[Recipes] Herby Baked Falafel Bites with Spicy Mint Tahini Dip – A High-Fiber, Low-Sugar Snack Everyone Loves

Yields: 4 servings | Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Falafel:

• 1 cup shelled pistachios
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup each fresh cilantro, dill, and parsley (leaves and stems)
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or canned, drained and rinsed)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
• 1 Tbsp chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin

For the Spicy Mint Tahini Sauce:

• ½ cup tahini
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp water (add more as needed)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: Make the Falafel Mixture

• In a food processor, pulse the pistachios, mint, cilantro, dill, and parsley until finely chopped.
• Add the chickpeas, garlic, onion, olive oil, lemon zest, flour, baking soda, salt, coriander, and cumin.
• Pulse until the mixture is coarsely ground and evenly combined, scraping down the sides as needed.

Step 3: Form and Bake

• Using your hands, shape the mixture into 20 small balls.
• Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottoms.

Step 4: Make the Sauce

• In a blender, combine all sauce ingredients except the water.
• Blend, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and pourable.

Step 5: Serve

• Serve the falafel warm with the spicy mint tahini sauce on the side.
• Enjoy as a snack or in a pita wrap with veggies for a fuller meal.