen a recipe like this before. It looks great!
BreAnna | Crafty Coin
Real Food on a Real Budget
Divalicious
Thanks BreAnna. Hope you enjoy it!
A Home Cook
I love felafels, but have someone who shouldn't really eat chickpeas. This might solve our problem.
Divalicious
Thanks for popping by. Try them with my zucchini hummus too! (a chickpea free meal!)
A Home Cook
Oh yes, thank you,
The Two Savings Sisters
These look really tasty, I just need to find some coconut flour here in the UK and then I'll be making some.
Divalicious
Holland & Barrett should stock some. Happy baking!
K @ Peeled Wellness
These look so satisfying- its great to have healthier appetizer options like this. Thanks for sharing at 'Tell em Tuesday'!
xoxo K
http://peeledwellness.com
louisemaciel
Hi! Can I use regular flour instead coconut flour?
Divalicious
Of course .. I use it to keep the carbs down but please feel free. I want my recipes to be something others can play with! Thanks for popping by 😉
jamiemid
Wow, what an amazing idea! I also like to make my own almond milk, and always wondered what I could do with the leftover pulp. I know that some people use it to make flour, but that involves a lot of time, and I don't generally have enough pulp left over to do anything with it. This recipe is sheer genius. I rarely eat falafels, but I think will be eating more in the future. Thanks for a really great idea. I use a lot of zucchini, and I love coriander, so this is brilliant. I will be making this very soon.
Divalicious
Awwh! Thanks! So pleased you like this! Let me know how it goes when you make it. I agree with you on the flour, takes too much time and is easier to throw it in a blender with other ingredients. Thanks for popping by! 😉
Gluten Free Fabulous
Looks fantastic - love the spices you've used!
Divalicious
Thanks! Glad you like the look of it!