Hazelnut Free Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
These vibrant skewers bring together crispy, herb-packed falafel and fresh garden vegetables in a way that feels festive enough for a party spread but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. The falafel gets its deep golden crust from pan-frying in a neutral oil like canola or sunflower, and the combination of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and cayenne gives every bite a warm, layered kick. Plenty of tree nut-containing sauces and dips show up in Middle Eastern-inspired cooking, but the creamy tahini sauce here is made entirely from sesame paste, lemon juice, garlic, and water — nothing to second-guess. Chilling the chickpea mixture before shaping is the quiet secret that keeps the falafel balls firm and intact through the frying process. Threading them onto skewers with cool cucumber chunks, sweet red bell pepper, and juicy cherry tomatoes turns a classic street food into something you can pick up and eat with your hands, which is always a good sign. A final drizzle of that silky tahini sauce ties everything together and doubles as a dipping sauce on the side. This one is genuinely crowd-pleasing, completely plant-based, and built from ingredients you can feel confident about.
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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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