Low Sugar Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these baked falafel patties deliver everything you want from the classic street-food staple — without a drop of added sugar anywhere in the recipe. Every ingredient here is exactly what it sounds like: chickpeas, fresh herbs, warm spices, and a silky tahini sauce built from tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and water. That matters more than you might think, because store-bought falafel mixes and bottled tahini dressings are surprisingly common places for hidden sweeteners to sneak in. Baking instead of frying keeps things clean and simple while still achieving that deep golden crust, thanks to a well-oiled parchment-lined pan and a careful flip halfway through. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes and has a bright, nutty, garlicky punch that makes you want to drizzle it over absolutely everything. Chilling the falafel mixture before shaping is the small step that makes the whole thing work — it firms up the patties so they hold their shape and crisp evenly in the oven. This is the kind of wholesome, flavor-forward cooking that proves eating without added sugar never has to feel like a compromise.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the falafel
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 tbsp chickpea flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
For the tahini sauce
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 3–4 tbsp cold water, as needed
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Spread the drained chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat thoroughly dry — excess moisture is the main reason falafel falls apart or steams instead of crisping. Let them air-dry for 10 minutes.
- 2
Combine the dried chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a food processor. Pulse 15–20 times, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is finely chopped and holds together when pressed — it should look like coarse, slightly damp crumbs, not a smooth paste.
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