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Air Fryer Falafel

Crispy, tender air-fried falafel that tastes incredible and is easy to make. No frying required!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Soaking Time2 d 12 hrs
Total Time35 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried chickpeas soaked*
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. chickpea flour
  • 2 tsp. cumin powder
  • 2 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are finely minced. Do not over-pulse - the mixture should be coarse, not smooth/paste-y,
  • Using your hands, shape the falafel mixture into small balls, about 1.5" (3.8 cm) in diameter. Arrange about 9 falafel balls in a single layer in your air fryer basket and air-fry for about 15 minutes at 370-380°F (187-193°C). Repeat this process until you use up all the dough. The falafel is done when it's golden brown and crisp.
  • If you don't own an air fryer, you can bake the falafel at 375°F (190°C) until golden brown, about 30 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point for even cooking.
  • You can also pan-fry the falafel in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat, until evenly browned.
  • Store leftover falafel covered in the refrigerator for a few days, though best when fresh. Reheat in a 325°F (160°C) oven/air fryer.
  • For longer term storage, place the uncooked falafel balls on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for about an hour or so. Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer and place the falafel balls into a freezer-safe bag or a container and place it back into the freezer. To thaw the uncooked falafel, transfer it in the refrigerator the day before you plan to cook it.

Notes

*Soak the chickpeas in water for 24 hours so they soften up. When the chickpeas are soaked, drain the water, rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, and use as instructed. Do not cook the chickpeas. *2 cups dried chickpeas yield about 5 cups soaked chickpeas.
**Prep time does not include soaking the chickpeas (24 hours)
https://nutritionrefined.com/air-fried-falafel/