Low Iodine Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, herbaceous and tender within, these pan-fried chickpea skewers are the kind of crowd-pleasing dish that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. The falafel mixture gets its depth from a generous handful of fresh parsley and cilantro, plus warm spices like cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika — no exotic or hard-to-source ingredients required. For anyone navigating iodine restrictions, this recipe is a natural fit: it's entirely plant-based, relies on fresh vegetables and pantry staples, and skips the seafood, dairy, and iodized salt pitfalls that can make so many restaurant or packaged options off-limits. The silky tahini sauce — just sesame paste, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and water — comes together in minutes and doubles as both a drizzle and a dipping sauce. Threading the golden falafel balls onto skewers with cucumber, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes turns a simple weeknight dinner into something that looks genuinely festive on a platter. The one step worth not skipping is the chill time: letting the mixture rest in the fridge makes the balls easy to shape and helps them hold together beautifully in the pan.
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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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