Vegetarian Vegan Air Fryer Falafel

Total time1 hr 40 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time20 min

This dish is all about bright herbs and hearty chickpeas, no meat, fish, or poultry anywhere in sight, which makes it an easy win for anyone eating vegetarian. Chickpeas get blitzed with fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, and onion into a coarse, herby dough, seasoned with warm cumin, coriander, and a touch of smoked paprika and cayenne for depth. A quick chill firms everything up before the discs go into the air fryer, coming out deep golden and crisp on the outside while staying tender in the middle. A brush of olive oil and a scatter of sesame seeds give the crust extra crunch without any deep-frying involved. Serve them warm alongside tahini sauce or hummus for dipping, and you've got a satisfying, protein-packed bite that fits right into a vegetarian spread. It's the kind of recipe you'll want on repeat for wraps, salads, or just snacking straight off the tray.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the falafel

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Goya Peas Chick Garbanzos Can - 15.5 Oz Bush's Reduced Sodium Garbanzo Beans - 16 Oz S&W Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz Hanover Beans Garbanzo - 15.5 Oz O Organics Organic Beans Garbanzo - 15 Oz
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½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp olive oil

For serving

1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
tahini sauce or hummus, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Spread the drained chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat them as dry as possible, then let them air-dry for 10 minutes. Excess moisture is the main reason falafel falls apart or turns out dense.
2
Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, and onion to a food processor and pulse 8–10 times until finely chopped but not puréed — the mixture should look like coarse, bright-green crumbs.

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