Baked Falafel Sliders (Printable)

Spiced chickpea patties baked and served with fresh veggies and creamy tahini in mini buns.

# What You Need:

→ Falafel Patties

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 small onion, roughly chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
05 - ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
08 - ½ teaspoon ground paprika
09 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
13 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour for gluten-free)
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing

→ Slider Assembly

15 - 8 mini slider buns or small dinner rolls
16 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
17 - 1 cup tomato, thinly sliced
18 - ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
19 - 1 cup mixed greens or lettuce

→ Tahini Sauce

20 - ¼ cup tahini
21 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
22 - 1 tablespoon water, plus more to thin
23 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
24 - ¼ teaspoon salt

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush with olive oil.
02 - In a food processor, combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, baking powder, and flour. Pulse until a coarse, slightly sticky mixture forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
03 - Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form into 8 small patties. Arrange them evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Lightly brush the patties with olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes, then gently flip, brush again with olive oil, and bake for an additional 10 to 13 minutes until golden and firm.
05 - While patties bake, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, and salt in a bowl. Add extra water as necessary to achieve a smooth, pourable consistency.
06 - Optionally, lightly toast the slider buns to enhance texture and flavor.
07 - Spread tahini sauce onto the bottom half of each bun. Place one baked falafel patty on top, then layer with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and mixed greens. Drizzle with additional tahini sauce and cover with the top bun.
08 - Serve sliders immediately for optimal freshness and flavor.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're baked, not fried, so your kitchen smells like fresh herbs instead of lingering oil.
  • You can prep and freeze the patties days ahead, making weeknight dinner almost instant.
  • One batch feeds eight people easily, making them perfect for casual gatherings without hours of cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing of canned chickpeas—excess starch makes the mixture fall apart when you try to flip it.
  • The baking powder is essential; it's what keeps these from being dense hockey pucks, so don't leave it out even though the spices do the talking.
03 -
  • Keep a bowl of water nearby when you're forming patties—damp hands prevent sticking and make handling easier.
  • If your mixture seems too wet after processing, add another tablespoon of flour and pulse again; it should hold together but not be dense.
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