Macadamia Free Vegan Falafel Bites
These crispy little bites pack serious flavor — herby, golden, and satisfying in a way that feels both street-food casual and dinner-party worthy. Soaking dried chickpeas overnight (rather than using canned) is the real secret here, giving the falafel that signature coarse, almost grainy texture that holds together beautifully in the pan without falling apart. The food processor does the heavy lifting, blending fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and a kick of cayenne into a fragrant mixture that smells incredible before it even hits the oil. Pan-frying in a neutral oil like canola or avocado oil gets you that deeply golden crust without needing a deep fryer or a ton of cleanup. The tahini dipping sauce — bright with lemon juice and sharp with fresh garlic — comes together in minutes and is genuinely hard to stop eating. Every ingredient here is straightforward and plant-based, so there's no need to scan labels or worry about unexpected nut additions sneaking into your meal. Serve them on a platter with lemon wedges and a dusting of paprika, and watch them 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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