• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
About Contact Latest

AirFried.com

Dinner Made Easy

  • Recipe Index
  • By Course
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Freezer Favorites
  • By Protein
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
  • Shop
  • Breakfast
  • Main Dish
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
  • Side Dishes
    • Potatoes
    • Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Desserts
  • Low Carb
  • Freezer Favorites
  • Breakfast
  • Main Dish
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
  • Side Dishes
    • Potatoes
    • Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Desserts
  • Low Carb
  • Freezer Favorites
Home » Air Fryer Snacks

Air Fryer Falafel

By Karly on January 5, 2021 | Updated July 20, 2021 | Rate Recipe

Pin Jump to Recipe
Share
Pin
Email
Print
273Shares
These homemade falafels stay together really well in the air fryer and turn out to be an amazing vegetarian lunch!  #nomeatmonday #airfryer #recipesTry this recipe for your next meatless meal!  Falafel pitas are a filling, delicious lunch!  #airfryer #easyrecipes #falafelHomemade falafel is easy to make in the air fryer! #airfried #falafel #recipes

This AIR FRYER FALAFEL is a quick, easy way to get that falafel fix! We started with canned chickpeas, fresh herbs, and plenty of seasonings. The falafel balls get fried in the air fryer in just 13 minutes!

A close up of a falfael stuffed pita

I had falafel for the first time in Austin, Texas served from a food truck! If you haven’t experienced the plethora of food trucks in Austin you are missing out! They are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Anyway, needless to say, I fell in love with falafel that day. Since then, I have had it restaurants a couple of times, and I have cooked myself several times.

Making the falafel mixture is easy enough and you can pan fry, bake, or air fry them. We, obviously, LOVE the air fryer method. It makes the best falafel, in my opinion. Plus, it’s super easy!

overhead view of a bowl of chickpeas next to other falafel ingredients

Table of Contents

  • How to air fry falafel:
  • Helpful tips for this recipe:
  • Air fryer tips and tools for this recipe
    • More air fryer recipes you might like:
  • Air Fryer Falafel
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
    • Instructions 
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition
      • Did You Make This Recipe?

How to air fry falafel:

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Drain and rinse your canned chickpeas to remove excess sodium. Pat them dry.
  • Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne to a food processor and pulse until well combined.
falafel mixture in a clear glass bowl
  • Use a large cookie scoop to form the falafel into balls.
  • Spritz the air fryer basket with your preferred oil spray (we use avocado oil).
falafel balls spread out in an air fryer basket
  • Space out the falafel balls in a single even layer in your air fryer basket then spritz them with the same spray.
  • Air fry them for 13 minutes at 370 degrees F.

Helpful tips for this recipe:

  • If your mixture is too wet to press together you can add a tablespoon of flour to the mixture. Repeat this if necessary until the mixture comes together. Alternatively, if it is too dry (which shouldn’t be the case with our recipe, but may be with others) you can add a small amount of oil to the mixture.
  • Falafel is best served hot and fresh! If working in batches, keep them warm on a baking sheet in a low oven until the rest of the falafel are cooked.
  • Reheat leftover falafel in the air fryer. Spritz with oil again and cook at 350 degrees F until they are heated through.
  • We serve our falafels in a pita, but they are also great piled on top of rice. They go great with a fresh salad, French fries, and chips too!
falafel balls piled on a square white plate

Air fryer tips and tools for this recipe

Cookie scoops are one of my most commonly used kitchen utensils. They are easy to find in any store, we have small, medium, and large cookie scoops. I think you would find you use them often in your kitchen too!

This recipe requires a food processor. Honestly, food processors are workhorses in the kitchen. If you have the counter space and budget for one, they are worth it. However, if you need a more budget-friendly option, or need something easy to hide away, then try this mini-prep processor. It will still get the job done for your falafel!

We use the Cosori 6qt air fryer. It’s a good size, cooks evenly, and is dishwasher safe. You can use any air fryer you want. We do like the basket models better than the toaster oven-style air fryers, but we have and continue to use both types. You can’t go wrong here!

Last, you should never use cans of non-stick spray in your air fryers. They can damage your air fryer basket over time. So instead, you should apply your vegetable oil using a refillable pump spray mister. This will lengthen the time you own your air fryer.

More air fryer recipes you might like:

  • Air fryer fried shrimp
  • Crab cakes in the air fryer
  • Crispy sweet potato fries in the air fryer
  • Homemade air fryer taquitos
  • Crispy chickpeas in the air fryer
Falafel in a pita wrap with lettuce and tomatoes.
close up of a falafel pita on a square plate

Air Fryer Falafel

Created by: Karly

Course Vegetarian
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
4 servings
This falafel recipe is easy to make in the air fryer with hardly any mess. It has become our favorite way to cook falafel. Serve in a pita or over rice for a quick vegetarian lunch.
Print
Pin
Share
Rate
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

  • Cookie Scoop
  • Air Fryer
  • Oil Sprayer for Cooking

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounces canned chickpeas
  • ½ cup fresh parsley
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Oil spray
  • Flour if needed

Instructions
 

  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry.
  • Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. 
  • Pulse until well combined and the mixture is coarse. Do not overmix or you'll end up with hummus.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to scoop out the mixture into 10 balls. 
  • Spritz the air fryer basket with oil spray. Arrange the falafel in an even layer in the basket. Spritz the falafel with oil.
  • Air fry at 370 degrees for 15 minutes.

Video

Notes

If your mixture is too wet to hold together, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together.
If making multiple batches of falafel, keep the cooked falafel on a baking sheet in a warm oven until all is ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 3falafel balls | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 550mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g

Did You Make This Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram @air.fried and tag us #air.fried

Email Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
Share
Pin
Email
Print
273Shares

posted in: Air Fryer Snacks, Main Dish, Vegetarian

Previous
Buffalo Ranch Potatoes
Next
Maple Bourbon Glazed Shrimp

Reader Interactions

Looking For More Air Fried Recipes?

Make sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. And make sure to leave your questions and reviews below!

Leave A Reply! Cancel reply

Share your thoughts!
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Chad and Karly in the kitchen.

We're Chad and Karly!

A husband and wife team bringing our love of the air fryer to the Internet.

We love fried food, but we also love making it a bit healthier without sacrificing the crunch, flavor, or fun factor! Welcome!

More About Us

Get Our FREE eBook In Your Inbox!

Join the list + get a FREE copy of our Air Fryer Favorites eBook!

    Featured Recipes

    • Overhead view of cooked veggies in an air fryer basket.
      Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables
    • Close up of a twice baked potaot cooking in the air fryer.
      Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
    • cajun fried corn in air fryer basket.
      Cajun Fried Corn
    • Close up of a cup full sliced glazed carrots
      Air Fryer Carrots

    Trending Recipes

    • Stacked egg rolls up close.
      Breakfast Egg Rolls
    • Air fryer basket full of cooked peanut butter cookies.
      Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Cooked pumpkin seeds in a square bowl
      Air Fryer Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
    • close up of smores on a wooden plate
      Indoor Smores (Air Fryer Recipe)
    • pile of garlic butter crescent rolls.
      Cheese Stuffed Crescent Rolls
    • pile of fried pickles next to a bowl of ranch dip.
      Air Fried Pickles

    Get Our FREE eBook In Your Inbox!

    Join the list + get a FREE copy of our Air Fryer Favorites eBook!

    AirFried.com

    Browse Topics

    • Breakfast
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Low Carb
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Freezer Favorites
    back to topBack To Top
    ©2023, AirFried.com. Privacy Policy Contact Free eBook
    Design by Pixel Me Designs
    ×

    Get Our FREE eBook In Your Inbox!

    Join the list + get a FREE copy of our Air Fryer Favorites eBook!