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Delightful Falafel Dish

Featured in Sweet Treats to Make at Home.

These crispy falafel patties bring classic Middle Eastern flavors to your plate. Start by soaking dried chickpeas, then grind them with fragrant spices, fresh parsley, cilantro, and garlic for a bold taste. Cook them until golden brown on the outside but herb-packed and tender on the inside. Serve with smooth tahini sauce and fresh veggies in warm pita for a satisfying bite every time.
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Updated on Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:54:15 GMT
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Delightful Falafel Dish | mecooking.com
Standing in the kitchen with fresh herbs scattered around and my trusty food processor humming away takes me right back to my younger days. Mom loved to cook, especially dishes from the Middle East, and she'd spend forever making delicious meals. One thing we all begged for was her homemade falafel. Those crunchy, tasty chickpea bites tucked in warm pita bread and topped with creamy tahini sauce—that memory sticks with me even now. You just can't beat homemade falafel and tahini sauce. In today's grab-and-go world where quick often wins over tasty, making these treats yourself isn't just showing love—it's making sure every mouthful packs real flavor and goodness. I'll walk you through an easy-to-follow guide for whipping up falafel and tahini sauce at home, covering everything from basic steps to clever tricks that make this combo so loved worldwide.

Falafel Components

  • Dried chickpeas, 2 cups: Make sure to soak them overnight. Skip the canned or already cooked ones—they'll mess up your texture completely.
  • White onion roughly chopped, 1 cup: Feel free to swap in red onions or shallots if you want a different taste.
  • Garlic cloves, 6: Chop them really small so the taste spreads out nicely.
  • Parsley leaves lightly packed, 1 cup: You'll need fresh herbs to get that real falafel taste.
  • Cilantro leaves lightly packed, 1 cup: This adds a nice fresh, slightly sharp flavor that works great with chickpeas.
  • Salt, 1 teaspoon: Kosher or sea salt works better for flavor.
  • Chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon: Gives a bit of heat—you can add more or skip it if you want.
  • Cumin, 2 teaspoons: This ground spice is essential in Middle Eastern cooking.
  • Baking powder, 2 teaspoons: This trick makes your falafel light and crispy.
  • All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup: Try chickpea flour instead if you're avoiding gluten, or leave it out completely.
  • Canola oil or olive oil: For cooking on the stove or in the oven.

Tahini Sauce Elements

  • Plain yogurt (any fat content), 1 1/4 cups: Greek yogurt is a good choice too.
  • Tahini (sesame paste), 1/4 cup: This is what makes the sauce so smooth and creamy.
  • Fresh lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons: Add more if you like it tangy, or try lime juice for something different.
  • Salt and pepper: Add to taste.

Handle the Onion and Garlic First

  • Throw your chopped onion and garlic into the food processor.
  • Give it a few pulses until everything's finely chopped.
  • Push this mix through a strainer to get rid of extra liquid—super important for keeping your falafel from getting soggy.
  • Put it aside for now.

Mix Your Falafel Stuff Together

  • Put your soaked chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cumin, baking powder, and flour in the food processor.
  • Pulse just enough to blend without turning it to mush—think grainy sand texture.
  • Add back your strained onion mix.
  • Pulse again until everything's mixed well. If it feels too wet, sprinkle in more flour. Too dry? A splash of water fixes that.

Cool It Down

  • Scoop the mix into a bowl.
  • Cover it with plastic wrap.
  • Stick it in the fridge for at least an hour or leave it overnight. This wait helps all the flavors blend and makes the mix firm enough to shape easily.

Whip Up Your Tahini Sauce

  • Mix the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a bowl until it's nice and smooth.
  • Add salt and pepper until it tastes just right.
  • Cover and keep it cold until you're ready to eat.

Shape Your Falafel

  • Use a small ice cream scoop or just spoons to make balls (about 3 tablespoons each).
  • You can smash them a bit flatter if you want patties. If they're falling apart, just add a bit more flour.

Cook Time

There are a few ways to cook falafel, and each gives you a different crunch and flavor.

Pan Cooking

  • Warm up a big pan over medium heat with plenty of canola or olive oil.
  • Cook the falafel on one side for 3 minutes until brown.
  • Flip and cook the other side until they're done all the way through.
  • Move them to a cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain off extra oil.
  • Sprinkle with salt while hot.

Oven Method

  • Set your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Roll the mix into balls or flatten into patties.
  • Put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
  • Pour lots of olive oil over them so they'll get crispy.
  • Bake for 14 minutes, turn them over, then bake another 10-12 minutes until they look golden and crisp.

Air Fryer Technique

  • Heat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
  • Arrange the falafel in a single layer in your air fryer basket.
  • Cook about 10-12 minutes, giving them a shake halfway, until they're golden and crunchy.

Ready to Eat

  • Stuff three or four falafel into a warm, cut-open pita pocket. Making your own pita bread takes this meal to the next level.
  • Pour your homemade tahini sauce all over.
  • Top with extras if you want—tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, pickled veggies, or hot sauce all work great.

Middle Eastern Delight

Crispy falafel with creamy tahini isn't just tasty—it's easy to make. Follow along to master this quick and satisfying meal.

Prep Time
75 Minutes
Cook Time
30 Minutes
Total Time
105 Minutes
By: Mariana

Category: Desserts

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Yield: 4 Servings (16-18 falafel patties)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 2 cups cooked chickpeas, well-drained.
02 6 cloves of garlic.
03 2 teaspoons cumin powder.
04 1 teaspoon of salt.
05 1/4 teaspoon ground chili.
06 2 teaspoons baking powder.
07 1/2 cup regular flour.
08 2 cups coarsely chopped white onion.
09 1 cup loosely packed cilantro.
10 1 cup loosely packed parsley.
11 Cooking oil, like canola oil, for frying.
12 Pita bread for serving.
13 1/4 cup sesame paste (tahini).
14 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt (choose fat-free or full-fat).
15 A couple of tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
16 Season with pepper and salt to your taste.

Instructions

Step 01

Throw the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, baking powder, salt, chili, and cumin into a food processor. Pulse everything together until it’s blended but still has a bit of chunkiness. Sprinkle in the flour and give it another quick pulse to combine. Scoop the mixture into a bowl, wrap it up with plastic, and let it chill in the fridge for an hour.

Step 02

While your falafel mixture rests, whip up a quick sauce by stirring the tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to adjust the flavor to your liking. Pop the bowl into the fridge to chill.

Step 03

Take the chilled falafel mix and shape it into balls using a couple of spoons or a small scoop (about 3 tablespoons each). Gently press them into round patties. If it feels sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour. Warm up a sauté pan over medium heat and pour enough canola oil to generously cover the bottom. Let the oil heat up for a few minutes, then place the falafel patties in one at a time. Cook them until golden brown on one side, roughly 3 minutes, then flip and repeat. Move the crispy patties to a cooling rack lined with paper towels and salt them while they’re still hot. Keep frying in batches until all are done.

Step 04

Heat the pita bread and split it into halves. Stuff each half with a few falafel patties and pour on the chilled tahini sauce. Serve right away for the best flavor.

Step 05

If frying isn’t your thing, check out the baked option for a crispy falafel. Not into tahini sauce? A dollop of plain Greek yogurt can work as a fresh and creamy match for the falafel.

Notes

  1. This includes steps for making falafel and tahini sauce by hand. If you don’t have a food processor, mash the chickpeas with a fork and chop the rest finely. For a gluten-free option, switch the flour for chickpea flour.

Tools You'll Need

  • Chopping-and-blending food processor.
  • Mixing bowls.
  • A frying pan for sautéing.
  • Plastic wrap for covering the bowl.
  • Rack for cooling fried falafel.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Sesame.
  • Dairy.
  • Gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 300
  • Total Fat: 15 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
  • Protein: 10 g