Hazelnut 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 — earthy cumin, bright cilantro, and a golden crust that shatters when you bite in. The base is built entirely from dried chickpeas, fresh herbs, and warm spices, so there's no mystery about what's going into the mix. That matters when you're navigating tree nut concerns, since plenty of store-bought or restaurant falafel can share prep space with nut-based sauces or coatings. Here, every component is straightforward and easy to verify — from the chickpea mixture to the creamy tahini dipping sauce made with lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of cold water. The key move is starting with dried (not canned) chickpeas soaked overnight, which gives the falafel that classic coarse, almost grainy texture that holds together beautifully in the pan without falling apart. A quick chill before frying firms everything up, and a shallow pan-fry in neutral oil gets you that deeply golden color without a deep fryer. Serve them warm off the rack with a drizzle of tahini sauce and a squeeze of lemon — they 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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