Air Fryer Falafels
Air fried falafels are an easy and healthy meal that anyone can make! Made with canned chickpeas, shallots, garlic and parsley, you’re just a few ingredients away from a delicious meal.
For the month of January I am cutting out all meat from my diet. I never do full on diets or anything when the new year hits, but this time around I felt the need to change up my diet just a little. I always struggle when I try to limit myself with food, whether that’s trying to go dairy free or nixing sugar, so I needed something I knew I would enjoy doing. Going meat free popped in my head immediately and I committed to ditching it for a month!
Sometimes just removing one food group or setting a small rule on your diet is all you need to help yourself become more aware and mindful about what you’re eating. Almost two weeks in and I feel cleaner and lighter and have really enjoyed coming up with different meal ideas instead of just relying on meat, like falafels!
These air fryer falafels have been something on my to do list for weeks and now was the perfect time to make them. I wasn’t originally going to use the air fryer, but it’s just so easy to use and clean! These air fryer falafels may not be as amazing as your local middle eastern joint, but they are a great healthy option to make yourself at home and I loved them!
How to make air fryer falafels
This recipe is very easy and uses minimal ingredients you may already have! We are using a can of chickpeas. Traditional falafel recipes call for dry chickpeas which are what make the texture that of a traditional falafel so great. However, dry chickpeas take hours and hours to soak before you can use them, so we are going the easy route so remember the texture may be a little different, a little more coarse.
First you will drain and rinse your chickpeas, set them aside and dry. In a food processor you will add one shallot, lots of garlic and fresh parsley. Blend these together until finely chopped. Next add the chickpeas, cumin, a little coriander, salt and pepper. At this point, pulse the chickpeas only 2-3 times to keep a course texture. This will help the falafels stay together. Add the flour and baking powder, pulse until just incorporated and you are done with the falafel mixture! Feel free to add up to a tablespoon of olive oil in case you think your mixture is too dry.
Next, add the mixture to a bowl, cover and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. This will help the mixture stick together. Roll the mixture into balls, about a tablespoon in size, and place them into your air fryer basket. Make sure they are all in one layer. Spray or brush with olive oil, flip and spray the other side. Air fry for 14-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
How to serve your falafels
Falafels are versatile once they are finished. You can build a bowl, stuff them into pita or eat them by themselves as a snack! I served mine on top of some brown rice and sweet potatoes I fried in the air fryer.
You can serve them
over any rice of your choice (brown, basmati or cauliflower)
on top of your favorite greens for a great salad option
inside a pita for a delicious falafel wrap
However you want to serve them, I highly recommend these toppings with the air fryer falafels
Tzatziki sauce (you can buy from the store or make your own with greek yogurt, grated cucumber, lots of minced garlic, a little lemon juice and some salt)
crumbled feta
sliced red onion
cucumber
fresh parsley
However you choose to enjoy these air fryer falafels, I’m sure you will love these and I can’t wait for you to try this recipe!
Air Fryer Falafels
1 can of chickpeas
1 large shallot
4 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
olive oil, optional
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside and dry with a paper towel.
Add the shallot, garlic and parsley into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Pulse 2-3 times until the chickpeas are broken down but still have a coarse texture. Add the flour and baking powder, pulse 2-3 more times to incorporate completely. (optional: add up to a tablespoon of olive oil in case your mixture looks dry to you)
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Scoop and roll the mixture into balls, approx. 1 tablespoon in size, and place in your air fryer basket. Spray or brush with olive oil all over. Air fry for 14-15 minutes at 350 degrees, turning halfway through. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, Tzatziki sauce, pita, feta and parsley.
