Air-Fried Falafel

Air-Fried Falafel are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and packed with delicious flavor! Stuff them in pita bread and top with tomatoes, parsley and a drizzle of Tahini sauce and there you have it;  a vegan, healthy and easy to make meal! Falafel and Tahini sauce is one of those amazing flavor pairings. 

 What is Falafel? 

Falafel is popular Middle Eastern street food, made with deep-fried ground chickpea balls or patties. Falafel is commonly served in a pita pocket or wrapped in a flatbread, topped with some herbs, veggies and tahini sauce. 

Air-Fried Falafel

These Air-Fried Falafel balls are a lightened up version of the traditional Lebanese falafel that is deep fried! Instead of deep frying them in oil, we bake them in the Air Fryer where they crisp up to golden brown perfection. This Air Fryer was best additions to my kitchen!

Air-Fried Falafel Ingredients: 

• Chickpeas

• Onion

• Parsley

• Garlic

• Cumin

• Black pepper

• Salt

• Corn starch 

Basic Steps to Make Air-Fried Falafel:

• Soak. Plan ahead and soak dry chickpeas in water overnight. 
• Process. Using a food processor, pulse soaked chickpeas with onion, parsley, garlic, corn starch and spices. Keep pulsing until a coarse texture forms. 
• Chill. Let the falafel mixture rest for an hour in the fridge to allow it to firm up; making it easier to form the falafel balls. 
• Form. I use my hands to form the falafel it into a golf ball shape, but you can use a cookie scoop or get fancy and use a falafel scoop if you’d like. 
• Air Fry. Preheat air fryer at 380-degrees. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil and arrange the falafel without crowding the basket. Spray the falafel balls with baking spray as well and cook for 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through. 

Baked Falafel Option:

If you don’t own and air fryer, get yourself one now! 🙂 You can also bake the falafel balls at 400F. Place the falafel balls on the greased baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and bake for 30 minutes. Flipping half way though until golden brown and crisp on the outside. 

How to Store/Freeze Air- Fried Falafel: 

• Air-fried falafel can be stored in an airtight container in fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350 F for about 15 minutes or until warmed through.  
• Uncooked falafel balls freeze so well, making meal prep super easy. After forming the falafel balls, arrange on a baking sheet or tray and stick it in the freezer for few hours until the falafel balls harden up. Then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. They will keep well for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the air fryer when ready to serve. 

How to Serve Air-Fried Falafel: 

My favorite way of serving falafel is in a pita pocket or flatbread wrap, topped with veggies and tahini sauce. But you can also enjoy it on a salad, or with hummus on the side.

How to Make Air-Fried Falafel: 

Air-Fried Falafel

Yield: 30 Falafel Balls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Air-Fried Falafel are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and packed with flavor. A great vegan, healthy and easy to make meal! 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 large onion, chopped into 4 pieces
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon corn starch 
• Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

Crispy Falafel

1. Place chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with at least 2 inches water. Soak overnight. When the chickpeas are soaked, drain the water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
2. Place the uncooked, soaked chickpeas and all the remaining ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are finely minced. The mixture will have a coarse texture.
3. Rest this mixture at least an hour in the fridge to allow it to firm up. This step will make shaping the falafel balls much easier.
4. Preheat air fryer to 380°F.
5. Scoop two heaping tablespoons of the mixture, and using your hands or a cookie scoop shape the falafel mixture into a golf ball shaped ball.
6. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil and arrange the falafel balls in the basket without crowding the basket, so they cook evenly. Spray the falafel balls with cooking/olive oil spray as well and cook for 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through. 
7. Repeat this process for the rest of the mixture.
8. Serve the falafel balls in a pita pocket or flatbread wrap, topped with veggies and tahini sauce or add it to your favorite salad and enjoy!

Recommended Products

The recommended products below contain affiliate links to products I use and love!

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  Ninja BN601 Professional Plus Food Processor 1000-Peak-Watts with Auto-iQ Preset Programs Chop Puree Dough Slice Shred with a 9-Cup Capacity and a Silver Stainless Finish
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  COSORI 5.8QT Electric Hot Oven Oilless Cooker,11 Presets Preheat& Shake Reminder, Nonstick Basket, Black

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 27Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

If you’ve tried this Air-Fried Falafel recipe or any other recipe on The Salt and Sweet Kitchen, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. You can also join my Facebook group where you can share a picture of the recipes that you’ve tried!