Cashew Free Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
These vibrant skewers are everything you want from street-food-inspired cooking — 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. The falafel itself is built on a base of chickpeas blitzed with fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika, so every bite is deeply savory with just a hint of heat from the cayenne. A chilling step after mixing is the real secret here — it firms up the mixture so the balls hold their shape beautifully in the pan and come out golden and crisp on every side. The tahini sauce comes together with just a whisk and a few tablespoons of cold water, thinning into something smooth and pourable that doubles as both a drizzle and a dipping sauce. Because every component is made from scratch with straightforward pantry ingredients, there's no need to second-guess labels or worry about hidden tree nuts sneaking in through a pre-made sauce or seasoning blend. This is the kind of platter that looks impressive enough for a dinner party but is genuinely approachable for a weeknight cook.
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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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