Trader Joe’s Falafel & Falafel Mix – Worth Buying?

Trader Joe’s Falafel is a frozen product heated and eaten as part of a wrap or pita. It comes in two forms: balls of falafel (smaller than a golf ball) or falafel burgers (about the size of a burger bun).

The falafel contains chickpeas, onions, fava beans, cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, and coriander. It comes frozen in a box containing approximately twenty-seven falafel balls, where each box is 16oz and costs $3.29.

Who makes Trader Joe’s falafel?

Trader Joe’s falafel mix is a product by Chef’s Quality, a family-owned business that has been making ethnic foods for years. The company employs a diverse staff of cooks and chefs with expertise in food worldwide and has its headquarters in New Jersey. Although Trader Joe’s falafel is from the US, some of its ingredients come from different parts of the world. You can buy Trader Joe’s falafel in the frozen section of your local Trader Joe’s store.

Trader Joe’s Falafel Ingredients

Trader Joe’s falafel mix contains the following ingredients.

• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• Water
• Onion
• Garlic
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Salt
• Vegetable oil (canola or sunflower oil)
• Spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic, onion)
• Citric acid
• Cilantro
• Rice flour
• Parsley

Trader Joe’s Falafel Nutrition Facts

You can serve Trader Joe’s falafel in three pieces, which have a total weight of 85g. Each serving contains 24 net carbs and 320 calories, representing 56 points in weight watchers (WW) value. Below is a breakdown of the falafel’s nutrition components.

*The % Daily Value (DV) of a food tells you how much of that nutrient is in a standard serving. A daily diet consists of about 2,000 calories.

Is Trader Joe’s falafel mix gluten-free?

Trader Joe’s falafel mix is gluten-free, making it an excellent option for gluten-intolerant people or those with celiac disease. It contains no wheat, rye, barley, or gluten-containing ingredients. The falafel mixture contains chickpea flour and vegetable powders.

Is Trader Joe’s falafel mix vegan?

Trader Joe’s falafel mix is vegan. It contains no eggs, dairy, or meat. All seasonings are vegan, and there is no honey in the recipe. The falafel mix has chickpeas and fava beans which are considered vegan foods.

Best Ways to Cook Trader Joe’s Falafel

Air Fry

• Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Once heated, add a handful of falafel balls to the fryer’s basket. Having them spaced out will ensure they get crispy
• You can spray them with a bit of olive oil to help with that crispy texture
• Put the falafel balls in the air fryer and cook them for 12-15 minutes
• Once done, flip them over and leave them in there for 30 more seconds until they turn golden brown
• Serve with your favorite salad or pita bread

Conventional Oven

• Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit
• Place the falafels on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper
• Bake for 10–15 minutes until heated through and crispy
• Flip in between the baking time to ensure both sides are well cooked until golden brown
• Serve with a salad or tahini sauce

Pan-frying

• Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking
• Add the falafel balls, leaving some space between them
• Cook for 5-6 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown, then turn them over to cook the other side
• If they are browning too quickly, turn down your heat source slightly
• Serve with sauce or favorite salad

Microwave

• Place the frozen falafel balls on a microwave-safe plate with paper towels underneath. Ensure you place them at least an inch apart to spread the heat evenly
• Cover the plate with a paper towel to prevent splatters. Place the plate in the microwave and heat for three minutes
• Take the plate out of the microwave and flip over each falafel ball with tongs or a fork before covering them again and returning it to the microwave
• Heat for another three minutes and remove them
• Serve with a sauce or salad

What Can You Make Trader Joe’s Falafel Mix?

You can put your falafel on everything – from salads to sandwiches. But if you don’t want to go the bread route, there are plenty of sides to serve with falafel. Here are some exciting ideas for your meal planning

• Falafel sandwich: A bed of lettuce with falafels, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce, and pita bread
• Falafel balls: Shape the falafel into balls, bake or fry until golden brown and serve as an appetizer with cucumber yogurt sauce or red pepper hummus
• Falafel burger: Falafel patties between two buns with vegetables and tahini sauce
• Falafel pizza: Prebake pizza crust, then top with mashed falafels and shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

How Do You Eat/Serve Trader Joe’s Falafel?

Here are a few ways to serve falafel:

• As an appetizer—served on their own with dipping sauce, on lettuce leaves, in lettuce wraps, in pita bread, or on crostini with feta cheese, hummus, and tzatziki sauce
• As the main course—sliced in half and served on pita bread with hummus and fresh veggies as a sandwich, over a bed of rice pilaf or couscous
• As a side dish—served over rice pilaf or couscous with sides of hummus, tzatziki sauce, and feta cheese

Is Trader Joe’s Falafel Good?

Trader Joe’s falafels are good. They are high in fiber and protein, which are essential for weight loss. If you don’t like to cook or are looking for a quick snack, Trader Joe’s falafels are a healthy, filling choice.

Trader Joe’s falafels enjoy positive reviews with 4.3/5 stars out of 178 global ratings. Here are some of the top positive comments about Trader Joe’s falafel.

However, customers who were not satisfied with the falafels pointed out issues with excess salt and non-disclosure of all its ingredients.

FAQs

Are Trader Joe’s frozen falafel fried?

Trader Joe’s frozen falafels are not fried but cooked with a dry-heat method similar to baking. They retain their shape and integrity when cooked but still taste extremely fresh and delicious.

Did Trader Joe change their falafel?

Trader Joe’s did not change their falafel but instead announced the introduction of the new boxed falafel mix back in 2018. The grocery chain stated that the blend has ground fava beans, chickpeas, onion, coriander, and spices like cumin and garlic.

How do you store falafel?

You should store uncooked falafel in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. When stored this way, the falafel can last up to four days. Cooked falafel will also last four days in a refrigerator before consumption.

Conclusion

Trader Joe’s falafels are a delicious and healthy option for vegans who miss the flavors of their favorite Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cuisines. This product contains superior quality ingredients, resulting in the classic falafel flavor that many people have come to love.

If you are looking for a wholesome vegan snack that is entirely plant-based, then Trader Joe’s falafel with tzatziki sauce is perfect. I love its great flavor and how quick and easy it is to prepare. It will surely appease your taste buds and make a great indoor snack or on any outing.