Falafel with Tahina and Pickled Turnip

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09

Crisp, herb-green falafel made from soaked dried chickpeas, served with lemony tahina and quick pink pickled turnips colored with beet. It's the falafel-stand classic made at home. This Israeli-inspired vegetarian recipe (vegan), ready in about 60 minutes, pairs dried chickpeas, yellow onion, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 610 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups, soaked overnight (do not use canned) dried chickpeas
• 1 small, quartered yellow onion
• 4 cloves, divided garlic
• 1 cup, packed fresh parsley
• 1 cup, packed fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp, divided kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• 4 cups neutral oil for frying
• 2 medium, peeled and cut into sticks turnips
• 1 small slice raw beet
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Quick-pickle the turnips (ideally a day ahead, or at least 2 hours): pack turnip sticks, the beet slice, and 1 smashed garlic clove into a jar. Heat vinegar, water, 1 tsp salt, and sugar until dissolved, pour over the vegetables, cool, and refrigerate.
2. Step 2: Drain the soaked chickpeas well and pat dry. In a food processor, pulse chickpeas, onion, 2 garlic cloves, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and 1 tsp salt until finely ground, like coarse sand. Don't purée it smooth.
3. Step 3: Transfer to a bowl, stir in baking soda and chickpea flour, and chill 30 minutes.
4. Step 4: Make the tahina: whisk tahini, lemon juice, the remaining garlic clove (grated), and a pinch of salt. Whisk in ice water gradually until creamy.
5. Step 5: Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 350°F. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls or patties, pressing firmly.
6. Step 6: Fry in batches 3-4 minutes, turning, until deep brown and crisp. Drain on a rack.
7. Step 7: Serve the falafel in warm pita or on a platter with tahina and the pickled turnips.