Description
This Air Fryer Falafel recipe offers a healthy and flavorful twist on the classic Middle Eastern chickpea patties. Using toasted spices and fresh herbs, the falafel is made from scratch and cooked to golden perfection in an air fryer for a crispy exterior without the need for deep frying. It’s perfect as a snack, appetizer, or as part of a main course served with your favorite sauces and salads.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Falafel Base
- 1 can chickpeas (14 oz), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, lightly packed
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
Binding Agents
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
Instructions
- Toast spices: Place the cumin, coriander, and cardamom in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant. Transfer the toasted spices to a large food processor.
- Dry chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, then pat dry between two layers of paper towels. Remove any loose skins, but don’t worry about being too thorough. Add the chickpeas to the food processor with the toasted spices.
- Process ingredients: Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and cayenne pepper to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes a paste-like consistency with a few small lumps remaining. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed.
- Chill mixture: Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl. Stir in the chickpea flour and baking powder thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and for the mixture to firm up.
- Shape falafel: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Form the chilled mixture into 10 balls, each about 2 tablespoons. Flatten each ball slightly to just under 1/2-inch thick patties.
- Air fry: Lightly spray the air fryer mesh basket with cooking spray. Place the falafel patties in the basket, leaving space between each. You might need to cook in batches depending on your air fryer size. Spray the tops of the falafel with oil spray. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes until the bottoms start to brown, then carefully flip and cook for another 9 to 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve and enjoy: Remove the falafel from the air fryer and serve immediately with your favorite dips, salads, or as part of a pita wrap.
Notes
- To get the best texture, make sure to dry the chickpeas thoroughly before processing.
- You can substitute chickpea flour with all-purpose flour, but chickpea flour adds extra binding and flavor.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried parsley and cilantro can be used but reduce the amount to one-third.
- Leftover falafel can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes to regain crispiness.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as chickpea flour is used and no cross-contamination occurs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: air fryer falafel, gluten-free falafel, healthy falafel, Middle Eastern appetizer, chickpea patties
