Artificial Flavors Free Vegan Falafel Bites
These crispy little bites are packed with real, whole-food flavor — soaked dried chickpeas, fresh parsley and cilantro, warm cumin and coriander, and a hit of cayenne that gives them just the right amount of heat. Every single ingredient is exactly what it says it is, which is genuinely refreshing when so many store-bought falafel products rely on flavor enhancers and additives to do the heavy lifting. Starting from dried chickpeas rather than canned is the secret to that classic coarse, herb-flecked texture that holds together beautifully in the pan without falling apart. The food processor does most of the work, and a short rest in the fridge firms everything up so each bite fries to a deeply golden, crackling crust. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes — just tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and water — and it's silky, bright, and completely clean in its ingredient list. Served with a dusting of paprika and a squeeze of lemon, this is street-food energy made entirely from scratch in your own kitchen.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the falafel
- 1 ½ cups dried chickpeas
- ½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as canola or avocado oil), for frying
For the tahini sauce
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 3–4 tbsp cold water
- ¼ tsp salt
For serving
- pinch of paprika (optional)
- lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight, until the chickpeas have roughly doubled in size and are tender enough to pierce with a fingernail but still raw at the center. Drain and pat dry.
- 2
Combine the drained chickpeas, onion, garlic (for the falafel), parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts, 15–20 pulses total, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture resembles coarse, slightly damp sand — no whole chickpeas remain, but the texture is not a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl.
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