Mushroom 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 without a drop of oil for deep frying. The base is built entirely from chickpeas, fresh parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, and a warm blend of cumin, coriander, and turmeric — nothing hidden, nothing questionable, and absolutely no fungi in sight. A quick chill in the fridge before baking is the secret move here: it firms up the mixture so the patties hold their shape and develop those gorgeous golden edges in the oven. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes with just lemon juice, garlic, salt, and a splash of cold water whisked to a silky, pourable consistency that's genuinely hard to stop drizzling. For anyone navigating a mushroom-free diet, this kind of recipe is a relief — Middle Eastern-inspired dishes can sometimes sneak in umami boosters, but every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify. Serve them straight off the pan with lemon wedges and a scatter of fresh parsley for a meal that looks impressive and tastes even better.
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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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