Description
Vegan crispy baked falafel with tahini sauce is a hearty yet light dish featuring garbanzo beans, garlic, herbs, and spices baked to golden perfection. Served with a creamy lemon tahini sauce, it’s flavorful, plant-based, and versatile for wraps, salads, or snacking.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried garbanzo beans
- 3 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅔ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ⅓ cup olive oil (for brushing)
Lemon Tahini Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup hot water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Soak dried chickpeas in water for 8–24 hours, then drain.
- In a food processor, pulse garlic until minced. Add chickpeas, red onion, cumin, and salt, pulsing until the beans are halfway broken down.
- Add parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice. Pulse until crumbly but able to hold together when pressed.
- Form mixture into 12 balls and flatten slightly into patties. Place on a sheet pan.
- Brush both sides generously with olive oil.
- Bake for 12 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, blend garlic, tahini, lemon juice, hot water, and olive oil until smooth. Season with salt.
- Serve falafel hot with the lemon tahini dipping sauce.
Notes
- Swap cilantro with mint for a different flavor.
- Add cayenne or chili flakes for extra spice.
- Stuff falafel into pita with lettuce, tomato, and pickled onions, or serve over grain bowls.
- Use dried chickpeas for best texture—avoid canned.
- For extra crispiness, fry instead of bake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 8–24 hours soaking)
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 2 patties + sauce)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
