Air Fryer Falafel

falafel on a plate with hummus, tomatoes and cucumber

5 from 5 votes

Making falafel has never been easier thanks to this Air Fryer Falafel recipe! Made with canned chickpeas and plenty of herbs and spices, it's flavorful, crispy on the outside and healthier than traditional falafel.

Prep Time1 15

Cook Time45

Total Time2

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: air fryer falafel, falafel recipe

Servings: falafel

Calories: 75kcal

Author: Erin

Ingredients

15 oz. chickpeas canned; drained and rinsed
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 small onion chopped
½ cup fresh parsley chopped
¼ cup cilantro chopped
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon all purpose flour optional; more or less as needed

Instructions

Pour the chickpeas into a fine mesh strainer, then rinse them; pour them out onto a paper towel-lined plate, then use another paper towel to pat them dry. Transfer the chickpeas to your air fryer and "cook" them at 350° for 3 minutes, which will help dry them even more.
Next, add the garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper to your food processor and blend for 45 seconds. Then, add the chickpeas and pulse 3-5 times until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. Remove the blade of your food processor, then stir in the baking powder by hand.
Place foil over the food processor bowl, then place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour, which will allow the mixture to become easier to work with.
Once the hour is up, stir in 1 tablespoon of flour, then determine if you need to add more flour (it should be fairly easy to form into balls). If it's not, add 1-2 more tablespoons of flour.
Use your hands to form the mixture into 11 falafel, a little larger than golf ball size.
Spray your air fryer basket with nonstick spray, then place as many falafel into the basket as you can without them touching. Air fry at 400° for 8 minutes, then flip over and air fry for an additional 4-8 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per falafel and are an estimation

Nutrition