Walnut Free Vegan Falafel Skewers with Tahini Sauce
Crispy on the outside, herby and tender within, these chickpea skewers are the kind of party food that disappears before you even sit down. The falafel mixture gets its bold flavor from fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and a touch of smoked paprika, all pulsed together and pan-fried to a deep golden brown. Threaded onto skewers with cool cucumber chunks, sweet red bell pepper, and juicy cherry tomatoes, each bite is a little celebration of color and texture. The silky tahini sauce — whisked together with fresh lemon juice and grated garlic — ties everything together with a nutty, tangy richness that keeps people reaching for more. Tree nut concerns are completely off the table here, since every ingredient from the chickpea base to the sesame-seed tahini is naturally free of walnuts and walnut-derived products. The one technique worth trusting is the chill time: letting the mixture rest in the fridge makes the falafel balls firm up beautifully so they hold their shape in the pan without falling apart. Whether you're feeding a crowd or just treating yourself to something a little special on a weeknight, this platter delivers serious restaurant energy with a very manageable ingredient list.
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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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