Mushroom Free Falafel Bites with Tahini Sauce

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.8

(7)

Mushroom Free Falafel Bites with Tahini Sauce

Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these baked chickpea bites deliver everything you want from a great falafel without a drop of oil in a deep fryer. Fresh parsley and cilantro blended with cumin, coriander, and turmeric give each bite a bold, aromatic flavor that feels anything but ordinary. The whole recipe is built entirely from plants, spices, and pantry staples — not a single ingredient here raises any concern for those avoiding fungi or fungal-derived additives. Patting the chickpeas dry and chilling the mixture before shaping are the two small steps that make a big difference, giving you falafel that holds together beautifully and crisps up in the oven. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes with lemon juice, garlic, and a little water whisked in until it turns silky and pourable — it's the kind of sauce you'll want to drizzle on everything. Serve them on a platter with lemon wedges and a scatter of fresh parsley, and they disappear fast whether you're feeding a crowd or just treating yourself to something genuinely satisfying.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the falafel

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp oat flour
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

For the tahini sauce

⅓ cup tahini
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 small clove garlic, finely grated
3–4 tbsp water
¼ tsp 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 them as dry as possible. Let them air-dry for 10 minutes — excess moisture will make the falafel mixture too wet to hold its shape.
2
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or drizzle 1 tbsp of the olive oil evenly over the surface.

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