Carrageenan Free Vegan Falafel Bites
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these little chickpea bites are the kind of snack that disappears fast. The base is built entirely from dried chickpeas, fresh parsley, cilantro, and warm spices like cumin, coriander, and cayenne — nothing processed, nothing mysterious, just real ingredients you can actually pronounce. That matters a lot when you're avoiding additives like carrageenan, which sneaks into a surprising number of store-bought falafel products and plant-based convenience foods as a binder or stabilizer. Here, the texture and structure come naturally from the coarsely processed chickpeas and a small amount of flour, so there's no need for any of that. The accompanying tahini sauce — bright with lemon juice and fresh garlic — is equally clean, whisked together in minutes with just a handful of pantry staples. Pan-frying in a neutral oil gives each bite that deeply golden crust that makes falafel so satisfying, and the whole process is more approachable than it looks. Serve them on a platter with lemon wedges and a drizzle of that silky tahini, and watch them vanish.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!