Air Fryer Crispy Falafel

If you’ve never made falafel at home before, you’re in for a treat. This air fryer crispy falafel is golden, crunchy on the outside, and soft and flavorful on the inside – all without deep frying.

Traditional falafel is usually deep fried in a lot of oil, which works great but can be messy and heavy. The air fryer gives you that same satisfying crunch with way less oil and way less cleanup.

The base is simple – canned chickpeas blended with fresh herbs, garlic, onion, and a few warm spices. Nothing fancy, nothing hard to find.

The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, and you get around 12 to 14 falafel from one batch. That’s enough for a solid meal for the whole family.

Stuff them into warm pita bread, drizzle some tahini sauce on top, and you’ve got yourself a seriously good dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy Without Deep Frying – Traditional falafel is deep fried in a pot of oil, but this version uses the air fryer to get that same golden, crunchy exterior without all the grease. You get the crunch you crave with way less oil.

Ready in Under 30 Minutes – Between pulsing everything in the food processor and air frying for about 12-14 minutes, you can have hot, crispy falafel on the table in no time. The only real waiting is the short 15-20 minute chill in the fridge.

Made With a Can of Chickpeas – You don’t need to soak dried chickpeas overnight like a lot of falafel recipes ask you to do. Just grab a can from the pantry, drain it, pat it dry, and you’re good to go.

Loaded With Fresh Herbs and Spices – The combo of fresh parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and a little cayenne gives these falafel so much flavor. Every bite tastes bright, earthy, and just a tiny bit spicy.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) Chickpeas (drained and patted very dry)
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (packed)
• 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro (packed)
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 Medium Onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• Cooking Spray
• Tahini Sauce (for serving)
• Pita Bread (for serving)

How to Make

Step 1

Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne to a food processor. Pulse about 15-20 times until the mixture is coarsely ground but not pureed – you want some texture remaining.

Step 2

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the flour and baking powder. Refrigerate the mixture for 15-20 minutes so it firms up and is easier to shape.

Step 3

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of mixture and press firmly into compact patties or balls. You should get about 12-14 falafel. Brush or lightly spray each one with olive oil.

Step 4

Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Spray the basket with cooking spray and arrange the falafel in a single layer. Air fry for 12-14 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until deeply golden and crispy on the outside.

Step 5

Serve the falafel tucked into warm pita bread with a generous drizzle of tahini sauce and your favorite toppings.

Tips

Dry Your Chickpeas Really Well

This is probably the most important step in the whole recipe. After you drain the chickpeas, spread them out on a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towels and pat them dry thoroughly.

If the chickpeas are too wet, your falafel mixture will be mushy and sticky. That means they won’t hold their shape and they definitely won’t get crispy in the air fryer.

Spend a good 2-3 minutes on this step. You can even let them sit on the towel for a few minutes to air out a bit before adding them to the food processor.

Don’t Over-Process the Mixture

When you pulse the chickpea mixture in the food processor, you want it coarsely ground with some small chunks still visible. Think of it like a rough, crumbly texture – not a smooth paste like hummus.

Stick to pulsing 15-20 times and check between pulses. If you hold the blade down and let it run continuously, you’ll end up with a paste that makes dense, heavy falafel instead of ones with a nice light interior.

If some bigger pieces of chickpea remain, that’s totally fine. A little unevenness actually gives the falafel better texture once they’re cooked.

Don’t Skip the Refrigerating Step

It might be tempting to skip the 15-20 minutes in the fridge, but this step makes a huge difference. Chilling the mixture helps it firm up so it’s way easier to shape into patties or balls without everything sticking to your hands.

If you try to shape them right away, the mixture will be soft and crumbly and you’ll have a frustrating time getting them to hold together. Cold mixture holds its shape much better.

If you have extra time, you can even chill it for up to an hour. The longer it sits, the easier it is to work with.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Crispy Cajun Chickpeas
• Air Fryer Crispy Tofu Bites
• Air Fryer Greek Turkey Burgers

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to refrigerate the mixture before shaping?

Chilling the mixture for 15-20 minutes helps it firm up so the falafel hold their shape and don’t crumble when you form them into patties or balls. If you skip this step, the mixture will be soft and sticky, making it harder to work with and more likely to fall apart in the air fryer.

If you’re short on time, even 10 minutes in the fridge will help. And if you want to prep ahead, you can refrigerate the mixture for up to 24 hours before shaping.