Why Do Supermarket Falafels Have Such Long Ingredient Lists?
In a recent review of supermarket falafels, it was surprisingly difficult to find traditional options with minimal ingredients. While many falafels were delicious, most featured long, complex lists of components, with only two standout products made simply from chickpeas, herbs, spices, and sodium bicarbonate.
Even some of the better-performing falafels had unnecessarily lengthy ingredients lists, despite being relatively minimally processed. At their worst, certain falafels included highly processed items like dehydrated potato flakes, pea protein, refined soya bean oil, and stabilisers. However, the best products were praised for their delicious flavours, rich in herbs, spices, and a touch of love.
The Best Supermarket Falafel Options
Best Overall: Ramona’s Original Falafel
Priced at £3.95 for 500g at Ocado (79p per 100g), this frozen bag of golden brown, oval pucks earned four stars. They boast a traditional, nutty texture, likely due to an authentic recipe process. Described as moist and delicious but very salty, with 2.19% salt content, they are a clear winner for their value, minimal processing, and traditional approach.
Best Bargain: Vemondo Plant! Middle Eastern Falafel
Available for £1.35 for 200g at Lidl (68p per 100g), in-store only, these small, yellow, round balls received three stars. They are moist and flavourful with a mild-medium chilli heat and a complex spice blend including cumin, lemon, coriander, clove, and cinnamon, offering incredible value.
Other Notable Falafels
Gosh! Moroccan Spiced Falafel
Costing £2.30 for 171g at Morrisons and Tesco (£1.35 per 100g), these small, date-sweet, paprika-red falafels earned four stars. They are moist with distinct flavours of red pepper, coriander, and a lemony taste, though slightly sweet.
M&S Fresh Herb Aromatic Falafels
Priced at £4 for 160g at Ocado (£2.50 per 100g), these eight dark brown balls with bright, coriander-green interiors received four stars. They feature a piquant cayenne and garlicky heat with a savoury cumin undertone, perfectly textured—moist, fluffy, with good substance and crust. However, they taste a bit raw straight from the packet and benefit from reheating.
Biona Organic Falafel Balls
At £4.10 for 200g at Ocado (£2.05 per 100g), these neat, yellow balls earned four stars. They are nice raw but become incredibly moist and delicious when fried. Made with just chickpeas, onion, hokkaido pumpkin, sunflower oil, herbs, and spices, they are the only wonderfully simple, wholefood product in the test.
Tesco Green Pea Falafels
Costing £3 for 152g at Tesco (£1.97 per 100g), these dark brown, round pucks with a green interior received three stars. They have a slightly bitter but nicely herby flavour balanced with dates, made mostly from peas (44%) and chickpeas (15%), flavoured with parsley, coriander, and cumin.
Asda Sweet Potato Falafels
Priced at £2.98 for 220g at Asda (£1.35 per 100g), these ten classic-shaped pucks with a vibrant orange colour earned three stars. Made with mostly sweet potato, chickpeas, and onion, they are soft, moist, and sweet with warm spices, but contain the stabiliser methyl cellulose.
Cauldron Moreish-ly Moroccan Falafels
Costing £2.60 for 180g at Ocado and Tesco (£1.44 per 100g), these round brown pucks received three stars. They are gooey, spiced, slightly gummy but enjoyable and moist, with sweet, piquant flavours from warm spices like cinnamon, coriander, and ginger. The ingredients list is long but minimally processed, aside from sulphured apricots.
Waitrose Plant Living Hand-Shaped Moroccan-Style Falafels
Priced at £3 for 200g at Waitrose (£1.50 per 100g), these eight large, dark, irregular-shaped balls earned two stars. They have a prominent sweet flavour of onion, apricots, and raisins, with competing rather than harmonious flavours, including a mildly bitter aftertaste and mixed spices. The long ingredients list includes pea protein and refined soya bean oil.
Co-op Red Pepper Falafel
Costing £1.90 for 74g at Co-op (£2.57 per 100g), in-store only, these received one star. They come as a snack pack with a yoghurt and mint dip, explaining the higher price. Despite a complex vegetal flavour and peppery kick, they were poor with a floury texture; the dip was not commented on.
For more insights, explore related topics such as the best tinned and jarred chickpeas and supermarket curry kits.
