My Favorite Air Fryer Falafel Sandwiches

I was already in love with my air fryer, but these Air Fryer Falafel Sandwiches have taken my obsession to an entirely new level. They are FANTASTIC. 

The chickpea base gets its flavor from tons of fresh herbs (hello dill, parsley, and cilantro), and a solid dose of dried spices like cumin and coriander. Roll these babies up, pop them in the air fryer, and watch them crisp to perfection in just minutes. Vegetarian friends and meat-lovers will love these protein-packed sammies.

Are you in search of more meatless-options for mealtime? You cannot go wrong with my Avocado Stuffed Mexican Flautas, these Mediterranean-Style Loaded French Fries, my refreshing Spicy Chickpea Cucumber Salad or these Totally Epic Vegan Nachos. 

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INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER FALAFEL:

I grew up noshing on these little gems at school almost once a week. Our lunch lady came up with the most tasty vegetarian menu options. She made another item that was similar to these… but she called them “golden nuggets”. I’ll get my hands on that recipe one day!

FOR THE FALAFEL:

• Dried Chickpeas (not canned)
• Garlic Cloves
• Red Onion
• Fresh Parsley Leaves
• Fresh Cilantro Leaves
• Fresh Dill
• Ground Cumin
• Ground Coriander
• Salt
• Cornstarch
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray

FOR THE TZATZIKI:

• English Cucumber
• Plain Yogurt
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Lemon
• Fresh Parsley
• Fresh Dill

We served our falafels stuffed inside pita bread with tomato, red onion, arugula, fresh herbs and tzatziki. If you don’t have time to whip up your own homemade tzatziki, most grocery stores sell this deliciously tangy condiment already made.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER FALAFEL:

1. One day prior to making, take the dried chickpeas and cover them in water, allowing them to be completely covered by at least 3-4 inches of water. Let chickpeas soak for 20-24 hours.
2. Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry with a paper towel.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, add chickpeas along with 1 tsp. cornstarch and the remaining falafel ingredients. Pulse the mixture, scraping down the sides, as the falafel batter comes together.
4. Using your hands, form the mixture into small balls and set them aside.
5. While the air fryer preheats to 375F, make the tzatziki. Shred the cucumber with a box grater and set inside a clean kitchen towel. Twist together and squeeze out as much juice as you can. Add the cucumber to a bowl and whisk together with remaining ingredients. Set in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.
6. Spray base of air fryer and top of falafels with cooking spray. Air fry for 15 minutes at 375F, rotating the trays at the 10-minute mark.
7. Serve falafels with your favorite pita bread, filling ingredients and tzatziki.

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My Favorite Air Fryer Falafel Sandwiches

 

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Prep time

24 hours

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

24 hours 15 mins

 

I was already in love with my air fryer, but these Air Fryer Falafel Sandwiches have taken my obsession to an entirely new level.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

FOR THE FALAFEL:

• 2.5 cups Dried Chickpeas (not canned)
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• ½ Red Onion, chopped
• 1 cup Fresh Parsley Leaves
• ½ cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
• ¼ cup Fresh Dill
• 1 tbsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Ground Coriander
• 3 tsp. Salt
• 1-2 tsp. Cornstarch, for consistency
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray

FOR THE TZAZTIKI:

• ½ cup Cucumber, shredded & drained
• 1.5 cups Plain Yogurt
• ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Salt
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Dill, chopped

Instructions

1. One day prior to making, take the dried chickpeas and cover them in water, allowing them to be completely covered by at least 3-4 inches of water. Let chickpeas soak for 20-24 hours.
2. Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry with a paper towel.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, add chickpeas along with 1 tsp. cornstarch and the remaining falafel ingredients. Pulse the mixture, scraping down the sides, as the falafel batter comes together.
4. Using your hands, form the mixture into small balls and set them aside.
5. While the air fryer preheats to 375F, make the tzatziki. Shred the cucumber with a box grater and set inside a clean kitchen towel. Twist together and squeeze out as much juice as you can. Add the cucumber to a bowl and whisk together with remaining ingredients. Set in the refrigerator until you're ready to use.
6. Spray base of air fryer and top of falafels with cooking spray. Air fry for 15 minutes at 375F, rotating the trays at the 10-minute mark.
7. Serve falafels with your favorite pita bread, filling ingredients and tzatziki.

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NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:

• Dried chickpeas make a significant difference in this recipe. While you can use canned, I highly recommend taking the extra time and soaking them yourself. Trust me, it’s so dreamy. 
• Start with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. If the mixture feels too moist to easily form balls, you can add 1 additional teaspoon, mix and then form the falafels. This will make between 24 – 28 balls, depending on size. 
• To make a disk-shaped falafel: simply flatten the rounded ball and air fry at 400 for 10 minutes, instead. Still making sure to rotate the trays halfway through. 
• If you’re not a fan of red onion, feel free to substitute with a sprinkle of minced shallots! They’re just as tasty and work great in this recipe. 
• It’s super important to drain out the excess liquid from the cucumbers. Otherwise you will end up with a watery tzaziki and no one enjoys that! 😉

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