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    Home » Recipes » Appetizer Recipes

    Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites

    Modified: Feb 6, 2025 · Published: Dec 27, 2017 by Ashley

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    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 6 reviews

    This post has been compensated as part of my ongoing partnership with Stonyfield. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

    These cucumber bites are a healthy party appetizer recipe with major Middle Eastern flair! They're quick & easy to assemble and make a great addition to any dinner or cocktail party.

    These would also be perfect for game day appetizer spreads along with our favorite easy hummus recipe (no soaking required!), these mayo-free deviled eggs, this buffalo chickpea dip, and this layered taco dip.

    Platter of cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.

    'Tis the season for lots of holiday parties and indulgences.

    And while I love to make (and eat!) decadent dinner party food and desserts (helloooooo epic holiday cookie list), I also enjoy having lighter party fare.

     I've always been a fan of crudité platters (shoutout to Gustavo Fring!), but while I could go.to.town on that alone, not everyone wants a pile of veggies nestled up against a bowl of Ranch dip.

    So let's elevate the veggie presentation, shall we?

    Platter of cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.

    I have a mild obsession with falafel. Standard Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce, Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads, Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette... If I can falaf-ify it, I will!

    I also have a not-so-mild obsession with making up words. Just roll with me here...

    This time around, I figured I'd combine all of my favorite falafel flavors into a simple, elegant appetizer.

    And what better vessel for delivering this gorgeousness to your mouth than on top of a crisp, cool cucumber slice?

    Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.

    These may look complicated, but make no mistake - all you're doing is throwing some ingredients into your food processor and puréeing them until smooth. You can then scoop or pipe the filling on top of the aforementioned cucumber slices, garnish (or not!), and you're good to go!

    The falafel purée here is made extra creamy by the addition of one of my favorite refrigerator staples: Stonyfield Double Cream.

    I've talked about double cream before - it's even thicker and richer than the whole milk Greek yogurt and not quite as tangy. This makes it a perfect whole milk, full fat substitution for sour cream and oils in cooking and baking.

    And all that creaminess makes the chickpea purée that tops these cucumber bites niiiiiice and smooth.

    Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée and a platter in the background.

    If you find your purée is a little too thick, go ahead and add another tablespoon of the double cream. And make sure you run the food processor till it's super smooth.

    I didn't run it quite long enough at first and I got a little bit of chickpea clogging the tip of my decorating bottle, so I put it back into the food processor and let it go for another 20 seconds. It was a quick fix!

    If you don't have a decorating bottle, you can use a metal scoop or a spoon to mound the filling on top, or you can put it into a large zip-top plastic bag, snip off the corner, and pipe it that way.

    Heck, you could even just put it in a bowl and serve thepurée as a dip with cucumber sticks or slices on the side, along with some other fresh veggies. Totally up to you!

    Close up of a hand holding a cucumber slice topped with a spiced chickpea purée with a platter out of focus in the background.

    I made these to bring to my friend's house for a gift wrapping party last week, and they were a HUGE hit! I was able to put them together in just a few minutes before the party started, which makes this an awesome last minute party appetizer recipe.

    You could even make the purée ahead of time if you wanted and just store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Then all you need to do is slice up your cucumber, pipe or scoop a little chickpea purée on top, and garnish away!

    Close up of a hand holding a cucumber slice topped with a spiced chickpea purée with a bite taken out of it.

    I chopped up twice as many herbs as I needed for the filling so I'd have extra for sprinkling, but it's not necessary. I like sliced tomato and red onion stuffed into pita bread with my falafel, so I added a little of that on top, too. Not everyone loves raw red onion as much as I do, so I opted for thinly sliced shallots, which have a milder flavor.

    I also kind of "deviled" them by adding a sprinkling of paprika on top of each one. It's an ingredient that went into the chickpea purée, so I already had the container out. Plus it added a nice pop of color to the tops of these bit-sized apps.

    Last but not least, I added a drizzle of Sriracha to the tops of my cucumber bites. I only did it to half of them, since I figured the kids (and some adults) wouldn't want that spicy heat at the end.

    Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée and a platter in the background.

    These cucumber bites disappeared pretty quickly at the party! The kids were all excited to try them (even the picky eaters!), and some of them even braved the Sriracha-drizzled ones AND LOVED THEM!

    Success!

    Again, these look fancy but they don't take a lot of work! And you can omit the garnishes or just reserve a bit of the herbs and sprinkle them on at the end for a bit of panache.

    Close up of a plate with a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.

    I loved how quickly these came together, and how crisp and refreshing the flavor was. Not only were they delicious, I felt good about the ingredients that I used to make them.

    The next time you're looking for appetizer ideas, I hope you'll give these falafel-spiced cucumber bites a try.

    If you love cucumber recipes, check out some of our very favorites in this roundup: 25+ Must-Try Cucumber Recipes

    And if you're looking for more ways to use cumin, check out this post that showcases 21 of our favorite cumin recipes.

    What are your favorite party food recipes? I'd love to hear about them in the comments section below!

    And stay tuned later this week for a roundup of healthy cocktail party recipe options - just in time for your New Year's and game day celebrations!

    Looking for more bite-sized favorites? Check out these 5-star recipes:

    • French-Inspired Deviled Eggs
    • Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli
    • Killer Shrimp Cocktail
    • Cheesy Bacon + Apple Croissants
    • Tuna Tostada with Avocado Dressing + Chipotle Sour Cream
    • Marcona Almond + Dried Cherry Popcorn with Crispy Rosemary
    • Veggie Cream Cheese Roll-ups
    • No Mayo Deviled Eggs
    • Mini Turkey Pot Pies with Puff Pastry
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    Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.

    Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: About 24 slices 1x
    • Category: Appetizer, Vegetarian
    • Method: No Cook
    • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    These cucumber bites are a healthy party appetizer recipe with major Middle Eastern flair! They're quick & easy to assemble and make a great addition to any dinner or cocktail party. These would also be perfect for game day appetizer spreads!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For Cucumber Bites:

    • 1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Stonyfield Double Cream Plain (or plain Greek yogurt)
    • 2 tablespoons tahini
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
    • ½ teaspoon ground paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, divided
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided
    • 1 English cucumber

    For Garnish (optional, but encouraged):

    • Ground paprika
    • Grape tomatoes, quartered
    • Thinly sliced shallot
    • Sriracha

    Instructions

    1. In the bowl of a food processor, place chickpeas, Stonyfield Double Cream, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon each of the parsley and cilantro. Process until smooth.
    2. Slice the cucumber into ½-inch thick coins. Scoop or pipe the chickpea purée on top.
    3. Garnish with remaining chopped herbs, paprika, tomatoes, shallot, paprika, and Sriracha, if desired.

    Notes

    Chickpea purée can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

    If your purée isn't smooth enough, process a little longer, and if it's still too thick, add another tablespoon of Double Cream.

    If you want the striped look on your cucumbers, simply use a vegetable peeler to peel off a few strips down the length of the skin before slicing the cucumber.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 30
    • Sugar: 0.4 g
    • Sodium: 71.1 mg
    • Fat: 1.2 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 3.6 g
    • Fiber: 1.1 g
    • Protein: 1.5 g
    • Cholesterol: 0.4 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christine P

      December 27, 2017 at 2:07 pm

      These look amazing!! Can't wait to try.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        December 27, 2017 at 2:59 pm

        Thanks so much, Christine! Hope they're a hit - let me know what you think of them 🙂

        Reply
    2. Silvia

      January 02, 2018 at 7:19 am

      These look like the perfect snack. Healthy and delicious 🙂

      Reply
    3. Cleo @Journey to the Garden

      January 02, 2018 at 5:53 pm

      These look so delicious and so easy to make! I can't wait to try these out!

      Reply
    4. Jenni LeBaron

      January 02, 2018 at 9:03 pm

      What a healthy and stylish party appetizer! These would be so impressive to bring out to guests!

      Reply
    5. Analida @ ethnicspoon.com

      January 03, 2018 at 7:25 am

      I am a huge fan of Middle Eastern food and the exotic flavors and these sound so good! I can't wait to try them at my next tapas party!

      Reply
    6. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy

      January 03, 2018 at 12:12 pm

      I love when appetizers are healthy. These are fun to make and fun to eat...perfect for any weekend party.

      Reply
    7. Jessica Robinson

      January 03, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      They look amazing! Cannot wait to try this summer with our own farm grown cucumbers!

      Reply
    8. Helene

      January 05, 2018 at 7:54 am

      Nice, with coriander, cumin, lemon and paprika! I like the flavoring in these cute little bites. I would eat them all up, guilt-free of course. =D They are also so very presentable, I saw them on pinterest earlier and felt like digging in instantly!

      Reply
    9. Tina

      January 05, 2018 at 10:44 am

      I love crudités for the ease in eating. These are so colorful and look delicious, I love these!

      Reply
    10. Abby @ WinsteadWandering

      January 06, 2018 at 9:14 pm

      These are adorable, and they look so good! I love the idea of adding a healthy dish like this to a typical greasy game-day spread.

      Reply
    11. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices

      January 07, 2018 at 1:29 am

      They look so pretty, have a great flavor and are healthy!

      Reply
    12. Amanda Mason

      January 07, 2018 at 3:58 pm

      I love these as an appetizer but I'd eat these on the regular as a snack!!! I bet these were a hit at your holiday parties!!

      Reply
    13. Christine

      January 08, 2018 at 9:49 am

      These look incredibly delicious! Love falafel anything. Such a yummy treat that's perfect for parties!

      Reply
    14. Francisca Cepeda

      January 12, 2020 at 11:13 pm

      What alcoholic drink do you serve with this

      Reply
      • Ashley

        January 14, 2020 at 9:37 am

        This would pair really nicely with a white wine like Pinot Grigio or even Prosecco!

        Reply
    15. Adam

      March 09, 2020 at 11:38 pm

      I can't find double cream yogurt anywhere in my city. Do you think whole milk Greek yogurt would substitute well?

      Reply
      • Ashley

        March 09, 2020 at 11:40 pm

        Absolutely! I’ve been making it with whole milk Greek yogurt for a few years now and it works out beautifully! Let me know what you think when you give these a try, Adam!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

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