Caffeine Free Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
These vibrant skewers are everything you want in a crowd-pleasing dish — crispy, herb-packed falafel balls threaded with cool cucumber, sweet red bell pepper, and juicy cherry tomatoes, all finished with a silky, garlicky tahini sauce. Every ingredient here is naturally free of caffeine, so there's no need to audit labels or swap anything out; the whole recipe works exactly as written. The falafel mixture gets its depth from cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and a generous handful of fresh parsley and cilantro, which means the flavor is anything but flat. Patting the chickpeas completely dry and chilling the mixture before shaping are the two steps that make the difference between falafel that holds together beautifully and one that falls apart in the pan. Pan-frying in a neutral oil gives each ball that irresistible golden crust while keeping the inside tender and moist. The tahini sauce comes together in minutes — just whisk, thin with cold water, and you have a creamy, lemony dip that ties the whole platter together. Whether you're feeding a weeknight table or setting out a spread for guests, these skewers look stunning and taste even better.
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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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