Gelatin Free 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 oil for deep frying. Fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and turmeric give each patty a bold, aromatic flavor that smells incredible the moment it hits the oven. The method here is straightforward but thoughtful: thoroughly drying the chickpeas and chilling the mixture before shaping are the two steps that make the difference between falafel that holds together beautifully and falafel that crumbles. Chickpea flour and baking powder do all the binding work, so there's no need for eggs or any animal-derived setting agents — making this naturally free from gelatin without any awkward substitutions. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes with just lemon juice, garlic, and cold water whisked in gradually until it's silky and pourable. Drizzled over a platter of golden patties with a squeeze of fresh lemon, this is the kind of plant-based dinner that genuinely impresses.
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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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