1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Falafel with Creamy Sauce

Falafel with Creamy Sauce

Featured in Nibbles and bites when hunger strikes.

Crunchy chickpea falafel loaded with fresh parsley, cilantro, and warm spices. They're fried golden, staying soft inside, and paired with a smooth, lemony tahini drizzle. Wrap it all in pita with veggies for a fresh and satisfying meal.
Pin it Share it Send it Print it Jump To Recipe
alicia in the kitchen
Updated on Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:55:07 GMT
Falafel and Tahini Sauce Pin it
Falafel and Tahini Sauce | tasteofsavor.com
Here’s what you need to know to whip up your own falafel at home, with my personal tips mixed in from lots of sources.

Ingredients

  • Most folks stick with dried chickpeas, but if time’s short, grab canned ones.
    • Canned Chickpeas: Fast and handy, though they tend to fall apart a little when you cook them.
    • Dried Chickpeas: Let them drink up water all night—at least 8 to 12 hours—and you’ll get classic falafel texture.
  • Don’t forget onion, garlic, fresh greens like cilantro or parsley, spices like cumin and coriander, some salt, and maybe a pinch of baking powder or soda to keep things light.

Getting Chickpeas Ready

  • If you’re sticking with the dried kind, just soak ’em overnight, then rinse and drain off all the extra water.

Blending Your Falafel Mix

  • Toss chickpeas and your other ingredients into a food processor—onions, garlic, parsley, and seasonings. Pulse just enough so it’s all crumbly, not totally smooth. You want a bit of texture, so don’t go wild.

Letting It Rest

  • Chill the bowl in the fridge for 15-60 minutes. That helps everything stick together better when you shape it.

Shaping Your Falafel

  • Grab some mix and roll it into little balls or flatten for patties. Don’t pack them super tight or you’ll lose that fluffy bite.

Time to Cook

Frying
  • If you want that super crunchy outside, heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and gently fry small batches till you see them turn golden and crisp.
Baking
  • Get your oven up to 400°F (200°C), splash olive oil over a baking tray, and lay out your balls or patties. Bake for 14 to 20 minutes—flip them halfway. You want golden, crisp, and cooked through.
Pan-Frying
  • Pour a few spoonfuls of oil in a skillet over medium. Cook each patty, flip one time, and look for a nice golden color on both sides.

Tricks and Ideas

Canned Chickpea Shortcuts
  • Go ahead and skip the soaking if you’re using canned chickpeas, but heads up—they may crumble. Stir in a little flour if you want them to hang together better.
Mix-ins and Tweaks
  • Switch things up with extra herbs or different warming spices. Toss in greens like kale or spinach if you want more nutrients.
  • If you’re baking them, pour on some extra olive oil and give your falafel a turn halfway so you get that nice crunch.

Serving Ideas

  • Pile falafel into a pita with all the good stuff—tahini, hummus, maybe some tangy pickled onions—and anything else you like for a filling meal that hits the spot.
Just follow these steps and tricks, and you’ll have tasty, homemade falafel your way.

Falafel with Creamy Sauce

Whip up crispy falafel at home with an easy creamy tahini sauce. These herby chickpea patties are great wrapped in warm pita bread with fresh veggies.

Prep Time
80 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
100 Minutes
By: Alicia

Category: Appetizers

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Yield: 4 Servings (Makes about 12 falafel patties)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 2 cups of cooked and drained chickpeas.
02 1 cup of parsley leaves, lightly packed.
03 1 cup of cilantro leaves, lightly packed.
04 2 cups of roughly cut white onions.
05 6 cloves of garlic.
06 1/2 cup of plain flour.
07 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
08 2 teaspoons of ground cumin.
09 1 teaspoon of salt.
10 A pinch of chili powder (1/4 teaspoon).
11 Cooking oil like canola, for frying.
12 Warm pita bread for serving.
13 1 1/4 cups of plain yogurt (use full-fat or non-fat).
14 1/4 cup of tahini (made from sesame seeds).
15 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
16 Pepper and salt to adjust seasoning.

Instructions

Step 01

In a food processor, combine the onions, chickpeas, garlic, parsley, cilantro, salt, cumin, chili powder, and baking powder. Blend everything until you get a rough, grainy texture. Scoop the mixture into a bowl and stir in the flour. Cover the bowl using plastic wrap, then refrigerate it for at least an hour.

Step 02

Mix together the yogurt, tahini, and a squeeze of lemon juice with a whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge to chill until you're ready to use it.

Step 03

After refrigerating, take the falafel mixture and scoop out portions with a spoon or scoop. Each portion should be about 3 tablespoons. Flatten the balls into patties. If it's too soft, sprinkle in some extra flour.

Step 04

Heat a big sauté pan over medium heat, adding enough canola oil to generously coat the bottom. Once it's hot (about 3 minutes), fry the patties. Let one side cook for around 3 minutes before flipping to brown the other side. Once they're golden and cooked through, transfer them to a wire rack lined with paper towels, and while hot, sprinkle a little salt on top. Keep going until all patties are cooked.

Step 05

Cut a pita in half, warm it up, and slip three to four patties inside. Drizzle the tahini yogurt sauce right on top and serve straight away.

Notes

  1. Tip: If you'd rather bake than fry, look up baked falafel for crispy results. You can also swap tahini sauce with some Greek yogurt for a creamy, cool touch.

Tools You'll Need

  • A food processor.
  • A large mixing bowl.
  • Whisk for mixing.
  • A big sauté pan.
  • Some plastic wrap.
  • A cooling rack lined with paper towels.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains sesame (in tahini).
  • Contains gluten (in flour).
  • Contains dairy (in yogurt).

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: 10 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 40 g
  • Protein: 10 g