Top Pick Of The Week

August 16 , 2011

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Falafel With Yogurt Sauce

Enjoy falafel as an appetizer, first course or party food, with a yogurt dipping sauce. Photo by Eva Gründemann | Fotolia.

WHAT IT IS: Falafel from Trader Joe’s and falafel you can make at home.
WHY IT’S DIFFERENT: Trader Joe’s is frozen, microwaved falafel that manages to be crisp on the outside and moist on the inside—and filled with the green herbs most store-bought falafel lacks.
WHY WE LOVE IT: One of our favorite foods is now a reach away in the freezer.
WHERE TO BUY IT: At Trader Joe’s stores nationwide.

 

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What’s The Best Store-Bought Falafel? Trader Joe’s!

Plus, Many Ways To Serve Falafel

Jump to the article index below


Trader Joe’s Falafel

What could be better than a nutritious dinner that’s a heat-and-eat proposition—and takes only one or two minutes to make in the microwave, no less?

We always have hummus and tabbouleh in the fridge, and whole wheat pita in the freezer. It’s easy to whip up a delicious falafel meal.

And you don’t even need these accoutrements. Try serving falafel atop spaghetti, instead of meatballs. It’s delicious with tomato sauce.

Trader Joe’s falafel, two inches in diameter, is all garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and no fava beans. We find that this makes a moister ball of falafel, but individual tastes vary (see Falafel Republic, a blend of both beans, below).


Nicely spiced, Trader Joe’s falafel has plenty of parsley and cilantro. The label lists spices including garlic, chili peppers, curry powder and coriander (the seed of the cilantro plant). If you don’t like one or more of these spices, don't worry: They all blend harmoniously and nothing is overpowering.

Find this falafel at Trader Joe’s stores nationwide. Alas for gluten-free and kosher readers, this fine product is neither. You’ll have to look elsewhere. Scroll past the photo, for starters: Falafel Republic is gluten-free.

Trader Joe's Falafel

Trader Joe’s falafel. Photo by River Soma |
THE NIBBLE.

Falafel Republic

If you make your own falafel or buy the ready-to-heat-and-eat Falafel Republic brand, you can have smaller balls of falafel that work nicely as hors d’oeuvre or as a first course with dipping sauce (1-1/4 inches in diameter). A blend of both chickpeas and fava beans, the brand offers Traditional and Roasted Garlic flavors. It is available in the refrigerator section; learn more at FalafelRepublic.com.

Ready for a falafel feast?

Head to the section below.

     

INDEX OF REVIEW

This is Page 2 of a four-page article. Click on the black links to visit other pages:

MORE TO DISCOVER

For A Home Dinner Or Falafel Party Bar

Turn falafel into a special occasion. Set up a food bar with these accompaniments, and everyone will have great fun (and a healthy, delicious dinner):

Salad Ingredients Mezze & Sides Mezze & Sides (Continued)
  • Bell Pepper, Chopped
  • Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
  • Cucumber, Sliced
  • Garlic Cloves, Roasted
  • Green Onions, Chopped
  • Microgreens
  • Radishes, Sliced
  • Red Onion or Sweet
    Onion, Sliced
  • Sundried Tomatoes
  • Tomatoes, Sliced

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  • Babaganoush
  • Bulgur Wheat Salad
  • Carrot Salad or Dip
  • Chickpea Salad
  • Cucumber Salad
  • Fattoush
    (bread salad made with
    toasted pita)
  • Feta Cheese
  • Ful Medames
    (fava bean dip, an Egyptian
    specialty)
  • Garlic Sauce (recipe)
  • Hummus
  • Kibbeh
    (fried balls of meat and
    bulgur)
  • Lentil Salad
  • Middle Eastern Salad
    (also called Arab or Israeli
    salad, a chopped salad with
    English cucumbers,
    tomatoes, red onions, bell
    peppers, lemon juice and
    spices)
  • Mixed Olives
  • Pasta Salad With Feta &
    Olives

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Just the beginning of the feast you can plan. Photo © Simone van den Berg | Fotolia.

 

  • Pepperoncini
  • Pickled Turnips (recipe)
  • Pickled Vegetables (recipe)
  • Rice Salad
  • Stuffed Grape leaves
  • Tabbouleh
  • Tahini
  • Three Bean Salad
  • Tzatziki
Herb & Spice Garnishes Other Garnishes Dessert
  • Aniseed
  • Aleppo Pepper
  • Caraway
  • Cardamom
  • Cumin
  • Chopped Mint
  • Fenugreek Seeds
  • Nutmeg
  • Paprika
  • Parsley, Flat Leaf
  • Turmeric
  • Za’atar
    (a spice mix with sumac,
    sesame seed, oregano,
    thyme & hyssop, a
    member of the mint
    family)
  • Lemon Wedges
  • Olive Oil
  • Paprika
  • Pistachio Nuts
  • Pomegranate Arils
  • Preserved Lemon (recipe)
  • Sumac (a Middle Eastern
    spice)
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • Baklava Or Other Greek
    Pastry (Galaktoboureko,
    Custard Pie, Is A Favorite)
  • Dates & Other Dried Fruits
  • Dates Stuffed With
    Mascarpone Or Goat
    Cheese
  • Fresh Pomegranates
  • Halvah
  • Pomegranate Ice Cream
    (Try Sheer Bliss)
  • Vanilla Ice Cream With
    Chopped Dates* And/Or
    Crumbled Halvah

*You can marinate the dates in orange liqueur or Cognac.


Continue To Page 3: Falafel Recipes

Go To The Article Index Above


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