Low Iodine Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these baked patties deliver everything you want from a great falafel without a drop of oil in the fryer. The base is built entirely from chickpeas, fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, and warm spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric — all naturally free of iodine concerns, with no seafood, no dairy, and no iodized salt hiding in the mix. Fine sea salt is used throughout, which is the right call here since standard iodized table salt is one of those sneaky ingredients that can quietly push iodine levels up in otherwise clean recipes. Patting the chickpeas completely dry and chilling the shaped patties before baking are the two steps that make the texture actually work — you get a firm, golden crust rather than a soft, steamed interior. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes with just sesame paste, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and water, and it adds a rich, nutty finish that makes the whole plate feel restaurant-worthy. Serve them straight from the oven with a squeeze of lemon and you have a satisfying, flavor-forward meal that fits comfortably within a low-iodine approach without feeling 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
Chef's tipFine sea salt and table salt measure the same - no conversion needed. - 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 saltChef's tipFine sea salt and table salt measure the same - no conversion needed.
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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