Ninja foodi or Air fryer falafel with canned chickpeas is easy to make and comes out so good! This Middle Eastern dish can be served alone or in a wrap filled with veggies and Tzatziki sauce!
Have you tried making our air fryer falafel recipe yet??!! OH my were these good!! Full of flavor with a crunchy exterior and tender insides. Served as a wrap for dinner it’s now a favorite easy air fryer recipe on our site. (affiliate links present)
Falafel in Air Fryer Recipe
Do you love chickpeas? Is hummus with canned chickpeas one of your favorite snacks with pita? It is for us, that is why I knew we’d love these balls. Wondered about these but hesitant to try them? Cooked and served up right they are quite delicious.
If these are new to you you are in for a real treat as well. You may have heard from others how much they enjoyed them and are just super curious. We have an easy way to make some of your own.
If you love extra crispy food and quick recipes, here are some resources to start with:
- My Favorite models are this Cosori or for a dual machine, the Foodi.
- You can find more Ninja Foodi recipes here as well; bookmark them both!
- It is best practice to put food into a hot basket. this is how to preheat air fryer first.
- Here’s a printable free air fryer cooking time chart here for your fridge.
Ninja Foodi Falafel
Yes, you guessed it the main ingredients are Chickpeas! Makes them overall pretty darn healthy especially when you aren’t deep frying them. Cooked in just hot air you still get that crunchy texture without the extra fat and calories.
Air Fryer Falafel Recipe
This is the best way to get the crispy outer texture on this classic dish. There is no other way to get it other than deep fried which isn’t as healthy since you submerge them into oil.
What is a falafel?
These balls made with ground chickpeas or fava beans are traditionally eaten in the Middle East as street food. Served during Ramadan (and year round) they’re sort of seen as a sort of veggie burger.
The easiest way is to buy these canned but I suppose if you really wanted to you could cook dried chickpeas yourself. I mean for me that is not something I would ever do but of course that is an option if you’d rather.
This is what you will need to gather together to make this. As far as grinding it all together you could use a blender but a food processor is a lot easier if you ask me. I reserve the other for just drinks myself.
Homemade Falafel Ingredients
- Falafel with canned chickpeas is easiest
- Cumin
- Garlic minced for flavor
- Salt and pepper if you want to add that
- All purpose flour to stiffen it up into a dough
- Parsley just a bit
- Pita bread and taziki sauce
I would blend these together and then taste. Adjust as you like at this point. You may want a bit more salt, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice in it. Love cilantro, add some of that. I mean it is all up to you as far as your tastebuds.
What does falafel taste like?
If you have never had these chickpea balls before, the texture is quite unique. Think of them as vegetarian meatballs kinda’. Depending on how much you blend it in your food processor it has a bit of a grainy texture.
Blended together with a bunch of different seasonings you can really amp up the flavors with cumin, garlic, and anything else you like.
How do you make falafels more moist?
Instead of a whole 1/2 a cup of flour you could add a few Tbsp of baking powder and fill the rest of your measuring cup with flour. Mix together and use this to firm it up. This is said to make the end result a bit fluffier and less dense.
If you already have your own favorite mixture, then by all means use that and just refer to our cook times chart above for timing and temperature below.
How smooth you like it is up to you, that is personal preference. As you can see here this was left with larger chunks in it. The timing should not vary either way as far as that goes.
Are falafels good for you?
Well they are packed with fiber and protein for sure. The only part that makes them fatty and higher in calories would be how they’re prepared. Typically fried, that is the part that wouldn’t be good for your health. These don’t need any oil at all!
Ninja Air Fryer Falafel
Once you have the simple falafel mixture made you just roll them up like meatballs and gently press down at the top. Then it is time to air fry them. If you have cooked falafels in a deep fryer before you know the texture they should have.
If not think of a hushpuppy that is golden brown on the outside and somewhat tender like air fryer cornbread texture on the inside.
Another difference in these two modes of cooking is that these will be a bit flatter than round which you may be used to seeing. I mean shape doesn’t change the way they taste but just so you know what to expect….
NO need for paper towels to drain off the excess yuck on the outside, all you need to air fry the falafel is an air fryer basket. Ok, I did spray a bit of non stick spray inside first. Makes cleanup a lot easier for sure.
How Long to Air Fry Falafel
- Drain soaked chickpeas in the can. Then add the chickpeas into a food processor. Then add herbs and spices, chopped parsley, lemon juice some like, whatever else you’d like to add flavor.
- Blend smooth or with some chunks still in it like we did. Pour into a bowl and add a couple Tbsp. of flour one at a time until it reaches a dough consistency.
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. Roll dough into 2″ balls, slightly flatten each one. Spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray.
- Put into preheated air fryer for 15 minutes or until golden brown to your liking.
- Serve inside a wrap with tzatziki sauce and veggies.
After 7 minutes turning them is an option but not entirely necessary. We left these falafel balls in for the full 15 minutes as is and they turned out just fine. Here is a quick step by step but refer to printable recipe below for exact ingredients. BEST recommendation is to enjoy these immediately after they’re done.
Is falafel served hot or cold?
HOT! Please don’t eat these cold, you probably won’t like them and wouldn’t make them again. Warm fresh out of the basket is best for these gluten free babies.
How is falafel traditionally served?
You can see below how most people serve it, loaded up! Makes meal prep real fast if you have all these fixings laid out on the counter as soon as they’re done. Here is what usually is served:
- Pita bread is used for the wrap
- Sliced tomatoes
- Red onions
- Tzatziki sauce is kinda’ a must if you ask me. You could try our bang bang sauce too if you want to switch things up a bit. 😉
How do you store leftover falafel?
If you have leftovers, put them into a freezer bag and suck all the air out. Reheat within 24 hours for best results in the microwave in 30 second increments until warm. Then eat immediately for best results.
Can you freeze falafels?
If you want to do some batch cooking and make double the recipe below, you can. It is recommended that instead of cooking and freezing that instead you make them into balls, freeze on a cookie sheet and then store those in a freezer bag once they are hard. They’ll last 6 months this way.
Want to try another goodie like this? Buy a few extra cans while you’re at it and make air fryer chickpeas too. Tossed with taco seasoning these are a great protein packed keto friendly snack y’all.
What sides go well with falafel?
Lemon rice, kimchi (fermented air fryer cabbage), pickled onions, and stuffed grape leaves are a few favorites. I’ve never had them outside of a pita wrap with all the things inside myself. I think of it kinda’ like a gyro in a sense.
Air Fryer Falafel
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, about 2.5 c. drained
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste
- 1 bunch parsley, diced
- 1/2 c flour, about, may use less or a bit more
Instructions
- Blend chickpeas, drained, add spices and chopped parsley until roughly blended with some chunks still in it.
- Pour into a bowl. Add a couple Tbsp. of flour at a time until it reaches a dough consistency.
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.
- Roll dough into 2" balls, slightly flatten. Spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray.
- Put into preheated air fryer for 15 minutes or until golden brown to your liking.
- Serve inside a wrap with tzatziki sauce and veggies.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
