Air Fryer Falafel

Air-fried falafel is crispy, crunchy, and delicious. This air-fried falafel recipe is perfect for a sandwich, on top of a salad, or as an appetizer dipped in hummus.

I struggled with the right texture and taste when I first started preparing my own falafel at home. Then, I learned the one trick to perfect falafel, using dried chickpeas instead of canned ones. Of course, I first baked falafel, which I loved but missed the crunch and taste of fried falafel. So, I figured, why not try an air-fried falafel recipe?

Jump to:

• How to Prep Dried Chickpeas
• Air-Fried Falafel Ingredients
• Air-Fried Falafel Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make Air Fryer Falafel
• Cooking Air-Fried Falafel
• Air Fryer Recommendations
• Making a Falafel Wrap Sandwich
• Freezing/Reheating Falafel 
• FAQs Recipe
• Tips
• Delicious Vegan Mediterranean Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

When I lived in Michigan, one of my favorite restaurants was La Marsa which serves the best falafel I've ever tasted. Unfortunately, they deep-fry their falafel.

Like my baked falafel recipe, my air-fried falafel recipe is oil-free but tastes similar to La Marsa falafel I miss. 

I buy my beans, legumes, and chickpeas on Amazon in bulk. This is because they are cheaper and store well. Buying food like this (especially if you are an Amazon Prime member) is excellent because there isn’t any shipping cost, and it arrives in a day.

How to Prep Dried Chickpeas

First of all, dried chickpeas absorb a lot of water. For instance, a cup of dried chickpeas will expand 3 times its size, yielding 3 cups of chickpeas. So, when soaking chickpeas, always use a bowl three times the size and add 3 times the amount of water to cover the chickpeas. Then, soak the chickpeas overnight. 

However, the trick is you never cook chickpeas for baked falafel. Instead, the chickpeas are drained and then rinsed a second time before making the falafel dough. 

Then, rinse the chickpeas before making the falafel mixture in a food processor. My Kitchen-Aid food processor is a sizeable 9-cup variety, so the falafel mix can be made in one batch. However, I suggest making it in batches if you have a smaller food processor. 

Air-Fried Falafel Ingredients

• Dry Chickpeas: Dried chickpeas are much more economical, and they tend to have a more natural flavor because they aren't soaked in preservatives.
• White Onion: White onions are slightly milder in flavor than yellow onions and taste a bit sweeter.
• Red Onion: Red onions are quite like yellow onions in flavor when cooked and slightly milder when served raw.
• Parsley: Parsley has a clean and peppery taste with a touch of earthiness.
• Dill: Dill has a deliciously fresh, citrus-like taste with a slightly grassy undertone. 
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best when making falafel.
• Coriander: Floral and citrusy, coriander is a very fresh-tasting spice. Its mildly sweet, lemony flavor is often harnessed in conjunction with other spices in savory recipes.
• Cumin: Both the whole seeds and ground cumin can add nutty warmth, pepperiness, and smokiness with a faintly musty aroma to all manner of dishes.
• Ground Pepper: Fresh ground pepper is suggested for the best flavor.
• Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne adds a little heat to the falafel.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a fresh citrus component and balances out the sharpness of the tahini.
• Chickpea Flour: Chickpea flour is made from ground chickpeas. It's also gluten-free.
• Tahini: Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds and is a staple in many cuisines, especially in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It's vegan and gluten-free.

Air-Fried Falafel Ingredient Substitutions

• I have used lentils as a replacement for chickpeas successfully. If you don't like chickpeas, try lentil falafel.
• Double to white onion or red onion, or substitute for yellow onion.
• Try cilantro instead of parley, or double the parsley or dill.
• One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder. 
• Cumin, Masala Curry Powder, or Garam Masala substitutes for coriander in recipes.
• Chili powder or red pepper flakes work as well as cayenne in air-fried falafel.
• Bottled lemon juice is an excellent choice in a pinch.
• Any flour works in this recipe.
• Nut butter is an excellent substitute for tahini.

How to Make Air Fryer Falafel

Once the soaked chickpeas are soaked and rinsed, it’s time to make the air-fry the falafel dough. First, you must use a food processor to grind the chickpeas and make the falafel dough.

Next, add all the ingredients to the ground chickpeas and process on high until you achieve a grainy dough. 

As a result, you will have a falafel dough that looks similar to this. Then, I use a melon baller or a small cookie scoop to form my falafel balls.

Cooking Air-Fried Falafel

In order to make oil-free falafel, that tastes great, there are a few other tricks.

Since the falafel dough is a bit sticky, I suggest air frying in batches, a single layer at a time. This allows for the falafel to cook evenly.

The other trick is how the falafel mixture is made. It would be best if you pulsed the mixture in the food processor. And it is necessary to refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour to set it up before cooking.

In order to batch cook, I suggest rolling the falafel mixture into balls or spheres and place them on a baking sheet and then transferring them to the air-fryer basket.

However, instead of tossing the falafel around in the pan (because they are delicate), gently turn them over using a spatula or your fingers.

Be careful, though, not to burn yourself. After cooking all these years, my hands don't register heat. Haha. 

Air Fryer Recommendations

In my opinion, the more simple the air-fryer, the better.

Even though kitchen appliances are my favorite, you don't need to spend a fortune to get a great air-fryer. Instead, opt for one with high approval ratings, as well as easy to use.

I recently bought a Cuisinart Air Fryer, which also bakes, broils, toasts, grills, and warms.

I suggest the Go-Wise Air-Fryer for a smaller air fryer, which is relatively inexpensive and ridiculously easy to use. It even has pre-set settings for easy cooking. 

Making a Falafel Wrap Sandwich

Because I adore La Marsa's falafel sandwich wrap, I replicated it by making an air-fried falafel recipe at home.

First, I chose a large spinach tortilla wrap.

Next, I added a thin layer of my favorite hummus, Romaine lettuce, red onion, tomato, chopped dill pickles, and tahini sauce.

At this point, serve it cold, or heat up a pan and crisp up the tortilla for a crunchy taste on the outside. Although the pickle might sound odd, it is incredible with the other ingredients. 

I also decided to make some oil-free steak fries since the air-fryer was on the counter, and I love steak fries. 

Freezing/Reheating Falafel 

If you have leftover falafel, place it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Similarly, air-fried falafel can be stored in a freezer in a ziplock bag. 

I recommend cooking in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes for reheating. Or you can also reheat air-fried falafel in a microwave for 3-4 minutes. 

FAQs Recipe

Tips

• Do not over-pulse the falafel ingredients in the food processor. It should be chunky yet combined.
• Allow the falafel dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and roll it into balls or oval shapes to make it easier to work with.
• Consider using a cookie dough baller to make uniform shapes.
• It's important to ensure the balls/ovals are the exact sizes so they cook evenly.
• I suggest cooking the falafel first before freezing it.
• If cooking frozen falafel, allow it to thaw completely before cooking.

Making air-fried falafel home is easy and a healthy alternative to restaurant falafel.

Delicious Vegan Mediterranean Recipes

If you love this air-fried falafel recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

📖 Recipe