Xanthan Gum Free Vegan Falafel Bites
Crispy on the outside, herby and tender within, these little chickpea bites are the kind of snack that disappears fast no matter who's at the table. The secret is starting with dried chickpeas soaked overnight rather than canned — that raw, starchy texture is what holds everything together naturally, meaning no gums or binders beyond a small amount of flour and baking powder. A generous handful of fresh parsley and cilantro keeps the flavor bright and green, while cumin, coriander, and a touch of cayenne give each bite real depth and warmth. Pan-frying in a shallow pool of neutral oil gets you that deeply golden crust without the mess of a full deep-fry setup. The accompanying tahini sauce — just tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cold water whisked to a silky drizzle — ties everything together with a nutty, tangy finish. Whether you're serving these as an appetizer, stuffing them into pita, or just eating them straight off the rack, they're genuinely hard to stop at one.
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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 oil 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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