Air Fryer Falafel

These air fryer falafel are super crispy from the outside and moist, fluffy from the inside. Let’s make healthy, low-calorie falafel in an air fryer without compromising flavor and texture.

Stuff falafel in a warm pita sandwich with lots of veggies and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Or make a filling falafel salad bowl. Or just munch them as a snack with a side of hummus.

a plate of air fryer falafel served with tahini sauce on a wooden board.

What is Falafel? 

Falafel is popular Middle Eastern street food made from a mixture of chickpeas (or fava beans in Egypt), herbs and spices. Balls or patty shape is formed from this mixture and then deep-fried into the hot oil.

To make falafel healthy and low-calorie, we can bake, shallow-fry or air fry them. Today I am sharing the detailed method for air fryer falafel. Below is the FAQ section, I have given details for the other three methods (deep-fried, shallow-fried, oven-baked) 

❤️ You’ll Love This Air Fryer Falafel Recipe

  • Easy to make: Add everything to a food processor and make the mixture. Chill in the fridge, shape and air fry. The procedure can’t be simpler than this. 
  • Texture: Crunchy & crispy on the outside with soft, moist and fluffy from inside. 
  • Taste: savory, grainy and herby without any strong flavors.
  • Meal prep friendly: You can make ahead and freeze the uncooked balls. So it can be ready in minutes whenever you’re craving for it. 

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Image of ingredients used in falafel in individual bowls or spoons.
  • Chickpeas (DRIED): Always use dried chickpeas and soak them for 18-24 hours. The falafel mixture made from soaked chickpeas gives the best result.
    • Don’t use canned chickpeas to make air fryer falafel. It makes the mixture lose with lots of moisture. And it makes it hard to shape the balls. To reduce the moisture one will add some flour thus the end product will turn hard and dense.
  • Herbs: Always use fresh parsley and cilantro. It gives the best refreshing flavor.
  • Baking powder: It gives falafel an airy, fluffy texture from the inside. If you skip it then you’ll end with a dense texture.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Air Fryer Falafel? (Pics)

Soaking Chickpeas:

1) Take chickpeas in a colander and wash/rinse them under running cold water until water runs clear. Take them into a large bowl.

2) Add enough water (3-inches above the chickpeas), cover and let it soak for 18-24 hours.

3) After the soaking, they get doubled or almost triple in size.

4) Drain the soaking water.

Collage of 4 steps showing soaking chickpeas in water and draining soaked water.

Making Air Fryer Falafel:

1) Add parsley, cilantro, onion and garlic in a food processor.

2) Pulse it to make a coarsely ground mixture.

3) Add soaked, drained chickpeas, spices (ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne pepper), salt, pepper and baking powder.

4) Pulse it until you get the finely ground mixture. Make sure not to over-process and don’t make it paste-like. Keep the mixture slightly coarse. 

5) Remove the mixture to a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Yes, this step is necessary, it helps to bind and makes it easier to shape into balls.

Collage of 5 steps showing making falafel mixture in food processor and removing to a bowl.

6) Now start shaping into a ball or patty shape. I have used 1 ½ tablespoons size of cookie scoop to make even-sized falafels. 

7) Try squeezing with the help of your palm and shape into a ball.

8) Transfer the balls into an air fryer basket. Spray the balls lightly with cooking oil spray. 

9) Air fry them at 375°F (190°C) for about 12-13 minutes. Around 8-9 minutes, shake the basket or gently move around the balls for even browning. Remove them to a plate and repeat the same for rest.

Collage of 4 steps showing shaping falafel ball and placing in air fryer basket and cooked falafel.

💭 Expert Tips For Best Air Fryer Falafel

  • Always use dry chickpeas (not canned or cooked). Soak the chickpeas for 24 hours and use them in the recipe. 
  • Chill the falafel mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The starch from dried, soaked chickpeas have enough time to soak up, so it will be easy to form the balls without falling apart. 
  • Don’t use the ‘quick soaking’ method for chickpeas that doesn’t work here.
  • Shape the falafel into a patty shape if you are planning to serve into pita pockets. Flat, disc-shaped falafel is easy to stuff in pita bread.

🥣 Storage Instructions

Leftover air fryer falafel can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days. Or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that refrigerated falafel will lose its crispness. Reheat them in an air fryer to make them slightly crispy again.

Make-ahead options:

  • Make the falafel mixture a night before and keep it refrigerated. Next day shape and air fry. 
  • You can make balls and store them in the fridge for the next day’s cooking. Or balls can be frozen without cooking. 
  • To freeze balls, arrange them on a baking tray and freeze until frozen. Then transfer them to a ziplock bag to avoid clumping them together. 
  • Air fry the frozen falafel (increase the cooking time a few more minutes) or thaw them and then air fry.
air fryer falafel cut into half to shown inside texture served with tahini sauce.

🍽 Serving Ideas

  • Make falafel sandwiches by stuffing the pita bread with these crispy air fryer falafel, lots of veggies and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce.
  • Make a wrap. Try by spreading hummus on the wrap, adding falafel, cucumber, onion, tomatoes and your choice of veggies and sauce. For the low-carb version, use the lettuce leaves instead of a wrap.
  • Make falafel salad bowl with romaine lettuce, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, olives, feta and tahini sauce.
  • Have them as a snack with instant pot hummus or any other store-bought flavored hummus. 

FAQs

How to deep fry falafel?

Heat the oil in a deep, semi-wide pan. Try dopping a tiny ball, the ball should come on top within a few seconds, meaning the oil is hot enough to fry. If that ball doesn’t come on top and stays at the bottom of the pan for a longer time then the oil is not hot enough.
1) Gently slide the shaped balls into the hot oil.
2) Do move them after some time for even browning. Fry until they are golden brown from all sides.
3) Remove them using a slotted spatula
4) and keep them on a paper-towel-lined plate.
Collage of 4 steps showing deep frying falafel into the oil and removing to a plate.

How to bake falafel in the oven?

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), spray the balls with cooking oil spray and bake for about 20 minutes.baked falafel served in a bowl.

How to shallow fry falafel in the pan?

For this method, we’ll be cooking them like a burger patty. For this, you have to shape them into patty form. Heat around 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Place carefully the patty shaped falafel and cook until the bottom side is golden brown. Then flip and cook another side. Drizzle more oil as needed.Collage of 2 images showing shallow frying falafel patties in a pan and ready falafel served in a plate.

Did you try this air fryer falafel recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

Air Fryer Falafel Recipe

5 from 5 votes
a plate of air fryer falafel served with tahini sauce on a wooden board.
These air fryer falafel are super crispy from the outside and moist, fluffy from the inside. Let’s make them healthy, low-calorie without compromising taste and texture.
Kanan
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour
Serving Size 15 small-medium balls

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Dried chickpeas
  • ½ cup Parsley
  • ½ cup Cilantro or coriander leaves
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • ½ of small White onion, roughly chopped
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Baking powder
  • Cooking oil spray

Instructions

Soaking Chickpeas:

  • Take chickpeas in a colander and wash/rinse them under running cold water until water runs clear. Take them into a large bowl.
  • Add enough water (3-inches above the chickpeas), cover and let it soak for 18-24 hours.
  • After the soaking, they get doubled or almost triple in size.
  • Drain the soaking water.

Making Falafel Mixture:

  • Add parsley, cilantro, onion and garlic in a food processor. Pulse it to make a coarsely ground mixture.
  • Add soaked, drained chickpeas, spices (ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne pepper), salt, pepper and baking powder.
  • Pulse it until you get the finely ground mixture. Make sure not to over-process and don’t make it paste-like. Keep the mixture slightly coarse.
  • Remove the mixture to a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Yes, this step is necessary, it helps to bind and makes it easier to shape into balls.
  • Now start shaping into a ball or patty shape. I have used 1 ½ tablespoons size of cookie scoop to make even-sized falafels. Try squeezing with the help of your palm and shape into a ball.

Air Frying Falafel:

  • Transfer the balls into an air fryer basket. Spray the balls lightly with cooking oil spray.
  • Air fry them at 375°F (190°C) for about 12-13 minutes. Around 8-9 minutes, shake the basket or gently move around the balls for even browning.
  • Remove them to a plate and repeat the same for rest.

Notes

  • Always use dry chickpeas (not canned or cooked). Soak the chickpeas for 24 hours and use them in the recipe.
  • Chill the falafel mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The starch from dried, soaked chickpeas have enough time to soak up, so it will be easy to form the balls without falling apart.
  • Don’t use the ‘quick soaking’ method for chickpeas that doesn’t work here.
  • Shape the falafel into a patty shape if you are planning to serve into pita pockets. Flat, disc-shaped falafel is easy to stuff in pita bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 2-3 balls | Calories: 129kcal (6%) | Carbohydrates: 22g (7%) | Protein: 7g (14%) | Fat: 2g (3%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 242mg (10%) | Potassium: 348mg (10%) | Fiber: 6g (24%) | Sugar: 4g (4%) | Vitamin A: 608IU (12%) | Vitamin C: 9mg (11%) | Calcium: 72mg (7%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)
5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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10 Comments

  1. Bravo making falafel from scratch. Never ever done that before. just used ready made falafel mixture.
    but will try your method next time just to see how does it taste. i am sure must be yummy

    1. sure, give it a try.
      The taste is similar to the one we get in restaurants here in USA. But the texture is much lighter when compared to outsides.