Air Fryer Falafel

Food blogger Bri Beaudoin is all about healthy, colourful vegetarian meals that are easily adaptable to individual tastes and cooking styles. See: these easy, filling falafel balls that become perfectly crispy in the oven or air fryer. “These falafel bowls are as delicious as they are satisfying,” Beaudoin writes. “This recipe calls for soaking dried chickpeas overnight, so make sure you plan ahead. As much as I love to encourage substitutions, in this recipe using dried chickpeas is a MUST. Canned chickpeas will introduce too much moisture and make the falafel mushy. As you pulse the mixture, it might be tempting to throw in extra binders, but trust me, it doesn’t need it. Use a light hand when shaping and don’t compact the falafel too much – you don’t want them to be dense. These homemade falafel balls are baked rather than deep-fried. If you have an air-fryer, use it for an even crispier exterior.”

Falafel Bowls

Bri Beaudoin's recipe for crispy homemade falafels served bowl-style with classic sides.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Vegetarian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Falafel

• 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked for 18 to 24 hours (see note #1)
• 1½ cups lightly packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• ⅔ cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 scallions roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided

Quick Pickled Red Cabbage

• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup boiling water
• ½ cup white wine vinegar

To Serve

• tzatziki
• chopped English cucumber
• pitas warmed

Instructions

 

• Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C) (see note #2 for air fryer cooking instructions). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Falafel

• Drain the soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor. Add the parsley, onion, garlic, scallions, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until the chickpeas form finely ground crumbs but are not yet completely puréed.
• Scoop 2-tbsp portions of the chickpea mixture (about the size of a ping-pong ball) and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. (You should have about 20 balls.) Using your fingertips, gently flatten the balls into thick patties. Generously brush both sides of the patties with the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil. (It might seem like a lot of oil, but it ensures the falafel get golden brown and don’t dry out.) Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and bake until golden brown on the other side, another 10 to 15 minutes.

Quick Pickled Red Cabbage

• In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the cabbage and salt. Using your hands, rub the salt into the cabbage (see note #3). Add the sugar, pepper, boiling water and white wine vinegar. Stir well to combine. Cover the bowl and let sit for at least 20 minutes to soften. (Refrigerate extra pickled red cabbage, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, for up to 2 weeks.)

To Serve

• Arrange the falafel, tzatziki, cucumber and pickled red cabbage 4 in shallow bowls. Serve with pitas on the side.

Notes

1. To soak the chickpeas, place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and fill the bowl with plenty of cold water. Make sure they’re well covered because the chickpeas will at least double in size. Cover and let sit for 18 to 24 hours.
2. If using an air-fryer, you can keep the falafel scoops rounded (rather than flattening) and there’s no need to flip them halfway through. Set the air-fryer to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
3. If your hands get stained from the red cabbage, simply rub baking soda and a little water on your hands, then rinse under a running tap. Repeat if needed.

More recipes from Bri Beaudoin

Charred Sweet Potatoes With Tomato Chili Jam

Bri Beaudoin's recipe for vegetarian bowls with charred sweet potatoes, roasted chickpeas, feta and tomato-chili jam.

Get the recipe

Smashed Potatoes and Roasted Cauliflower Bowls

Bri Beaudoin's vegetarian bowls with smashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower and a fresh sauce of feta cheese, herbs and lemon.

Get the recipe

Barbecue Pulled Mushroom Sandwiches

Bri Beaudoin's vegetarian version of a classic pulled pork sandwich, made with King Oyster mushrooms and plenty of slaw.

Get the recipe

Crispy Rice Salad with Smashed Cucumbers

This delicious and easy meal salad recipe by Bri Beaudoin has crunchy toasted rice and plenty of fresh vegetables.

Get the recipe

Pea Fritters and Fries with Tartar Sauce

The perfect spring snack food, courtesy of Bri Beaudoin.

Get the recipe

Cheesy Chipotle Quinoa Bake

A cheesy comfort-food one-pot meal from Bri Beaudoin's Evergreen Kitchen.

Get the recipe

Spicy Miso Ramen Soup

The silky smooth broth in Bri Beaudoin's miso soup recipe gets its salty and spicy flavours from white miso and sambal oelek hot sauce.

Get the recipe

Firecracker Tofu With Broccolini and Chili Garlic Oil

This ultra-healthy (and spicy) sheet-pan recipe from Bri Beaudoin's new Evergreen Kitchen cookbook is packed with tons of nutrition.

Get the recipe

Excerpted from Evergreen Kitchen: Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone by Bri Beaudoin. Copyright © 2022 Bri Beaudoin. Photography by Anguel Dimov. Published by Penguin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.