Cashew Free Vegan Falafel Bites
These crispy little bites are packed with fresh herbs, warm spices, and the satisfying depth that comes from starting with dried chickpeas rather than canned — a small step that makes a huge difference in texture and flavor. The food processor does the heavy lifting, blending parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and cayenne into a coarse, fragrant mixture that fries up golden and firm with a tender, herb-flecked interior. A quick chill in the fridge before frying keeps everything together beautifully, so you get that satisfying crunch without any fuss. The accompanying tahini sauce — just tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of cold water — comes together in minutes and adds a creamy, tangy contrast that makes every bite feel complete. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from tree nuts, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about sneaky additions the way you might with store-bought falafel or restaurant versions. Whether you're serving these as an appetizer, tucking them into a wrap, or just dunking them straight into that silky sauce, they disappear fast. This is the kind of plant-based recipe that wins over everyone at the table, regardless of what they're eating around.
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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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