Baked Falafel Bites with Lemony Tahini Dip

Name: Baked Falafel Bites with Lemony Tahini Dip
Prep time: 42 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 1 h 6 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1⅓ cups (250 g) dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water for 8–12 hours, then drained well (do not cook); 1 cup, packed (40 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, washed and thoroughly dried; 1 cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, washed and thoroughly dried; ½ medium (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder; 3 tbsp (24 g) chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour); 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 1 tbsp for the pans, 2 tbsp for brushing the bites; 1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds (optional); ½ cup (120 g) tahini, stirred well in the jar before measuring; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated; ¼ cup (60 ml) ice-cold water, plus 1–2 tbsp more if needed to thin; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Bright green, herb-packed falafel bites with crisp edges and a tender middle, baked instead of fried so they're easy to make for a crowd. Served with a creamy, lemony tahini dip.

Prep: 42 min
Cook: 24 min
Wait: 10 hr 20 min
Total: 11 hr 26 min
Makes: About 32 bites (8 party servings) plus about 1 cup dip

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the falafel bites
1⅓ cups (250 g) dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water for 8–12 hours, then drained well (do not cook)
1 cup, packed (40 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, washed and thoroughly dried
1 cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, washed and thoroughly dried
½ medium (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
3 tbsp (24 g) chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour)
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 1 tbsp for the pans, 2 tbsp for brushing the bites
1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds (optional)
For the tahini dip
½ cup (120 g) tahini, stirred well in the jar before measuring
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 large lemon
1 small clove (3 g) garlic clove, finely grated
¼ cup (60 ml) ice-cold water, plus 1–2 tbsp more if needed to thin
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt

Equipment (8)

Food processor (at least 10-cup / 2.4 L capacity)
2 rimmed baking sheets, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Large bowl for soaking (at least 3 quarts / 3 L)
Small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) or a tablespoon measure
Pastry brush
Medium bowl and whisk for the dip
Clean kitchen towel or paper towels

Steps

Before you start

Start the day before: dried chickpeas need 8–12 hours of soaking. Canned chickpeas make a wet, mushy mix that falls apart, so don't substitute them.
Plan about 11 hours overall, but only about 1 hour is hands-on.
Wash and thoroughly dry the parsley and cilantro. Wet herbs make the mixture soggy.
You will need a food processor. A blender will not chop the mix coarsely enough.

1
Soak the chickpeas
- Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches (8 cm), because they will roughly double in size.
- Leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours.
- Do not add baking soda and do not cook them.
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Ready when: Chickpeas are plump, doubled in size, and a cut one is evenly pale all the way through with no hard core.
Tip: Do not use canned chickpeas. They hold too much moisture and the bites will be pasty and fall apart.
2
Prep herbs and pansOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C).
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment and brush each with ½ tbsp of the olive oil (1 tbsp total).
- Drain the soaked chickpeas, rinse, and spread on a clean towel to dry for a few minutes.
- Make sure the parsley and cilantro are completely dry, and roughly chop the onion.
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Ready when: Chickpeas and herbs feel dry to the touch, not dripping.
Tip: Bake one pan at a time on the center rack if your oven runs uneven, or swap pan positions halfway through.
3
Process the mixture
- In the food processor, combine the onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro.
- Pulse 8–10 times until finely chopped.
- Add the drained chickpeas, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, baking powder and chickpea flour.
- Pulse in 1-second bursts, scraping down the sides every 8–10 pulses, for about 25–30 pulses total.
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Ready when: The mixture looks like coarse, damp crumbs flecked with green, and holds together when a small handful is pinched. It should not be a smooth paste.
Tip: Over-processing makes a dense, gummy bite. Stop while you can still see tiny chickpea pieces about the size of couscous.
4
Rest the mixture
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the sesame seeds if using.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes so the flour and chickpea starch absorb moisture and the mix firms up for shaping.
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Ready when: The mixture holds a clear shape when pressed into a ball.
Tip: If it still crumbles apart after resting, stir in 1 tbsp water; if it feels wet and sticky, add 1 tbsp more chickpea flour.
5
Shape the bites
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon (about 25 g) of mixture and press firmly in your palms into a compact ball, then flatten slightly into a ¾-inch (2 cm) thick disk or leave as a ball.
- Place on the prepared pans about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, 16 per pan.
- You should get about 32 bites.
- Brush the tops lightly with 1 tbsp of the remaining olive oil.
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Ready when: Each bite is smooth and tightly packed with no cracks.
Tip: Wet your hands slightly if the mix sticks to them.
6
Bake first sideOven 425°F / 220°C
- Bake both pans at 425°F (220°C) for 12 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden brown and the bites release easily from the parchment.
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Ready when: Bottoms are deep golden brown and the bites lift off the parchment without sticking.
7
Flip and finish bakingOven 425°F / 220°C
- Remove the pans and flip each bite with a spatula or tongs.
- Brush the tops with the last 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Return to the oven and bake 10–12 minutes more, swapping the pans' positions halfway, until deeply golden and crisp outside.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown, the outside feels firm and crisp when tapped, and the center is tender and green when you break one open.
Tip: Pale bites will be soft and pasty. Add 2–3 minutes if they aren't deeply golden.
8
Whisk the tahini dip
- While the bites bake, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic and salt in a medium bowl.
- It will seize and look thick and pasty; this is normal.
- Add the ¼ cup (60 ml) ice-cold water in a slow stream while whisking until smooth, creamy and pale.
- Thin with 1–2 tbsp more water if needed.
- Taste and add salt or lemon as desired.
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Ready when: The dip is smooth and pale and falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon, like heavy cream.
Tip: Add water gradually. The dip thickens again after chilling, so loosen it with a splash of water before serving.
9
Cool and serve
- Let the bites cool on the pans for 5 minutes so they firm up.
- Serve warm on a platter with the tahini dip alongside, with toothpicks if you like.
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Ready when: Bites feel firm and hold together when lifted.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the texture coarse and crumbly when processing. This is the key to bites that are tender inside and not dense.
Use enough oil on the pans and tops; it is what browns and crisps the outside without frying.
Press the mixture firmly when shaping. Loosely packed bites crack and crumble.
Use ice-cold water for the dip. It makes the tahini whip up smoother and paler.

Make ahead

"Soak the chickpeas up to the day before. The shaped, unbaked bites can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking (add 2–3 minutes to the bake time). The dip can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours for serving. Refrigerator: store cooled bites in an airtight container up to 4 days and the dip up to 5 days (loosen with a splash of water). Freezer: freeze baked bites in a single layer, then bag, up to 3 months. Reheat from fridge or frozen on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 8–12 minutes, until hot and crisp."

Substitutions

fresh cilantro → additional fresh flat-leaf parsley (another 1 cup / 30 g packed). Gives a milder, more parsley-forward flavor if you dislike cilantro.
chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour) → all-purpose flour or a gluten-free all-purpose blend. Use the same amount; chickpea flour keeps the bites naturally gluten-free.
fresh lemon juice → fresh lime juice. Use an equal amount for a slightly sharper dip.
tahini → plain Greek yogurt mixed with 2 tbsp tahini. For a tangier dip, replace the water with yogurt; the dip will be thicker.