Enjoy this traditional falafel recipe with a twist; Ditch the deep-fryer and turn to your air fryer for these healthier, air fryer falafel with a tender center and crispy outer shell. This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, high-protein, and perfect for meal-prep!
Flavorful & Crispy Homemade Air Fryer Falafel
With my Gluten-Free Pita recipe now posted, it was inevitable that falafel would follow shortly after. Falafel & pita bread go together like… Hummus and pita (i.e., a match made in heaven!). I couldn’t wait to have a go at putting a healthier twist on the authentic falafel recipe with this lower-calorie, lower-fat, air fryer falafel.
What is Falafel?
Falafel is a Middle Eastern street food that has grown in popularity over the last couple of decades, particularly in the vegetarian and meat-free food scenes. Authentic falafel recipes are made up of chickpeas and/or fava beans, along with garlic & onion, and several herbs and spices. They are then formed into balls or disks and deep-fried in oil before serving as a falafel pita/sandwich.
The results are a flavorful bite with a tender center and super crispy outer shell. Unfortunately, traditional falafels aren’t a great choice for those who avoid deep-fried foods or want a low-calorie/healthier option. Healthier baked versions can be somewhat lacking too on the texture front (though not always, I admit), which is where these air fryer falafel come in.
Luckily, after lots of experimentation, learning how to make falafel with the right consistency, I’ve got it! These air fried falafel avoid the copious amounts of oil yet still manage to end up with a wonderfully crisp shell and tender middle!
By using an air fryer for cooking homemade falafel, you may not end up with falafels that are quite as crispy as deep-fried versions, but it certainly comes close! Plus, this healthy falafel recipe is great for meal-prep and freezer storage, which is a massive bonus!
These are the ingredients that you will need:
How To Make Falafel
Note: For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.
Step 1: Soak the chickpeas
Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and fill it with plenty of water (the chickpeas should be always covered by at least 3 inches). Leave the chickpeas to soak for 18-24 hours.
Then, drain the chickpeas completely and use a paper towel to pat them dry, if they are too wet.
Note: Chickpeas can soak up enough water to double in size, so you must use enough water.
Step Two: Process the falafel dough
Transfer the chickpeas and remaining ingredients to a food processor and process for around 20 seconds, scrape down the sides and repeat. Do this a few times until the mixture is well combined as a coarse meal, but not too mushy.
Then chill the mixture (in the food processor jug) in the fridge for 45-60 minutes.
This allows the starches to soak and will help the falafel hold together and not crumble apart as they cook.
Step Three: Shape the falafel
Use an ice-cream scooper to measure the mixture and shape it into a ball (you can also shape it into a disk/patty if preferred). Repeat this step with all of the falafel mixture.
Spray the ice-cream scoop with a little olive oil if you find that the mixture is sticking.
Step Four: Cook the falafel
Spray the air fryer base and also the falafel balls with a little cooking spray, and then cook them at 375ºF/190ºC for 15 minutes, flipping over at 10 minutes. Once ready, they’ll be crispy and lightly browned on the outside.
Do this step in batches, based on how big your air fryer basket is. Once ready, you can eat the crispy falafels immediately!
How To Serve
There are tons of ways to enjoy falafel. Here are just some of my favorite options.
- As an appetizer with your favorite dips – such as a tahini sauce, vegan tzatziki, Hummus, or even this Vegan Mayo.
- Make a falafel pita pocket with salad veg (these gluten-free falafel go amazingly with my Gluten-Free Pita!)
- Served as a falafel sandwich – within a flatbread style wrap with traditional salad veg and extras like Keto Coleslaw Recipe
- Alternatively, in lettuce wraps
- Serve within a salad bowl – like this Brown Rice Salad (use the falafel in place of the rice!)
- Serve as part of a Mediterranean mezze or plate, with hummus, olives, pita chips, and more.
- Form larger patties and use as burgers
- Use crumbled, as a pizza topping on this Homemade Pizza Dough, alongside grilled veggies like eggplant and zucchini.
How To Make Ahead & Store
To Make Ahead:
Homemade falafel can be prepared to several ‘points’ in the recipe and be left until you’re ready to bake them.
- You can store the processed falafel dough or the rolled falafel balls, covered, in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- The uncooked mixture can also be frozen for 1 month (although possibly even up to 3 months – I just haven’t tried longer than a month).
Do this by par-freezing the shaped falafels on a large flat surface (so they don’t stick together) and then transferring them to a large freezer-safe bag/container. You can thaw the falafel overnight before using or even cook them from frozen.
To Store:
Any leftover falafels can be stored in the fridge for a few days (up to 5), though they will lose their crispness as they chill.
To Reheat:
Place the falafel in the oven or air fryer at 375F/190C until warmed through.
To cook them from frozen, cook in the air fryer with an extra few minutes onto the cooking time.
Useful Ingredient & Recipe Notes
Ingredient Notes:
- Flour: I didn’t add any flour to the falafel mixture because it held very well together and didn’t require a binder. However, if you notice that your mixture is a little wet, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch/chickpea flour to the gluten-free falafel.
- You can optionally add a little baking powder to the falafel mix, and it’ll result in slightly lighter and airier, tender falafel. Add this just before frying (i.e., don’t add it to the mixture when making ahead and chilling in the fridge/ freezing).
- You can experiment with different herbs and spices; cilantro, cumin, coriander, parsley, dill, turmeric, cardamom, cayenne, paprika, etc.
- Don’t be tempted to use a ‘quick soak’ method for this recipe’s chickpeas, as it simply won’t work. The same goes for using canned or cooked chickpeas – the texture simply won’t be correct for these falafels. It might be mushy and fall apart (which no-one wants).
- You can experiment with subbing some of the chickpeas in this vegan falafel recipe for beetroot, sweet potato, pumpkin, etc. (add some flour as a binder if the recipe is a little wet).
More Notes
- You can shape your homemade falafel into balls or disks. In fact, disks can work better in some cases for air fryer falafel (depending on your fryer).
- Oven-baked falafel: It’s better to shape the falafel mixture into patties if you want to oven-bake them. Bake at 375F/190C for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. I recommend spraying them with oil (cooking spray) before baking and after flipping, as they will turn out crispier.
- If you plan to make them often, you can purchase a ‘falafel press,’ which makes ‘puck’ shaped falafels easily, without you having to shape them by hand.
Other Recipes You May Like:
- Vegan Kebab Sandwich (Veg Shawarma)
- Chickpea Tacos (Meatless, Gluten-Free)
- Vegan Stuffed Zucchini Boats With Chickpeas
- Garlic Broccoli Stir Fry With Chickpeas
- Vegan Shakshuka With Chickpeas
- Avocado Chickpea Pizza
- Vegan Chickpea Curry (Oil-Free)
If you try this crispy air fryer falafel recipe, I’d love a comment and recipe ★★★★★ rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan/ #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
Air Fryer Falafel
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) dried chickpeas (not canned or cooked chickpeas)
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup parsley leaves chopped
- ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 tsp baking powder (optional, see notes)
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- You can check out the video for visual instructions.The day before you start making the falafel, place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl. Fill it with plenty of water (the chickpeas should be covered by at least 3 inches/7 cm but add more water if needed) and soak for 18-24 hours. Drain the chickpeas completely and use a paper towel to lightly pat dry them (if they are too wet).
- Transfer the chickpeas along with all other ingredients to a large food processor. If you have a small food processor, you will need to work in batches. Process everything for about 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the food processor and blend again. Do this a few times until the mixture is well combined, but not mushy.
- Refrigerate the falafel mixture (in the food processor bowl) for about 45-60 minutes (or longer).
- Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the falafel mixture and shape it with your hands to form a ball (or make a patty/disk if you wish). Do this with the remaining falafel mixture.
- Use the cooking spray to lightly spray the falafel balls. Also, spray the basket of your air fryer to avoid sticking. Heat the air fryer to 375 ºF (190 ºC) and set the timer to 15 minutes. Cook the falafel balls in the air fryer, flip them after 10 minutes. They should be crispy and slightly brown on the outside. You might need to fry them in batches if necessary.
- Serve hot on its own or assemble the falafels in pita bread with tahini, lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to use dried chickpeas, not canned or cooked chickpeas.
- Flour: I didn't add any flour to the falafel mixture because it held very well together and didn't require a binder. However, if you notice that your mixture needs a binder, you can add 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour (or regular flour or cornstarch). Especially, if you plan to deep-fry them, then adding flour is highly recommended!
- Baking powder: You can optionally add a little baking powder to the falafel mix, and it'll result in slightly lighter and airier, tender falafel. Add it just before frying (i.e. don't add it to the mixture when making ahead and chilling in the fridge or freezing).
- Oven-baked falafel: It's better to shape the falafel mixture into patties if you want to oven-bake them. Bake in a 375ºF (190ºC) heated oven for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. I also recommend spraying them with oil (cooking spray) before baking and after flipping, as they will turn out crispier.
- If you want to deep-fry them, fill a large frying pan or medium saucepan with oil (to a depth of about 2 1/2 or 3 inches) and heat it to about 360 ºF (180 ºC). Make sure the oil isn't too hot, or they might fall apart. Add in a couple of falafel balls/patties (don't overcrowd the pan) and fry for about 4 minutes, turning as needed. Place the fried falafel on paper towels to soak up excess oil. It is important that the mixture rested in the refrigerator for about 60 minutes before frying. Also, if you think they are still too moist, then roll the balls/patties in some flour.
- You can freeze the uncooked falafel balls for up to a month.
- Check the helpful tips and step-by-step photos in the blog post above.
- The total time doesn't include the soaking- and resting time.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Equipment
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J’aime beaucoup cette recette mais j’ai eu des difficultés à façonner les boulettes. Elles s’effritent beaucoup. Que dois-je faire ?
Merci pour la recette, ça aide beaucoup 😊
Avec cette base, si les boulettes s’effritent, il y a en général trois causes possibles:
• Les pois chiches sont trop secs. Même après le trempage, ils doivent rester légèrement humides. S’ils sont trop bien essuyés, la masse devient friable. Tu peux ajouter 1 à 2 cuillères à soupe d’eau ou d’huile d’olive et remixer brièvement.
• La mouture est trop grossière. La texture doit être bien homogène mais pas en purée. S’il reste trop de gros morceaux, la masse tient moins bien. Mixer encore quelques secondes aide souvent beaucoup.
• Il manque un petit liant. Même si la recette fonctionne sans, selon les pois chiches et le mixeur, tu peux ajouter 1 à 2 cuillères à soupe de farine de pois chiches ou de fécule de maïs. Ça stabilise très bien les falafels sans changer le goût.
Et un petit détail important: bien laisser reposer la masse au frigo au moins 45 à 60 minutes avant de former les boulettes, ça améliore énormément la tenue.
I’ve made these several times and they are always delicious! Thank you!
So happy to hear that, Mandy, thank you! Love that they’ve become a repeat recipe for you. 😊💛
Hi, going to make these this week. Can I use spinach instead of parsley as my husband says parsley tastes like sadness! Lol.
Haha his “parsley tastes like sadness” made my day 😄
Yes, you can absolutely use spinach instead of parsley. The flavor will be milder and a bit less herby, but it still works great. You can even mix spinach with just a small amount of parsley or cilantro if you want to keep a bit of that fresh, classic falafel taste.
Just make sure the spinach isn’t too wet. If it is, squeeze out a little moisture so the mixture doesn’t get too soft.
Hope you both enjoy the falafel! 🙂
Too unpleasant to eat! Far too crumbly, raw garlic and gritty texture.
Sorry to hear that! It sounds like the mixture might have been too wet or not processed enough. Make sure to fully drain and lightly pat the soaked chickpeas dry, and pulse them just until combined – not mushy. Also, letting the mixture chill in the fridge for at least 45–60 minutes helps it hold together. A little chickpea flour can also help if it’s still too crumbly. Hopefully that helps for next time!
Made them for the first time today and my foodie daughters declared them to be restaurant quality!! Easy to follow recipe with excellent results. Thank you!!
So happy to hear that! I love that your daughters enjoyed them too. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and for your kind words!
can I use dried herbs if I don’t have fresh?
You can, but I recommend fresh herbs if possible since they add more flavor, moisture, and that nice green color. If you only have dried, just use about one-fourth of the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated. The falafel will still work, but you might want to add a little lemon juice or even some spinach to balance things out.
please help, when do I add baking powder to the mix when I am.Air Frying the falafel?
Hello! I mentioned it in the recipe notes. Will copy and paste it for you.
Just have a quick question, do you put baking powder in the mix when you are aur frying them??? please help!!
Hi – if frozen before cooking, do they need to be thawed before baking or can they just be thrown into the oven straight from the freezer?
Hi! You can cook them from frozen. 🙂
The best falafel I’ve ever tasted. Nice and crispy on the outside and moist inside.
So glad you loved them, Donna! That’s exactly how falafel should be – crispy outside and soft inside. Thanks for trying the recipe!
Waste of time
There’s NO recipe
Where are the ingredients of parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, etc!?
Typical SM pennies hunter
Hi there, the full recipe with all measurements is, as always, right there in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. For those who want to skip straight to it, there’s a green “Jump to Recipe” button at the very top of the page… no need to scroll or search.
I share my recipes for free and put a lot of time and heart into every post. Kindness goes a long way.
Wishing you a good day, Nock.
Ela
How do I freeze the balls so they don’t stick to each other and after first defrost then air fry?
Hi, I mentioned it in the post:
“Do this by par-freezing the shaped falafels on a large flat surface (so they don’t stick together) and then transferring them to a large freezer-safe bag/container. You can thaw the falafel overnight before using or even cook them from frozen.”
Am I able to just toss them in olive oil since I don’t have cooking spray?
Yes, absolutely! Just lightly coat them with a bit of oil—either by brushing or tossing them gently in a bowl with olive oil—before baking or air frying. This will help them crisp up nicely without sticking.
Help please!
my husband and I added to much water while processing the ingredients. Is there a way to rescue the Falafel???
Thank you so much for any help you can give.
Yes! You can rescue your falafel mixture by adding dry ingredients to absorb the excess moisture. Try one or a combination of the following:
– Chickpea flour or all-purpose flour – Start with 1-2 tablespoons, mix, and adjust as needed.
– Breadcrumbs – Helps absorb moisture and adds structure.
– More ground chickpeas – If you have extra soaked chickpeas, blend some separately and mix in.
– Refrigerate the mixture – Letting it sit in the fridge for 30-60 minutes can help it firm up.
If the mixture is still too wet, try baking or pan-frying instead of deep-frying, as they might hold together better that way. Hope that helps! 😊
Can I freeze the falafels after I cooked them?
Yes that is fine. 🙂
I made these tonight. They are so good! I was worried the better was too wet when I was shaping them, but they came out perfect. I followed your suggestion and served them with a salad. Perfect. I’ve never been disappointed by your recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Aww such a great compliment, Mae! Thanks for your lovely feedback. 🙂
hoy he hecho los falafels i me han salido deliciosos i especiados he congelado la mitat i la otra mitat los he hecho en el horno convencional hi eran riquissimos otro dia freire los restantes i asi sabre los dos gustos pero yo me decanto por los cocidos al horno ya que son mas saludables. Muchas gracias por su receta
These were a hit with my family. I made extra for the freezer and they disappeared quickly. I am making more tomorrow. Thx
Wonderful! I am glad you like the recipe, Lisa. 🙂
I made them a few months ago and they were delicious today I’m coming back for the recipe to make them again. Thank you!
So good to hear! Thanks for your amazing feedback, Adriana. 🙂
Great and simple recipe. I baked them in the oven in a shape of falafels and the are delicious
So glad they turned out delicious. 🙂