This healthy Air Fryer Falafel is SO crispy you will never believe that it is not deep fried! Easy, gluten free, vegan friendly and so delicious!
PIN Air Fryer Falafel
FalaFEL in love with dinner.
You know I had to go there.
SRSLY though. I am about to let you in on a little secret and you might judge me for it: I have never ever in the entirety of my life made falafel. In fact, I have only eaten it ONCE in all almost 29 years I have been on this Earth and it was just a small portion because it was on a food tour in Portland.
Annnnd, I’ve been meaning to get around to eating it again. But falafel in Missouri? Well….let’s just say I don’t 100% trust the Midwest to make Middle Eastern food well.
So, what’s a girl to do? MAKE HER OWN FALFEL.
I thought about making a baked falafel recipe but then decided to be more trendy by using everyone’s favorite new contraption to make falafel in the AIR FRYER.
What is Falafel?
You guys. Falafel is DELICIOUS. It’s a Middle Eastern food that is made of spice mashed chickpeas, spices and herbs that are formed into balls and usually deep-fried and served with dips or eaten with pita bread.
How to Make Falafel
Despite the hard-to-pronounce-name falafel is super easy to make! All you need is a large food processor and an air fryer!
Rinse and Dry: You need to drain and rinse your canned chickpeas very well and then pat them dry with a paper towel very well. You can remove any of the skins that come off the chickpeas, but you don’t need to be too meticulous about it.
Blend: Add the chickpeas and onions along with the spices, lemon juice and herbs to a large food processor and blend until mostly broken down, leaving a few small chunks for texture.
Mix: Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in your flour of choice, along with baking soda. This keeps the texture light!
Air fry: Heat your air fryer to 350 degrees and fry until golden brown, about 9-10 minutes per side, flipping once.
How to Bake Falafel
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the falafel in a 375-degree oven on a greased cookie sheet for 9-10 minutes per side, flipping once, until crispy. They are still delicious but they are a little less light and crispy this way!
Air Fryer Falafel Ingredients
Although the list for falafel is a little on the longer side, most of the ingredients are ones you probably already have!
- Canned chickpeas
- Onion
- Herbs; cilantro and parsley
- Garlic
- Seasoning: salt, cayenne, cumin, coriander, cardamom
- Lemon Juice
- Baking powder
- Chickpea flour
The 411 on flour
To make traditional falafel you have to use chickpea or fava bean flour. I highly recommend using these flours as they really make the falafel taste AWESOME. You can find these flours at most health food stores. If you can’t find them, regular all-purpose flour can be used.
What to serve with Falafel?
Falafel can be eaten on it’s own dipped in tzatziki sauce or cilantro jalapeno hummus. But you could also serve it:
- Topped on a salad (I love it with miso lemon tahini dressing!)
- Stuffed into a pita
- Made into a wrap
- As a side for grilled herb hummus chicken kebabs
Whatever way you chose to eat it, it’s going to be a mega Middle Eastern win at your next dinner time.
I also shared this air fryer falafel recipe on Food Fanatic, so be sure to check it out there!
Air Fryer Falafel FAQ
No! you can bake falafel or air fry it, like in this recipe, to make it healthier and it’s still just as crispy!
Yes! As long as you use chickpea flour, this falafel is gluten free as chickpeas are naturally gluten free!
Yes, falafel is vegan as there are no eggs to bind the mixture and everything else is completely plant-based
YES! Falafel is an amazing source of fiber, protein and nutrients that will help curb appetite, stabilize blood sugar and lower your risk for disease. Air fry it to make it even lighter!
Other Air Fryer Recipes
Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp Ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp Ground cardamom
- 1 14oz can Chickpeas
- 1/2 Cup Onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley , lightly packed
- 1/2 Cup Cilantro, lightly packed (thin stems okay)
- 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tbsp Minced Fresh Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Chickpea Flour, *
- 1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
Instructions
- Place the cumin, coriander and cardamom in a dry skillet set on medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices lightly brown and become fragrant, about 1 minute. ** Place into a large food processor.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Place between 2 layers of paper towel and dry off well. Remove any lose skins, but you don’t need to be too meticulous about it. Transfer into the food processor.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients except the chickpea flour and baking powder. Process until broken down and paste like, but a few small lumps remain, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally.
- Transfer into a bowl and stir in the flour and baking powder. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to develop the flavors.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Form the falafel into 10 balls, each the size of 2 Tbsp. form into a round and then press out just under ½ inch thick
- Spray the mesh basket of your air fryer with cooking spray and place the falafel inside, leaving room between them. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in 2 batches. Spray the tops of the falafel with oil spray and bake until the top starts to lightly brown about 9-10 minutes. Using a spatula, gently flip and cook another 9-10 minutes until golden brown.
- DEVOUR
Tips & Notes:
- *You can use all purpose flour here, but the taste will not be quite the same
- **Do not skip toasting the spices. It’s key to the best flavor!
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Form the falafel the same way and then bake on a greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes.
- Flip and cook another 9-10 minutes.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
FOR THIS RECIPE, I RECOMMEND:
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: FREESTYLE POINTS: 1 POINTS+: 2. OLD POINTS: 1
(per 1 falafel, based on the recipe making 10)
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I made this for my boyfriend last night. He got me a food processor for Valentines Day and this was our first meal with it. I made a homemade tzaziki sauce first, and then the falafel. I used oat flour because I didn’t have chickpea flour. They turned out fantastic. I sprayed the balls with olive oil before flipping them. I threw them on a salad with a hard boiled egg since this meatless meal didn’t have as much protein as we needed. He was IN LOVE with this recipe and requested it being in our regular rotation of favorites. THANK YOU!
I am so happy to read this! You’re welcome! I’m glad it was a success! Thanks, Abigail!