Brazil Nut Free Vegan Falafel Bites
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these little bites deliver everything you want from a great falafel — bold spice, fresh parsley and cilantro, and that satisfying golden crust from a proper pan-fry. The secret is starting with dried chickpeas soaked overnight rather than canned, which gives the mixture just the right coarse, sandy texture that holds together beautifully without turning dense or doughy. A short chill in the fridge before frying makes shaping effortless and helps each bite stay intact in the hot oil. The accompanying tahini sauce — lemon juice, garlic, and cold water whisked to a silky drizzle — ties everything together with a bright, nutty finish. Every ingredient here is straightforward and plant-based, so there's no need to scan labels for hidden animal products or worry about unexpected tree nut additions sneaking into your meal. Whether you're serving these as an appetizer, stuffing them into pita, or piling them over a grain bowl, they disappear fast — so consider doubling the batch.
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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 oil 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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