This Air Fryer Falafel recipe will totally surprise you! You get the same authentic crispy falafel, packed with herbs and a beautifully soft centre, however made with a fraction of the oil using your air fryer 😊 Serve on a mezze table and also great in falafel wraps.
If you love falafel as much as I do, then you're in the right place. Making your own homemade falafel is already so much better than store bought, but making air fryer falafel is a total game-changer! I'm not a huge fan of deep frying foods but I always make an exception for falafel. But in saying that, I usually don't make them that often for that reason. Now you can make the perfect falafel balls using your air fryer instead!
If you haven't tried falafel, they're a Middle Eastern dish popularly served as an appetizer on a mezze table and also great in delicious falafel wraps. They’re crispy balls made with chickpeas and a range of fresh herbs making them high in protein, nutritious and so so good! Traditionally they're fried, but here you can make healthier air fryer falafel. I've been making my own homemade falafel for years, and now love this new cooking method.
My idea of the perfect combination is to serve it with pita flatbread, hummus, tabbouleh and a side of sumac onions and pickles….ahh yum!
You achieve the same crispy coating and soft in the middle using only a small amount of oil. This makes them lighter, healthier and a great substitute. Air fryer falafel is also less messy with an easy clean up, since you wont end up with oil splattered all over your stove top yay!
Some other air fryer recipes to check out are crispy tofu, halloumi fries and teriyaki salmon.
Since falafel is eaten throughout the Middle East, each country does make them differently with their own little twist. In fact, different families from the same villages even make them differently. I learnt to make them from one of my childhood Lebanese friends. Her mum would always make them for us after school as a snack and I've been hooked ever since! They're also naturally vegan and gluten-free so everyone can enjoy them.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this recipe
- Healthier & Lighter: Enjoy the authentic flavor without the deep-frying
- Easy Clean Up: Air frying makes cooking falafel a breeze with little clean up
- Deliciously Good: Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and packed with flavor
- Versatile: Serve as an appetizer, main course, in a yogurt pitabread to make a falafel wrap or salad topper
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chickpeas also known as garbanzo beans, are the base of our falafel, providing protein and fiber. Soak dried chickpeas for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight. Canned chickpeas are not recommended as they've already been cooked so therefore become too mushy and soft on the inside
- Fresh herbs are key for the perfect air fryer falafel. I've used a mix of parsley, cilantro / coriander and mint to add a burst of fresh flavor. You can also add some fresh dill if you like
- Green onions add some bite without being too overpowering. You can also use white or red onion
- Garlic, however not too much as its not supposed to be garlicky
- Ground cumin is a warm and earthy spice that complements the falafel perfectly
- Chickpea flour helps to bind the mixture together. You can substitute with regular all-purpose flour
- Baking powder creates a light and fluffy texture on the inside
How to make Air Fryer Falafel
Once you start making your own falafel, there's no going back! This air fryer recipe is easy to make with my simple steps below.
Make Falafel Balls
Soak dried chickpeas in a large bowl in water overnight (min 8 hrs)
Drain chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Pulse a few times in a food processor so they're chopped a little
Chop herbs roughly and add to the food processor with baking powder, cumin, garlic, flour and water. Season with salt and pepper
Pulse all ingredients until well combined and finely chopped
Using wet hands, spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and shape into balls. Depending on the size, this recipe provides 14-16 falafel balls
Place falafel balls on a tray lined with parchment paper. Put in the fridge to set for 30-60 minutes
Cook Falafel
Preheat air fryer to 400℉/200℃. Spray the basket with oil and put in the falafel balls (ensure there is room between them, you may have to work in batches)
Spray the balls with oil and cook for 4-5 minutes
Open the air fryer and flip them. Spray with oil and cook for 4 minutes until golden brown
Remove balls and repeat the above steps for the remaining falafel
Serve in a delicious falafel wrap with a drizzle of tahini sauce or enjoy on their own
Tips and Tricks
- Always soak dried chickpeas rather than canned chickpeas for the authentic texture and results
- Pulse and don't overblend the ingredients. You want to finely chop the chickpeas and herbs for a consistent texture
- Using wet hands will help roll into balls. If the falafel mixture feels too crumbly or falling apart, add an extra spoon of water. If it feels too wet, add a spoon of flour
- Chilling the falafel patties in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes helps them hold their shape
- Ensure there is room in-between them in the air fryer basket so they brown evenly
- Don't overcook the falafel as they will become too dry. Once golden brown they will be ready
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days
- Enjoy cold or reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes until heated through
- You can freeze falafel patties. After shaping, place the falafel balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 1-2 hours. Then transfer frozen falafel to a zip-lock bag, and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months
- Thaw frozen falafel balls in the fridge for a few hours, or you can simply place in air fryer frozen - note they will take a little longer to cook
What to serve with Air Fryer Falafel?
- Easy homemade flatbreads - yogurt pita bread
- Hummus or roased red pepper hummus
- Sumac onions
- Pickled red onions
- Quinoa tabbouleh
- Barbari bread
- Whipped feta dip
- Falafel sandwich with fresh veggies, tomatoes and cucumber
- Orzo salad, lentil salad or any of my salad recipes as a topper
- Rice or Quinoa
- Pickles or turnips
FAQs
Falafel is made from dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight, along with fresh mixed herbs, cumin, flour and a touch of baking powder.
The ingredients are then pulsed together, shaped into balls and fried to golden perfection
Yes certainly! They turn out crispy on the outside, soft in the middle without using a lot of oil. Refer to recipe card below for instructions
Canned chickpeas are already been cooked so therefore become too mushy and soft on the inside
Yes you can! Spray the falafel balls with cooking oil and bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about 15-20 minutes until golden
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Air Fryer Falafel:
More Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Air Fryer Falafel photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Air Fryer Falafel (Authentic Taste with Minimal Oil)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) - I also include the stems
- 10 large fresh mint leaves
- 4 green onions
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour, or you can use all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooking oil spray - I've used olive oil spray
Instructions
- In a large bowl, soak the dried chickpeas in water for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge. *Note they will double in size so ensure there is room in the bowl to allow for this
- Drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse well under cold water in a colander. Add them to a food processor and pulse a few times so the chickpeas are chopped up
- Roughly chop the fresh herbs and add them to the food processor along with the green onions, garlic, flour, cumin, baking powder and water. Season with salt and pepper
- Pulse the ingredients together until they're well combined together. Don't over blend so you still have some texture, but they should be all finely minced
- Using wet hands, spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture in your hands and shape into balls. You should have between 14-16 falafel balls, depending on the size you make them**Note if the falafel mixture feels too crumbly or falling apart, add an extra spoon of water. If it feels too wet, add a spoon of flour
- Place the shaped falafel patties on a tray lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge and allow them to set for 30-60 minutes
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉/200℃ Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil and gently place some of the falafel balls inside in a single layer, making sure there is room in between and they're not touching. You'll have to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer
- Spray the falafel balls generously with oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden
- Open the air fryer and gently flip them around. Spray them again with oil and cook for a further 4 minutes until golden brownRemove and repeat the above steps for the remaining falafel
Tanya Hand says
Could a gluten free flour be used in the air fryer Falafel recipe? Instead of chickpea and self raising flour.
This recipe looks very tasty.
Ayeh Manfre says
Yes of course 🙂