Mediterranean Diet Friendly Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these baked chickpea patties deliver everything you love about the classic street-food version without a drop of frying oil. Fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and turmeric do the heavy lifting here, building layers of warm, aromatic flavor that feel genuinely satisfying rather than virtuous. Baking on an olive-oil-brushed sheet at high heat is the move — you get that deep golden crust on both sides with far less fat, which is exactly the kind of smart swap this style of eating is built around. The silky tahini sauce — just sesame paste, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of cold water — comes together in minutes and ties the whole plate together with a nutty, bright finish. Every ingredient on this list is a Mediterranean pantry staple: legumes, fresh herbs, whole spices, olive oil, and lemon, so nothing here feels like a compromise. Whether you pile these onto a platter for a crowd or tuck them into a wrap for a weeknight dinner, they're the kind of plant-forward dish that genuinely earns a permanent spot in your rotation.
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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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