Quick and easy to make, and packed with flavors, this delicious falafel is made with a handful of ingredients in your air fryer. With this simple recipe, enjoying crispy vegan falafel in no time! Plus, they are freezer-friendly, so you can enjoy them later too.
About This Falafel Recipe Made in the Air Fryer
We love homemade crispy falafels, and they are simply delicious and budget-friendly. However, I have found air frying to be a healthier alternative to deep frying. As for the texture, they are slightly drier than deep-fried ones, but if you enjoy them inside a flatbread or wrap, you won't notice the difference as there's plenty of moisture from the sauces and salads.
What Is Falafel?
Falafel are round, crispy balls or patty-shaped fritter of Egyptian /Sudanese origin featuring in Middle Eastern cuisine. They are made with dried chickpeas, herbs, spices, and garlic, then cooked to crispy perfection.
The whole recipe can be made in under 30 minutes if you have soaked the chickpeas earlier. While refrigerating the falafel mixture is desirable, you can still make it without it.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas: To make traditional authentic falafels, always use dried chickpeas. I don't recommend canned chickpeas.
- Herbs: I use fresh coriander and fresh parsley in my falafel recipe
- Spices: I love to include Ground cumin. For a variation, I add smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
- Baking powder: Adds fluffiness to the falafel.
- Onion: Use either white onion, red onion, or shallots.
- Garlic: I always use fresh garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional ingredients: Corn flour or chickpea flour. If you find the mixture a bit on the wet side, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to bind them together.
Preparing the chickpeas mixture for falafel
Start by soaking the dried chickpeas in fresh water for at least 8 hours. Drain well.
To a food processor, add the chickpeas, herbs, onion, garlic, spices, and salt. Pulse a few times until you have a coarse texture mixture for falafel mixture. Cover and store the mixture in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Now add the baking powder and mix again.
Shaping the Falafel Balls
You can use a small ladle or ice cream scooper to make falafel balls.
Alternatively, pinch a small portion and flatten it between your palms to make falafel patties.
How to Make Air Fryer Falafel?
Preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes at 200°C.
Arrange the falafel balls in the air fryer basket, spray or brush with oil, and air fry for 8-10 minutes.
Variations and Substitutions
- Substitute half the quantity of chickpeas with cooked quinoa to make quinoa falafels.
- Add more greens like spinach or dill leaves.
- If you like your falafel spicy, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or green chilies.
Tips
- Store the falafel mixture, covered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before shaping the mixture.
- Always add the baking powder mixture just before frying. This will give you fluffier falafels, whether you are deep frying, baking in the oven, or air frying.
- Do not use canned chickpeas; opt for dried chickpeas.
How to Serve Falafels
Falafels are delicious as an appetizer with yogurt garlic dip, dill yogurt sauce, tahini sauce, or hummus. They also make an easy lunch option as a falafel sandwich or in falafel Buddha bowls.
For a meal, stuff the air fryer falafels inside a warm pita bread with lettuce, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and a drizzle of yogurt garlic sauce, tzatziki, and hot sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy.
We regularly enjoy a falafel wrap too. Heat a tortilla wrap, spread a layer of hummus, then add lettuce, falafel patties, pickled onion, Persian salad, green chili or jalapenos, and drizzle with tzatziki sauce and hot sauce. Wrap and enjoy. Kids love a squeeze of ketchup too.
Storing Falafel
Cool the falafels after cooking. Then transfer them to an airtight container, label, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. They will be soft. If you like them crispy, transfer to the air fryer and air fry for 2-3 minutes at 180°C.
Got plenty of dried chickpeas?
I've got you covered with everything you need to know about cooking dried chickpeas in my post, "How to Cook Chickpeas from Scratch." Whether you should soak them or not—it's all explained there. Once you have cooked the chickpeas, find some of the most delicious recipes with chickpeas.
Easy chickpea curry recipes to try
Cauliflower and chickpea curry
Homemade falafel recipe below
Ingredients
- 250 g dried chickpeas 1 ½ cup
- 200 g white onion 2 small ones
- 5 cloves garlic
- 30 g fresh coriander
- 30 g fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- Oil for spraying
Instructions
- Rinse the chickpeas and place in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. They will double in size. Rinse again, drain and set aside.250 g dried chickpeas
- In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, onions, garlic cloves, fresh coriander, parsley, spices, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth or to your desired consistency.200 g white onion, 5 cloves garlic, 30 g fresh coriander, 30 g fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, Salt and Pepper to taste
- Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to firm up. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator, add the baking powder just before air frying and mix well.3 teaspoon baking powder
- Using a mould or ice cream scooper, make small balls or patties and arrange them in the air fryer basket. Spray with cooking oil and air fry at 200C / 400F for 10 minutes until golden brown. At half time, flip them around and spray again.Oil for spraying
- Repeat the process with the remaining mixture. Serve with your favourite dips.
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