For this simple dish, which is gluten-free and lower in carbs if you use ground almonds or almond flour for wheat flour, as I do, there is no need to soak dry chickpeas over night. All you need to make delicious, crispy, and healthier falafel is an air fryer.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 35 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 20 falafel |
Ingredients
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- sesame oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Pour chickpeas into the basket of a large air fryer. Cook at 220 degrees F (104 degrees C) until mostly dry, about 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes of cooking; all liquid should be evaporated and chickpeas should still be squishy, not toasted or hardened. Turn air fryer off.
- Transfer chickpeas to a food processor. Add onion, cilantro, parsley, almond flour, garlic, cumin, cayenne, baking powder, salt, pepper, baking soda, and nutmeg. Process on medium-high speed until a chunky paste forms.
- Refrigerate mixture to let flavors develop and to enable more drying, at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
- Form mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place in the air fryer basket and spray with sesame oil spray; be careful, falafel will be delicate.
- Set the air fryer to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C) and cook for 10 minutes. Coat with more sesame oil if desired, increase temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cook until outsides are toasted, about 10 more minutes.
- This will work with almost any spices and herbs you have on hand-for more flavor, substitute oregano or basil for parsley. Use curry powder, taco seasoning, or seasoned salt if you don’t have cumin and cayenne. Or use Sriracha for cayenne.