Nightshade Free Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these baked chickpea patties deliver everything you want from a great falafel without a drop of frying oil. The combination of fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and turmeric gives every bite a deeply aromatic, earthy flavor that feels anything but plain. For anyone navigating a nightshade-free lifestyle, Middle Eastern-inspired food can feel like a minefield — tomatoes, peppers, and paprika show up everywhere — but this recipe sidesteps all of that entirely while keeping the bold, satisfying character intact. The silky tahini sauce, brightened with fresh lemon juice and a hint of raw garlic, comes together in minutes and takes the whole plate to another level. A key technique here is thoroughly drying the chickpeas and chilling the shaped patties before they go into the oven, which is what gives you that firm, golden crust instead of a soft, steamed result. This is the kind of recipe that works just as well for a casual weeknight dinner as it does for a spread when you're feeding a crowd.
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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)
Can be omittedcayenne pepper
- 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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