Falafel with Tahini-Dill Sauce and Mediterranean Salad

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-05 · Updated 2026-05-05

Golden falafel balls served with creamy tahini-dill sauce and a fresh Mediterranean salad bursting with vibrant flavors. This Greek recipe (vegan), ready in about 60 minutes, pairs dried chickpeas, onion, fresh parsley for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 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 cup, soaked overnight dried chickpeas
• 1 small, roughly chopped onion
• 1/2 cup, chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• for frying, about 2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp, chopped fresh dill
• 1 medium, diced cucumber
• 2 medium, diced tomato
• 1/4 small, thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Drain 1 cup soaked dried chickpeas and pulse in a food processor with 1 small chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, and 3 garlic cloves until coarse but combined. Add 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; pulse again until mixture holds together but is not pureed.
2. Step 2: Form the mixture into 16 small balls or patties and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
3. Step 3: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry falafel balls in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
4. Step 4: For tahini-dill sauce, whisk together 1/3 cup tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp water, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill until smooth and creamy.
5. Step 5: Toss 1 diced medium cucumber, 2 diced medium tomatoes, and 1/4 thinly sliced small red onion with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and 1/2 tsp salt for the Mediterranean salad.
6. Step 6: Serve hot falafel alongside the tahini-dill sauce and fresh salad for a balanced, flavorful meal.