These raw falafels capture the aroma of the traditional version, without any frying. Carrot, celery and sunflower seeds form the base, lifted with cumin and fresh parsley, then lightly dried in the dehydrator to develop a little crispness on the outside. Two sauces go with them: a fresh courgette and cucumber tzatziki, and a thicker tahini sauce. The recipe calls for a little organisation, but every step stays simple.
Raw celery falafels with courgette tzatziki
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Ingredients
Falafels
- 320 g carrots, roughly chopped
- 70 g celery
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for coating
Tzatziki
- 125 g peeled courgette, in pieces
- 125 g peeled cucumber, in pieces, plus 100 g to finish
- 20 g macadamia nuts
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon snipped chives
Tahini sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon tahini or ground sesame seeds
Marinated turnips
- 1 large turnip (200 g), spiralized
- 1 tablespoon beetroot juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
To serve
- 1 large head of lettuce (400 g)
- 200 g baby spinach
- 3 tomatoes, diced
Method
- Roughly chop the carrots and celery.
- Grind the sunflower seeds in the food processor to a fine powder, then add the carrots and celery and blend to combine well.
- Add the parsley and cumin, then blend again.
- Taking your time, shape the fairly moist mixture into balls, then roll them in the sesame seeds.
- Dehydrate for 3 to 4 hours at 46 °C.
- For the tzatziki, blend all the ingredients in the blender, except the 100 g of cucumber for finishing.
- Finely chop that cucumber and stir it in with a spoon.
- For the tahini sauce, simply mix all the ingredients together.
- For the turnips, toss the spirals with the beetroot juice and lemon juice.
- Toss the lettuce, spinach and tomatoes together, arrange the falafels on top, drizzle with tahini sauce, add the turnips on the side and serve the tzatziki in a small bowl.
Tip
Short on time? Skip the marinated turnips and simply serve the falafels with one of the two sauces: the result is still excellent. Lightly squeeze the chopped carrot and celery in a tea towel before blending, and the mixture will be easier to roll.
FAQ: your questions about raw falafels and tzatziki
Are falafels eaten cold?
Yes, and these are even designed to be served at room temperature, since they never go near a fryer. Classic falafels are also eaten cold, in salads or sandwiches, even though they lose their crispness. For this raw version, a quarter of an hour in the dehydrator just before serving brings back their crunch.
How do you eat falafels?
Traditionally in pitta bread, with raw vegetables, herbs and a sesame sauce. They are also served on a plate, on a bed of salad with several sauces, as in this recipe. Romaine lettuce leaves make excellent wraps if you want to eat them by hand without bread.
What can replace Greek yoghurt in tzatziki?
A thick plain plant-based yoghurt works, but a raw blended base is more interesting: here, courgette, cucumber and macadamia nuts give a fresh, light cream. Soaked cashews give a texture closer to yoghurt; in that case, add a little more lemon to bring back the tanginess.
How do you make dairy-free tzatziki?
Blend a creamy plant-based base (soaked nuts, peeled courgette), season with lemon and herbs, then add finely chopped cucumber at the end for crunch. Salt it and let it rest for half an hour in the fridge: the flavours come together and the sauce thickens slightly.
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