Baked Falafel and Tahini Sauce
Baked Falafel and Tahini Sauce is a vibrant, healthy, and easy plant-based meal that brings Mediterranean flavors to your table. These herbed falafel bites with creamy tahini sauce are perfect for any occasion. Bake this Mediterranean falafel dish, customize with your favorite sides, and enjoy a wholesome, delicious meal!
Ingredients
For the Falafel:
- 1 15 oz or 425g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
- ¼ large red onion about 50g
- ½ cup 30g fresh cilantro, loosely packed
- 1 cup 60g fresh parsley, loosely packed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup 25g oat flour
For the Tahini Sauce:
- ¼ cup 60g tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon about 2 tbsp
- 1 small garlic clove pressed
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 –5 tbsp cold water
For Serving (Optional):
- Chopped cucumber tomato, or pita
Instructions
Preheat and Prep
- I preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a dark baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with olive oil to ensure crispy herbed falafel bites.
Process the Mixture
- In a food processor, I pulse ¼ red onion, ½ cup cilantro, 1 cup parsley, and 3 garlic cloves 3 times until roughly chopped. I add 1 can chickpeas, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper, pulsing 5 times (1-second pulses), scraping sides halfway. The mixture should be textured, not pureed, for perfect crispy falafel patties.
Form the Patties
- I remove the blade and stir in ¼ cup oat flour with a spatula. If too wet, I add 1 tbsp more flour. I shape the mixture into 8–10 hamburger-sized patties and place them on the prepared baking sheet for this Mediterranean falafel dish.
Bake the Falafel
- I bake for 13 minutes, flip carefully with a spatula, and bake for another 13 minutes until golden and crisp, ensuring tender yet crunchy herbed falafel bites.
Make the Tahini Sauce
- In a bowl, I whisk ¼ cup tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 pressed garlic clove, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. I add 2–5 tbsp cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the sauce is creamy and pourable for these crispy falafel patties.
Serve
- I serve the falafel warm, drizzled with tahini sauce or with sauce on the side, paired with cucumber, tomato, or pita for a complete turkey salad bowl experience.
Notes
- Dry chickpeas well after rinsing to prevent soggy falafel.
- Don’t over-process — leave some texture for the best result.
- Mixture too wet? Add a little more oat flour.