Baked falafel with tahini and pickled onions makes a generous sharing plate, with warm, herby patties, creamy sesame sauce and a bright tangle of pink onion. Set out crunchy vegetables and warm flatbreads alongside, then let everyone assemble their own plate. Keeping the components separate until serving preserves the contrast between the falafel crust and the cool toppings.
This recipe uses tinned chickpeas for convenience and shapes them into small, flattened patties that brown well in the oven. The emphasis is on three elements working together: a tender chickpea centre, a sauce that drizzles easily and onions with enough sharpness to lift each mouthful. Start the onions first and they will soften while you prepare dinner.
Ingredients and timing
Serves four and makes sixteen small falafel. Allow about 30 minutes for preparation, 30 minutes for chilling and 25 to 30 minutes for baking. Make the sauce and prepare the serving vegetables while the mixture chills.
For the baked falafel
- 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed, about 480g drained weight
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 25g flat-leaf parsley, including tender stalks, washed and dried
- 15g fresh coriander, washed and dried
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons plain flour, plus 1 extra tablespoon if needed
- Half a teaspoon baking powder
- Half a teaspoon fine salt and a few twists of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing
For the quick pickled onions
- 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons just-boiled water
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- A small pinch of salt
For the tahini sauce and serving
- 4 tablespoons tahini, stirred thoroughly before measuring
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus extra to taste
- 4 to 6 tablespoons cold water
- A small pinch of salt
- Half a cucumber, chopped
- 250g tomatoes, chopped
- 2 little gem lettuces, leaves separated and washed
- 4 small wholemeal flatbreads, warmed according to packet instructions
Method
- Pickle the onions. Put the sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl. Mix the vinegar, hot water, sugar and salt until dissolved, then pour over the onion. Toss and leave for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. These are quick refrigerator pickles for short storage, rather than a cupboard preserve.
- Dry the chickpeas. Spread them over a clean tea towel or kitchen paper and pat thoroughly dry. Leave them exposed while you prepare the herbs. Excess surface water makes the mixture harder to shape and prevents the edges browning well.
- Chop the aromatics. Put the small onion, garlic, parsley and fresh coriander in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the chickpeas, cumin, ground coriander, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.
- Make a coarse mixture. Pulse in short bursts until the chickpeas are finely chopped and the mixture clumps when squeezed. Avoid blending to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Shape the falafel. Heat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius, or 200 degrees Celsius fan. Brush a large metal baking tray with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Divide the mixture into sixteen portions and press firmly into patties about 1.5cm thick. If the mixture is too wet to hold its shape, work in the extra tablespoon of flour.
- Bake and turn. Arrange the patties with space between them and brush with the remaining oil. Bake for 15 minutes, turn carefully with a thin spatula, then bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until browned on both sides and hot throughout. Leave on the tray for a few minutes before lifting.
- Whisk the sauce. Mix the tahini with the lemon juice and salt. It may thicken initially. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth and pourable. Taste and add a little more lemon juice or water if needed.
- Serve as a sharing plate. Arrange the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes on a platter with the warm falafel. Drain some onions and scatter them over the vegetables. Put the sauce and warm flatbreads alongside so everyone can help themselves.
Get the texture right
Tinned chickpeas are already cooked, so these falafel have a softer centre than versions made with soaked, uncooked chickpeas. Expect a tender, slightly crumbly middle and a browned outer surface. The flattened shape gives more contact with the tray and helps the patties cook evenly.
Dry herbs matter as much as dry chickpeas. Shake off washing water and pat the leaves before processing. Use lemon zest in the mixture for fragrance, reserving the juice for the sauce so you do not introduce unnecessary liquid. If your processor is small, work in batches and combine everything in a bowl.
Give the base time to form a crust before turning. A pale patty can stick or break when moved too soon. Slide the spatula under the whole falafel and turn gently. Leave space between them so hot air can circulate; use two trays if necessary, swapping their positions during cooking.
Build a colourful plate
Offer plenty of crunchy vegetables and let the bread provide something soft for scooping. Thin the tahini enough to spread across the meal without sitting in heavy dollops. Add the pickled onions gradually, tasting as you go: their sharpness should complement the herbs and sesame.
For a different accompaniment, replace the lettuce and tomatoes with shredded cabbage and grated carrot. A bowl of cooked bulgur also works well when you want a more substantial meal. Keep any extra dressing simple because the platter already has both creamy sauce and an acidic topping.
Simple variations
- More parsley: replace the fresh coriander with the same weight of parsley if you prefer. Keep the ground coriander for gentle warmth.
- A little heat: add a pinch of chilli flakes to the falafel mixture, or serve sliced fresh chilli separately.
- Garlicky tahini: whisk half a small, finely grated garlic clove into the sauce and let it stand briefly before tasting.
- Milder toppings: use a smaller spoonful of drained onions and offer extra cucumber alongside.
Making ahead and storing leftovers
Cool cooked falafel promptly and refrigerate in a covered container within two hours. Store the sauce, onions and vegetables separately and use refrigerated leftovers within two days. Keep the onions in their pickling liquid in the fridge; this quick method does not make them suitable for storage at room temperature.
Reheat falafel on a tray at 200 degrees Celsius, or 180 degrees Celsius fan, until piping hot throughout, checking after about 10 minutes. Reheat only once. Stir a splash of cold water into chilled tahini if it has thickened. You can also freeze cooled falafel in a sealed container with baking paper between layers, then defrost in the fridge before reheating. Assemble the platter just before eating to keep the vegetables crisp and the falafel edges at their best.
