Trader Joe’s falafel is popular for a reason – it’s delicious! I love them in pita sandwiches (it’s a classic for a reason!), but you can also serve it so many other ways and I’m sharing ideas for falafel bowls, salads, and wraps below. And while this is simple (in line with my easy Trader Joe’s recipes), there are extra topping ideas in the recipe card if you’d like to make them more complex. Serve them with my easy Greek chickpea salad or a cucumber salad for a tasty falafel meal that’s ready in 10-15 minutes.
While you’re in the freezer aisle of TJ’s, be sure to grab the items from the best frozen Trader Joe’s items, best and worst Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers, Trader Joe’s dumplings, and frozen Trader Joe’s hash browns in air fryer.
Yes! Trader Joe’s has a frozen and fully cooked falafel (just needs to be heated), as well as the Trader Joe’s falafel mix (which needs to be mixed and cooked). Both are great options, but I’ll be reviewing the fully cooked frozen variety. Head to the frozen food aisle and grab yourself a bag of this addictive and beloved product.
Trader Joe’s Falafel Review
The fully cooked falafel from Trader Joe’s is fantastic, here’s what makes it great:
Deliciously crispy on the outside and tender in the inside
There are a few ways to eat up these falafel balls! I’ve shared instructions on how to serve the components as a pita sandwich below, but here are some other ideas:
Falafel Pita Sandwich – Simply serve the falafel in a toasted pita bread pocket and top with tzatziki sauce, sliced cucumbers and freshly cracked black pepper.
Bowls – Layer Trader Joe’s fully cooked falafel patties over a bed of rice or quinoa and top with sliced cucumbers, tzatziki sauce, hummus, chopped tomatoes, minced red onion, feta cheese, and any other toppings you might like.
Salad – Layer falafel over a big green salad (I like a blend of romaine for crunch and spinach for color, but any will work) and top with sliced cucumbers, tzatziki sauce, hummus, chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, and crushed pita crackers.
Wrap – Place falafel on a tortilla or lavash wrap and top with tzatziki sauce. Add chopped garlic and tomatoes and roll up.
Best Toppings for Falafel
Falafel is a staple dish in Middle Eastern cuisine and there are so many ways to enjoy it. Whether you’re serving it up as a sandwich, wrap, or salad….these toppings will work for it all!
Drizzle of tahini sauce
Tzatziki
Hummus
Squeeze of lemon juice
Fresh herbs like parsley, dill, cilantro
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Pickled red onions
Turn a bag of Trader Joe’s groceries into dinner!
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The fully cooked falafel from Trader Joe's is fantastic, here's what makes it great: Deliciously crispy on the outside and tender in the inside. Can be used in so many different ways. Easy to prepare.
Even though these falafels come from a store like Trader Joe's, I feel like you'd be better off getting your falafel fix from a street vendor. The fat is a killer here once again, with 29% of your daily recommended value of total fat, and 15% of your daily value of saturated fats.
The grocery retailer says it was alerted by a supplier that its fully cooked falafel, sold in about three dozen states including Massachusetts and New Hampshire, "may contain rocks." The products have been pulled from shelves and destroyed.
Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.
Go with the falafel. The gyro has more saturated fat, more calories, and (usually) more sodium than the falafel—or chicken or vegetable sandwich fillings—on most menus. Take Daphne's, a "California-fresh" West Coast chain with 56 restaurants that lists calories on its menus and Nutrition Facts on its Web site.
Limit Processed Foods: While Trader Joe's does offer some processed and convenience foods, it's essential to consume them in moderation. Opt for products with shorter ingredient lists and avoid those high in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.
Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.
Trader Joe's does not exclusively sell healthy foods, but you still have a variety of healthy food options to choose from. You have plant-based protein foods like almond butter and tofu and plant-based dressings or pesto. Other options include avocados, lentils, lentil pasta, and more. Trader Joe's.
Shortly after its closure, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge against Trader Joe's, claiming the company shuttered the store to prevent workers from unionizing.
Falafel is low in calories and fat. When eaten as part of a healthy diet, it can aid with weight loss or weight maintenance. One of the healthiest ways to eat falafel is in a buddha bowl with plenty of healthy greens and veggies.
It's a good source of fiber, an amazing source of proteins, and chickpea fiber; it helps manage blood sugar levels by slowing down carbohydrate absorption. Too much falafel can never be bad for your health, conditional to the fact that you're not deep-frying it every time.
The study intones that "long-term consumption of falafel patties (30 days) caused yellowish discoloration of the liver distinctive of liver necrosis", suggesting that "the consumption of falafel as the sole source of nutrition for a long period of time ... can generate a hepatotoxic effect leading to liver necrosis".
“Meat alternatives such as tofu and falafel can be good protein sources as part of a healthy balanced diet, but with any processed or packaged foods, it's critical not to rely on words or images that make a product appear healthier than it is. Check the label and pick the less salty option.”
Falafel is usually made with fava beans in Egyptian cuisine, with chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine, or either just chickpeas or a combination of both in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
The tzatziki sported a satisfying blend of refreshing and herbaceous flavors. I've tried many store-bought tzatzikis, and Trader Joe's take on the Greek staple was by far the most balanced.
Specifically, parsley, cilantro, and occasionally mint infuse the chickpea mix with aromatics. Then, an abundance of spices, including cumin, coriander, and garlic, adds even more depth of flavor. The artistry of crafting traditional falafel is a meticulous process.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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