Pecan Free Vegan Falafel Bites
These crispy little bites are packed with fresh herbs, warm spices, and the satisfying depth that comes from using properly soaked dried chickpeas — never canned. The food processor does the heavy lifting, breaking everything down into a coarse, fragrant mixture that fries up golden and firm with a tender, herb-flecked center. A bright tahini sauce made with lemon juice and fresh garlic ties it all together, giving you something to drizzle or dip with every single bite. The entire ingredient list is built around pantry staples and fresh produce, so there's no need to scan labels for hidden tree nuts or worry about cross-contact from specialty products. Frying in a neutral oil like canola or avocado oil keeps the flavor clean and lets the cumin, coriander, and cayenne really shine through. Whether you're serving these as an appetizer, stuffing them into pita, or just snacking straight off the platter, they disappear fast — so consider doubling the batch.
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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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