Cinnamon Free Vegan Falafel Bites
These crispy little bites pack serious flavor — herby, golden, and satisfying in a way that feels both street-food fun and genuinely wholesome. The base is built on soaked dried chickpeas (not canned), which gives the falafel that signature coarse, almost grainy texture that holds together beautifully in the pan without falling apart. Fresh parsley and cilantro do the heavy lifting on aromatics, while cumin, coriander, and a hit of cayenne keep things bold and warming without any spice blends that might sneak in unwanted ingredients. For anyone navigating a sensitivity to cinnamon, this recipe is a clean win — every single component is straightforward and easy to verify, from the chickpeas to the tahini sauce. That sauce, by the way, is worth making on its own: just tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and water whisked into something silky and bright that clings perfectly to each bite. The whole thing is also entirely plant-based, so it works for a wide table without any compromise on taste or texture. Serve them on a platter with lemon wedges and a dusting of paprika, and they'll disappear fast.
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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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