Lactose Free Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, herby and tender within, these chickpea skewers are the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast at any table. The falafel mixture gets its depth from a generous handful of fresh parsley and cilantro, plus warm spices like cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika — all blitzed together and pan-fried to a deep golden brown. Because everything here is built from whole plant-based ingredients, there's no dairy anywhere in the recipe, making it a genuinely easy fit for anyone avoiding lactose without any substitutions required. The tahini sauce — just tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of cold water — comes together in minutes and delivers that creamy, tangy drizzle you'd normally worry about with store-bought dressings. Threading the falafel onto skewers with chunks of cucumber, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes turns a simple dinner into something that looks seriously impressive on a platter. The one step worth not skipping is patting the chickpeas completely dry before processing — it's what keeps the balls firm and golden rather than falling apart in the pan. Serve with extra lemon wedges and a bowl of that silky tahini sauce on the side, and watch it vanish.
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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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