Air Fryer Falafel is the most iconic street food especially in Lebanon and Lebanese restaurants all over the world serve this iconic dish as Brussels Sprouts Balsaic. I was exploring the restaurants in the state when I first got introduced to the falafel balls. Falafel is a crispy snack or a fritter made of chicken peas with a beautiful dark brown colour and crisp in every bite like mango chips. These fritters have a pop of beautiful green color because of the addition of fresh green herbs. Preparing these falafel balls in the air fryer replaces the traditional method of cooking and therefore provides the yummiest snacks ever like Air fryer Pineapple.
There exist several falafel recipes and I hope so you may have tried this dish before. I have my own rules for making this dish and all of them are worth following. Soaking the falafel in water, the previous day is very essential. You must not use the canned falafel and also prefer the air fryer for cooking the falafel. Letting the falafel mixture refrigerate before cooking is very necessary to let it settle and get the required texture as Deviled Eggs.
You can also substitute the chicken peas with the beans such as black beans and kidney beans. Falafel is the best choice to be stuffed in sandwiches, wraps and even in salads. Shaping the falafel is the best part of this recipe. You can shape them into balls, discs or patties and I find extreme satisfaction at this part. This recipe is completely gluten-free and vegan and therefore is a healthier meal.
Ingredients for Making the Air Fryer Falafel
Air Fryer Falafel can be made by processing a few ingredients together in a food processor at high speed. Food processing is a fun part of this recipe. Moreover, the use of dried chicken peas and fresh herbs does provide a great flavor to your dish like buffalo tofu.
Dried Chickpeas
Two cups of dried chickpeas are the major ingredient in his air fryer falafel recipe. Two cups means 400 grams of chicken peas and these should not be cooked or canned.
Garlic Cloves
Five fresh garlic cloves are needed and these should be finely chopped. You can use a chopper for this purpose or simply use a sharp knife.
Chopped Onion
One small-sized onion should be finely chopped with a sharp knife. You can use a cutting board for this purpose.
Parsley Leaves
One cup of freshly chopped Parsley leaves is used to add a fresh herb affect in your dish. The use of such herbs gives an aromatic element to your snacks.
Cilantro Leaves
Half a cup of chopped cilantro leaves is also used which adds up a pop of color and flavor to your falafel. Do not reduce the quantity of cilantro leaves in this recipe.
Grounded Coriander
Two tablespoons of grounded coriander is a great seasoning for your mixture. Grounded coriander has to be my favorite ingredient for most such homemade recipes.
Grounded Cumin
Two tablespoons of grounded cumin are also added to the falafel mixture. This gives a subtle flavor to your snack like stuffed chicken.
Sea Salt
Talking about the basic seasoning, you must add up the sea salt in your mixture to balance all the rest of the flavors.
Black Pepper
Black pepper is added to most of the recipes but nothing can beat the flavor we get by the freshly grated black pepper.
Red Pepper Flakes
Red pepper flakes are not essential for this recipe and are an optional ingredient. The red pepper flakes can also be replaced with the cayenne pepper as we just have to add up a spicy ingredient.
Baking Powder
One tablespoon of baking powder is required to make the soft and fluffy felafel. When you use baking powder they rise and get softer on the inside.
Cooking Spray
A cooking spray is essential for any of the air fryer recipes. Make sure to buy a non-stick cooking spray. You can also use the oil spray as a substitute for the cooking spray.
Method to Make the Crispy Air Fryer Falafel at Home
Falafel mixture is a healthier one and you should prepare it at home with the major tips by the professionals. The recipe is a bit long and takes time but every minute and effort you spend on it is worth spending. You have to process the mixture, make balls, then air fryer it and serve it after garnishing. All these steps are necessary and you must not skip any of these.
Preparing the Chick Peas
Before the actual cooking day, you must prepare the chicken peas son the previous day. Take a large-sized bowl and put the dried chickpeas into this bowl. Pour plenty of water into this bowl and make sure all the chickpeas are well covered in the water. These chickpeas need to be soaked for about 24 hours at least.
Then on the actual day, you should drain all the excess water. Spread the chicken peas on the paper towels to pat dry them. This may take some time but you need to be patient.
Processing the Ingredients
Then you have to use a food processor in the next step. Add the dried chickpeas into the food processor and also add the rest of the ingredients one by one. Add up the coriander and cumin along with the red chilli flakes. You should also add the onion and garlic, cilantro leaves parsley leaves and the baking powder into the mixture.
Process the mixture at high speed for 18-20 seconds. Repeat the process a few times and scrape the sides every time you stop the processor. The mixture should not be too mashed but jet mixed thoroughly.
Refrigerating the Falafel Mixture
Put the falafel mixture in the refrigerator for one hour at least. This helps to settle the mixture down and all the flavors will be merged properly as snack tater tots.
Preparing the Falafel Bowl
Use an ice cream scoop to shape the mixture and make small balls out of the mixture. These should be smooth and of suitable size. You can also roll the mixture in your hands to directly make the balls. Repeat the process with the whole mixture.
Falafel Balls in the Air Fryer Basket
Spray all the falafel balls with the cooking spray. You should also prepare the air fryer basket with the same cooking spray. Put the falafel balls in the air fryer basket in a single layer. If these are more in quantity then divide the balls in batches. Then you have to repeat the same process with all the remaining batches.
Air Frying the Falafel Balls
As you have preheat the air fryer to a very suitable temperature of 375 degrees. The cooking time for this recipe is 15 minutes only. After about 7-8 minutes use tongs to flip the falafel balls. As a result, these will be evenly cooked on all sides as uniform heat will be transferred to the balls. When you open the air fryer basket the falafel balls will be crispy enough with a beautiful golden brown color like English Muffins.
Serving the Falafel Balls
Your falafel balls are ready to serve. Put them on the serving plate and then serve while hot. You must put the pita bread on the platter along with some chopped lettuce and other veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers. Serving a sauce alongside is a great approach.
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FAQS
Why we should not use the canned chickpeas in the falafel balls?
The dried chickpeas used in the falafel are essential ingredients. Canned chicken peas should be avoided because these are already cooked and therefore the sticking element or starch in them is already lost. As a result, the canned chickpeas have a very little sticking ability.
Do we consider the falafel as a healthy diet?
Falafel has a great number of health benefits and therefore it should be a part of your weekly diet. Falafel has a high fibre content as it contains olive oil, different vegetables and herbs. People can maintain an optimal weight by adding this dish to their diet. It plays a role in reducing the rate of heart disease, blood pressure and the risk of diabetes.
Due to what reason do falafel balls fall apart inside the air fryer?
Your mixture should have a dry consistency and should not be too wet. If you have a more mushy or mashed mixture then it is considered wet and has more chances to fall apart in the air fryer as Chefman 10-quart. To overcome this situation you can simply add more bread crumbs into your mixture to keep it a little on the dry side.
Air Fryer Falafel
Ingredients
Ingredients for Making the Air Fryer Falafel
- Air Fryer Falafel can be made by processing a few ingredients together in a food processor at high speed. Food processing is a fun part of this recipe. Moreover the use of dried chicken peas and fresh herbs does provide a great flavor to your dish.
Dried Chickpeas
- Two cups of dried chickpeas are the major ingredient in his air fryer falafel recipe. Two cups means 400 grams of chicken peas and these should not be cooked or canned.
Garlic Cloves
- Five fresh garlic cloves are needed and these should be finely chopped. You can use a chopper for this purpose or simply use a sharp knife.
Chopped Onion
- One small-sized onion should be finely chopped with a sharp knife. You can use a cutting board for this purpose.
Parsley Leaves
- One cup of freshly chopped Parsley leaves is used to add a fresh herb affect in your dish. The use of such herbs gives an aromatic element to your snacks.
Cilantro Leaves
- Half a cup of chopped cilantro leaves is also used which adds up a pop of color and flavor to your falafel. Do not reduce the quantity of cilantro leaves in this recipe.
Grounded Coriander
- Two tablespoons of grounded coriander is a great seasoning for your mixture. Grounded coriander has to be my favorite ingredient for most such homemade recipes.
Grounded Cumin
- Two tablespoons of grounded cumin are also added to the falafel mixture. This gives a subtle flavor to your snack.
Sea Salt
- Talking about the basic seasoning you must add up the sea salt in your mixture to balance all the rest of the flavors.
Black Pepper
- Black pepper is added to most of the recipes but nothing can beat the flavor we get by the freshly grated black pepper.
Red Pepper Flakes
- Red pepper flakes are not essential for this recipe and are an optional ingredient. The red pepper flakes can also be replaced with the cayenne pepper as we just have to add up a spicy ingredient.
Baking Powder
- One tablespoon of baking powder is required to make the soft and fluffy felafel. When you use baking powder they rise and get softer on the inside.
Cooking Spray
- Ac cooking spray is essential for any of the air fryer recipes. Make sure to buy a non-stick cooking spray. You can also use the oil spray as a substitute for the cooking spray.
Instructions
Method to Make the Crispy Air Fryer Falafel at Home
- Falafel mixture is a healthier one and you should prepare it at home with the major tips by the professionals. The recipe is a bit long and takes time but every minute and effort you spend on it is worth spending. You have to process the mixture, make balls, then air fryer it and serve it after garnishing. All these steps are necessary and you must not skip any of these.
Preparing the Chick Peas
- Before the actual cooking day, you must prepare the chicken peas son the previous day. Take a large-sized bowl and put the dried chickpeas into this bowl. Pour plenty of water into this bowl and make sure all the chickpeas are well covered in the water. These chickpeas need to be soaked for about 24 hours at least.
- Then on the actual day, you should drain all the excess water. Spread the chicken peas on the paper towels to pat dry them. This may take some time but you need to be patient.
Processing the Ingredients
- Then you have to use a food processor in the next step. Add the dried chickpeas into the food processor and also add the rest of the ingredients one by one. Add up the coriander and cumin along with the red chilli flakes. You should also add the onion and garlic, cilantro leaves parsley leaves and the baking powder into the mixture.
- Process the mixture at high speed for 18-20 seconds. Repeat the process for a few times and scrape the sides every time you stop the processor. The mixture should not be too mashed but jet mixed thoroughly.
Refrigerating the Falafel Mixture
- Put the falafel mixture in the refrigerator for one hour at least. This helps to settle the mixture down and all the flavors will be merged properly.
Preparing the Falafel Bowl
- Use an ice cream scoop to shape the mixture and make small balls out of the mixture. These should be smooth and of suitable size. You can also roll the mixture in your hands to directly make the balls. Repeat the process with the whole mixture.
Falafel Balls in the Air Fryer Basket
- Spray all the falafel balls with the cooking spray. You should also prepare the air fryer basket with the same cooking spray. Put the falafel balls in the air fryer basket in a single layer. If these are more in quantity then divide the balls in batches. Then you have to repeat the same process with all the remaining batches.
Air Frying the Falafel Balls
- As you have preheat the air fryer to a very suitable temperature of 375 degrees. The cooking time for this recipe is 15 minutes only. After about 7-8 minutes use tongs to flip the falafel balls. As a result, these will be evenly cooked on all sides as uniform heat will be transferred to the balls. When you open the air fryer basket the falafel balls will be crispy enough with a beautiful golden brown color.
Serving the Falafel Balls
- Your falafel balls are ready to serve. Put them on the serving plate and then serve while hot. You must put the pita bread on the platter along with some chopped lettuce and other veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers. Serving a sauce alongside is a great approach.
Marco Bianchi, a culinary virtuoso with a flair for innovation, has made a name for himself as a celebrated chef in the United States. Born with a passion for cooking, Marco’s culinary journey began in his early years, inspired by the diverse flavors and techniques he encountered.