Shellfish Free Vegan Falafel Bites
Crispy on the outside, tender and herb-packed on the inside, these little bites deliver serious flavor from a short list of pantry-friendly ingredients. Dried chickpeas are the secret weapon here — soaking them raw rather than using canned keeps the texture coarse and satisfying, so each bite holds together beautifully in the pan without falling apart. Fresh parsley and cilantro bring a bright, grassy lift, while cumin, coriander, and a hit of cayenne give the whole batch a warm, aromatic depth that smells incredible as they hit the hot oil. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes and adds a creamy, nutty contrast that makes every dip completely irresistible. Everything in this recipe is naturally plant-based and free from any seafood or shellfish ingredients, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about what's hiding in a store-bought version. Frying in batches on the stovetop gives you that deeply golden crust that baked versions rarely achieve, and the wire rack finish keeps them crisp all the way to the table. Serve them as an appetizer, stuff them into pita, or just pile them on a platter with lemon wedges and let people go to town.
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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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