Course:

Enjoy the delicious taste of homemade falafel without the fuss! With our Faff-Free Air Fryer Falafel recipe, you can whip up perfectly crispy and flavourful falafel right in your kitchen with minimal effort. The air fryer brings a healthier twist to this traditional Middle Eastern favourite, using just a touch of oil to achieve a golden, crunchy exterior while keeping the inside tender and packed with herbs and spices.

Made from a simple blend of chickpeas, fresh herbs, garlic, and spices, these falafel are as wholesome as they are tasty. The air fryer makes cooking fast and mess-free, allowing you to skip the deep-frying while still getting that satisfying crunch. Ideal for serving in pita wraps, salads, or on their own with a side of tahini or hummus, these falafel are a versatile option that can elevate any meal.

Perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep, faff-free air fryer falafel make it easy to enjoy a nutritious and flavour-packed dish at home. With this hassle-free method, you’ll have crispy, homemade falafel ready in no time – deliciously seasoned and satisfying with every bite!

Lemon Poppyseed Curd Pancakes


Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
 
Ingredients

 

Falafel

  • 400 g tin chickpeas
  • 1/2 red onion

Tahini Sauce

  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 20 ml lemon juice
  • 60 ml tahini
  • 45-50 ml iced water
  • Salt to taste
  •  
  • 30 g parsley
  • 100 g courgette
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp self-raising flour/ gluten free flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chia
Instructions
  1. Place all the falafel ingredients into a food processor and pulse everything until the mixture just comes together and the chickpeas are in loose, bread crumb sized pieces (do not make a puree!) Scrape the sides of the mixer as needed, to help everything pulse evenly.
  2. Once pulsed, scoop the mixture into 16 balls, and brush with olive oil.
  3. Select Air Fry on the Vortex Air Fryer and set the temperature to 205°C and the time to 10 minutes. You do not need to wait for it to preheat.
  4. When prompted to Turn Food, flip the falafel and brush again with olive oil.
  5. While the falafel cooks, make the tahini Sauce. Grate the garlic into a small bowl and pour over the lemon juice. Mix in the tahini, and water – the mixture may look a little odd and split at first. Keep stirring and it will come together to be a smooth silky sauce. Season the mixture with salt.
  6. When the falafel has cooked serve with the tahini sauce.

Notes

Serve the falafels in pitas with tahini, hummus and slaw, or make leftovers into a falafel salad with easy tahini sauce (recipe below if you need it), rocket and lemon.
Falafels can be prepared in advance, then frozen uncooked. Once ready to cook, pop a few into the air fryer, and cook from frozen (add 2-3 minutes to the cook time)