Low Sugar Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
These skewers are a full-on crowd-pleaser — crispy, herb-packed falafel balls threaded with cool cucumber, sweet red bell pepper, and juicy cherry tomatoes, then finished with a silky, garlicky tahini sauce. Every component is made entirely from whole, savory ingredients, so there's no hidden sweetener sneaking into your meal the way it often does in store-bought falafel mixes or bottled dressings. The tahini sauce comes together with just tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and a little cold water — nothing more, nothing less, and it's genuinely better than anything from a jar. Getting the falafel right is all about patience: drying the chickpeas thoroughly, pulsing to the right texture, and chilling the mixture so the balls hold their shape in the pan. That extra hour in the fridge pays off the moment they hit the hot oil and develop that deep golden crust. Whether you're serving these at a backyard gathering or building a weeknight mezze spread, they deliver serious flavor without any compromise on what's actually in them.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the falafel
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅓ cup neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), for pan-frying
For the tahini sauce
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 3–4 tbsp cold water, to thin
- ¼ tsp salt
For the skewers
- 1 medium english cucumber, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Spread the drained chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat thoroughly dry — excess moisture will prevent the falafel from holding together. Let them air-dry for 10 minutes.
- 2
Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts, 10–12 times, until the mixture resembles coarse, slightly damp sand — it should hold together when pressed between your fingers but not be a smooth paste. Scrape down the sides as needed.
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