Easy Baked Falafel Recipe with Tahini Sauce

Get ready for this Easy Baked Falafel Recipe with Tahini Sauce. It’s a vegan-friendly Mediterranean-inspired dish that’s filled with flavor and made complete with a delicious lemon juice tang.

A Mediterranean inspired meal

I don’t know about you, but going to Mediterranean restaurants is always a treat. Everything is so delicious, from the salads and sandwiches to the pita bread and falafels and everything in between.

The last time I found myself in the mood for a relaxing Mediterranean dish, I decided to try my hand at creating one myself. I did a bit of thinking before ultimately deciding on falafels. I had never tried making these before, but I figured they couldn’t be that difficult, right? It’s kind of like making meatballs from scratch, but without the meat!

Luckily, I was right. These easy baked falafels took hardly any time at all, with the bulk of the time devoted to baking. I only had to do about 10-15 minutes of actual prepping, most of which involved shaping the falafel mix into patties.

This recipe is made of a chickpea base and is filled with red onion, cilantro, parsley, and loads of spices. It’s made complete with a zesty lemon juice tang that ties everything together for the better! Finally, the falafels are topped off with a delicious vegan tahini sauce that’s absolutely to die for.

Ingredients used to make falafels with tahini sauce

Falafels are made from a delicious blend of red onion, cilantro, parsley, and other flavorful ingredients. The base is made from chickpeas, making this a wonderful high-protein meal that’s accidentally perfect for vegans too!

As for the sauce, a blend of tahini, lemon juice, and seasonings makes for a delicious final touch.

Falafel:

• Chickpeas
• Red onion
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Cumin
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oat flour

Tahini sauce:

• Tahini
• Lemon juice
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cold water

Tools needed to make this recipe

To make this easy baked falafel recipe, you only need a couple of kitchen tools. Grab your baking sheet, food processor, favorite mixing bowl, and a stirring item, and you’ll be good to go!

Recipes that require minimal tools are the best because less items used = faster cleanup. This recipe is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want a super messy kitchen!

How to make easy baked falafel with tahini sauce

We will start by preparing and forming the falafels. While they bake, we’ll create the tahini sauce! In total, this recipe will take about 40 minutes.

To start, preheat the oven to 400F and grease a dark baking sheet with olive or avocado oil.

In a food processor, pulse the onion, cilantro, parsley, and garlic until roughly chopped. This should take about three pulses.

Add the chickpeas, lemon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse five times for about 1 full second, scraping down the side after three pulses. You do not want your mixture to turn into mush. You want it to stick together, but you should still have some small pieces of chickpeas throughout.

Next, take out the blade and stir in the oat flour.

Form the mix into patties (make hamburger shapes), and place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake the patties for 13 minutes, then flip and bake for another 13 minutes.

While the falafel is baking, make the tahini sauce by combining all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Add as much water as needed to reach the desired consistency.

Finally, serve and enjoy!

Falafel recipe tips

Here are answers to a lot of commonly asked falafel questions! Use these to help with making your recipe. Have some additional questions? Leave them in the comments below!

Is a falafel the same as a gyro?
Nope! Though often mixed up, these are two recipes that are completely different. Falafels are traditionally plant-based chickpea patties, whereas gyros are made of pita bread filled with lamb, pork, select vegetables (like peppers, onions, and cucumbers), and a tzatziki sauce.

How do you perfect a falafel?
To really perfect your easy baked falafel recipe, you can soak the chickpeas overnight to soften them just slightly. Before adding them to the food processor, make sure they’re completely dry. Additionally, don’t be afraid to go heavy on the seasonings. The more you use, the more flavor you’ll have! Feel free to add them to taste as you see fit.

Is this recipe vegetarian or vegan?
This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan. It uses zero animal products, instead requiring a simple blend of chickpeas, veggies, spices, and more.

How to store falafels
Extra falafels and tahini sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Keep them stored in separate containers.

More inspired Mediterranean food ideas

If you loved this tasty falafel recipe, you’ll want to try some of my other Mediterranean-inspired dishes too! Here are some of my favorites. The One Pan Salmon Dinner is incredible (and requires minimal clean up)!

• Lemon Garlic Hummus
• Healthy Green Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free)
• Easy One Pan Salmon Dinner
• Pear Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Recipe by Erin Morrissey + Photos by The Mindful Hapa