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The starter, From around the world

Falafel with tahini sauce

Falafel with tahini sauce is a global style starter made from dried chickpeas, serving 6, with 50 minutes of active work split between the day before and the day of. The batter is made ahead and shaped the morning of, leaving only frying and plating right before guests arrive. Difficulty is medium and the cost lands around €1.40 per person, with success depending mostly on soaking raw dried chickpeas rather than cooking them.

Falafel so golden and crisp outside, green and tender inside, with a tahini sauce that wins everyone over.

Falafel with tahini sauce
For
6 people
Work
50 min
Total time
12 h 40
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
390 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

A good falafel shows itself in its crust, golden and crisp under the teeth, giving way to a tender green center scented with parsley, cilantro and cumin. The tahini sauce, bright with lemon and slightly thick, coats every bite without weighing it down. It's a starter that wins over everyone, even kids who aren't usually fans of legumes.

It's an ideal starter for a dinner party built around a global menu, alongside mezze, hummus or a cucumber salad. It works year round, and its low cost per person leaves room for a more generous main course afterward. Kids tend to eat it happily plain, with the sauce served on the side.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 1 step, 12 h
  2. The same day 3 steps, 1 h
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 15 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

The day before, soak the chickpeas overnight, a step that needs no attention at all. The morning of, blend the batter, shape the balls and make the tahini sauce, then let everything wait in the fridge. Right before guests arrive, fry the falafel in small batches and keep them warm, leaving only plating and drizzling the sauce for serving time.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Dried chickpeas 300 g
  • Tahini (sesame paste) 5 tbsp
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Baking powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Cilantro 1 bunch
  • Lemon 2

Allergens Gluten, Sesame

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Soak the dried chickpeas in three times their volume of cold water. 12 h

    Do not cook them, cooked chickpeas would give a soft batter that falls apart during frying.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Drain the chickpeas and blend in short bursts with the onion, three garlic cloves, the parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, flour and baking powder.

    Stop when the batter looks like damp couscous, not a puree, it should stay grainy.

  2. Let the batter rest in the fridge, then shape eighteen flattened balls using a tablespoon and wet hands. 1 h

    Pack each ball firmly in your palm, the chilling and packing are what keep it from falling apart in the oil.

  3. Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, one crushed garlic clove, a pinch of salt and enough cold water to get a smooth, pourable sauce.

    It will seize up and thicken first, keep whisking and add the water little by little, it turns silky all at once.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Heat the oil to 180°C and fry the falafel in small batches until golden, then keep them on a rack in a 100°C oven. 15 min

    Fry one test ball to check it holds together, if it falls apart add a tablespoon of flour to the batter.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Plate three falafel per plate, drizzle with tahini sauce and scatter with chopped parsley.

    No deep fryer on hand, a skillet with a good centimeter of oil works fine, flip the falafel halfway through cooking.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the chickpeas well after soaking and pat them dry with a towel before blending, extra moisture softens the batter and makes falafel fall apart when fried.
  • Pulse the food processor in short bursts rather than running it continuously, it heats the batter quickly and can turn it pasty instead of grainy.
  • Always fry one test ball before the full batch, it's the only reliable way to check the batter holds without having to adjust the whole batch blindly.

The variations

  • Swap the cilantro for more parsley if you're hosting guests who dislike its taste, the result stays just as fragrant.
  • For a quicker version, shape smaller, flatter falafel, they cook faster and turn out even crispier.
  • For kids, serve the falafel plain with the tahini sauce in a small bowl on the side, some prefer dipping their own way.

What to serve it with

  • Hummus with warm pita bread
  • Cucumber and mint salad
  • Mint tea or lemonade

Storage

Fried falafel keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, reheat a few minutes in the oven to keep them crisp. The raw batter freezes well once shaped into balls, fry straight from frozen without thawing. The tahini sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed jar.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use canned chickpeas instead of dried ones?

No, it's not recommended here. Canned, cooked chickpeas hold too much water and give a soft batter that falls apart when fried, soaking raw dried chickpeas is what holds falafel together.

Can falafel be baked instead of fried?

Yes, brush them with oil and bake at around 200°C for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The crust will be less crisp than fried, but the center stays just as tender.

How do you know the falafel batter is ready to shape?

It should feel like damp couscous that packs easily between your fingers without being sticky. If it's too sticky, one extra tablespoon of flour fixes it.

Can this recipe be doubled for more guests?

Yes, easily, since each batch fries in small amounts of oil anyway. Just allow a bit more time for frying and keep the first batches warm in the oven.

Can falafel with tahini sauce be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 50 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 1 step, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make falafel with tahini sauce?

Allow 12 h 40 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 50 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in falafel with tahini sauce?

About 390 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does falafel with tahini sauce cost?

About €1.40 per person, that's €8.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, sesame. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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