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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Air Fryer Recipes

    Air fryer falafel (oven directions included)

    Last Modified: Mar 6, 2023 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    green salad topped with falafel, text overlay
    collage showing the cashew-oat flour, mixing it with the chickpea mince, and making the falafel balls
    green salad topped with air fryer falafel

    Flavorful air fryer falafel is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfect on salads or stuffed into a pita. Drizzle with homemade tahini dressing!

    green salad topped with air fryer falafel

    My air fryer obsession continues with this crispy air fryer falafel. I'm including oven directions, as well, so you can make these even without an air fryer.

    A friend on Instagram recently mentioned that he bought an air fryer but is having trouble finding vegan recipes to make in it, so this one's for you, Ian!

    Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish that originated in Egypt, though many countries now have their own versions of falafel. The history of falafel is rich and complex, and there are so many ways to make it!

    If you're looking for a very traditional falafel recipe, Tori Avey has you covered.

    Jump To:
    • Ingredients & substitutions
    • How to make air fryer falafel
    • Make-ahead directions
    • Nut-free option
    • How to serve and store
    • Air fryer falafel recipe
    • More vegan air fryer recipes
    chickpeas on a table with the other falafel ingredients

    Ingredients & substitutions

    Traditional falafel uses raw, soaked chickpeas. For the sake of time, I'm using cooked chickpeas instead. You can use canned or homemade.

    • cashews and oats - Some falafel recipes use flour, and this mixture is a gluten-free replacement.
    • cooked chickpeas - Homemade or canned is fine.
    • carrot - Why not add some veggies to the mix?
    • fresh parsley and cilantro - These fresh herbs are part of what give falafel its flavor. Feel free to add even more if you like your falafel super green!
    • fresh garlic - Garlic is essential. You can use an equivalent amount of garlic powder, if you prefer.
    • soy sauce - This is not traditional but it does double duty, adding salt and moisture to the dough.
    • lemon juice - This is your acid. You can use red wine vinegar instead, if needed.
    • flax meal - Flax helps your dough hold together even better!
    • cumin and coriander - These dried spices bring even more flavor to the mix!
    • spray oil - This is optional, but spraying the falafel before putting it into the air fryer does help it get that browned, crispy outside.

    How to make air fryer falafel

    Once the cashews and oats reach a flour-like consistency, transfer them to a large bowl, then pulse the rest of the ingredients in your food processor until you have a finely-diced mixture.

    chickpea and vegetable mince, before and after processing

    Now, mix everything together in that large bowl with the cashew-oat flour, and form the dough into balls.

    You should be able to get the dough to hold together by pressing it into a ball shape. Rolling it between your hands will not work. If they simply won't hold together, add water to the mixture, a tablespoon at a time, until you can form balls that hold up.

    collage showing the cashew-oat flour, mixing it with the chickpea mince, and making the falafel balls

    You have the option to spray these with oil before cooking. If you want the super crisp outside that comes with deep fried falafel, I recommend spraying with oil.

    Remember: don't use propellant oil spray in your air fryer! You want a manual pump instead. That super fine mist from a propellant spray can damage your basket over time.

    Now, either bake or air fry the falafel balls until they're golden brown.

    Make-ahead directions

    You can make the falafel dough ahead of time. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for two to three days.

    When you're ready to air fry, just pull it out, knead it briefly, and form into balls. Then, cook as directed in the recipe.

    Nut-free option

    If you can't do cashews, you can replace them with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead.

    How to serve and store

    These little balls of deliciousness are super versatile. Serve them up over salad greens with lemon tahini sauce, or stuff them into a sandwich or wrap.

    For sandwiches and wraps, you may want to flatten these a bit, rather than cooking them up as big spheres. They can be a little bit cumbersome in a sandwich, as-is.

    You can also dish them up as part of a meze spread, with hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, and fresh and pickled veggies to go with.

    Store leftovers in the refrigerator. They'll keep for three to four days.

    You can eat leftovers cold or warm them back up. I like to toss them back into the air fryer with a spritz of oil at 350° F for five minutes or so to warm them. You can also pop them into the microwave, if you're in a hurry.

    green salad topped with air fryer falafel

    Air fryer falafel recipe

    Flavorful air fryer falafel is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and perfect on salads or stuffed into a pita.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: air fryer falafel, falafel with cooked chickpeas, vegan falafel
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 42 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 496kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup cashews - raw or roasted is fine
    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • 2 cups cooked or 1 15 ounce can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
    • 1 carrot
    • ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
    • juice of 1 fresh lemon
    • 1 tablespoon flax meal
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • spray oil - optional

    Instructions

    • If you're baking, preheat the oven to 375° F.
    • Put the cashews and oats into your food processor and grind until you get a coarse meal --- think cornmeal consistency. Transfer to a large bowl.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to your food processor, and pulse until everything is finely minced. Transfer the chickpea mince to the bowl of cashew-oat flour, and mix until you have a crumbly dough.
    • Use your hands to create around 12 falafel balls from the dough, then arrange them in a single layer in your air fryer basket. You should be able to get them to hold together by pressing the dough into a ball shape. Rolling it between your hands will not work. If they simply won't hold together, add water to the mixture, a tablespoon at a time, until you can form balls that hold up.
    • To air fry: Arrange the balls in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Spritz with oil, if you want a crispier outside. Cook at 370° F for 12 minutes, shaking gently after 8 minutes.
    • To bake: Arrange the balls on a lined baking sheet, and spritz with oil, if you want a crispier outside. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until they're golden brown.

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer
    • food processor

    Video

    Notes

    For nut-free, use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.
    The spray oil is optional, but it does give your falafel a crispier outside.
    To make ahead: You can make the falafel dough ahead of time. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for two to three days. When you're ready to air fry, just pull it out, knead it briefly, and form into balls. Then, cook as directed in the recipe.
    Storage: These keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, toss them back into the air fryer with a spritz of oil at 350° F for 5 minutes. You can also pop them into the microwave, if you're in a hurry.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Air fryer falafel recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    496
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    17
    g
    26
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    15
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    7
    g
    Sodium
     
    707
    mg
    29
    %
    Potassium
     
    851
    mg
    24
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    68
    g
    23
    %
    Fiber
     
    16
    g
    64
    %
    Sugar
     
    10
    g
    11
    %
    Protein
     
    22
    g
    44
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    4466
    IU
    89
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    17
    mg
    21
    %
    Calcium
     
    133
    mg
    13
    %
    Iron
     
    8
    mg
    44
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

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    • 20-Minute Air Fryer Apple Fritters
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    More Air Fryer Recipes

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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Nina from So Cal

      June 01, 2021 at 3:13 pm

      Becky, I love falafel that is green inside and moist rather than the dry ones I seem to find in every Middle East restaurant. I want to try yours, but I will bump up the parsley to one cup and maybe the cilantro as well. Will let you know how it goes.
      Please Becky, it's time for another picture of you. The current one does not do you justice.

      Reply
    2. Claire

      January 26, 2018 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      These are sooooo delicious! Thank you for the recipe. It's going to become a favourite in my home :-)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 26, 2018 at 11:16 am

        Thank you, Claire! I’m so happy to hear that!

        Reply
    3. Becky Striepe

      December 24, 2017 at 10:17 pm

      Gotcha. Thank you for the feedback!

      Reply
    4. Mary Chittick

      September 02, 2017 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      These falafels are delicious. I cooked at 400 for 12 minutes for better browning. I have a Nu Wave. They came out perfect. Thank you. Oh and I didn't have time to make the sauce so I got some Tahini Sauce at Trader Joe's and added in some dill. Worked great.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 02, 2017 at 6:05 pm

        I love to hear that! And I love this cheater tip for the sauce! I'm all about shortcuts for busy nights.

        Reply
    5. Laura

      February 20, 2017 at 6:50 pm

      These came out great! The only thing I did that was different was I threw the onions and carrots in the blender along with the chick peas, because I'm not a great dicer and I thought my carrot pieces were too big. I love using the Air Fryer- I shudder to think how much oil I used making these before, in a frying pan!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 20, 2017 at 6:57 pm

        Ooh that is smart! I'm making these for an event this coming weekend, and I may steal your idea for the sake of time!

        Reply
    6. Laura

      February 09, 2017 at 1:05 am

      Air fryer is the best. Your pictures of the dish are awesome

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 09, 2017 at 7:23 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    7. Jenn

      September 14, 2016 at 3:19 pm

      I love everything about this - especially that tahini sauce!!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 14, 2016 at 4:12 pm

        Thank you, Jenn!

        Reply
    8. Ian

      September 12, 2016 at 7:56 pm

      These look amazing. Thanks for doing the hard work so we don't have to. And thanks especially for the shout out!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 12, 2016 at 8:35 pm

        Thank you, Ian! I appreciated the kick in the pants. I'd really gotten into a routine and stopped experimenting with my air fryer!

        Reply
    9. Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen

      September 12, 2016 at 3:56 pm

      You're really making me want to buy an air fryer with all these recipes!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 12, 2016 at 3:57 pm

        Haha thank you, Aimee!

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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