Healthy Mixed Vegetable Falafel (Air-Fryer or Baked)
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Soak Time1 dayd
Total Time40 minutesmins
Servings: 122” falafels + 1 cup sauce
Calories: 177kcal
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Flavor-packed crispy and healthy Falafel loaded with mixed vegetables and cooked in an air fryer (or baked). A great appetizer served with a Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce! This homemade recipe is super easy to execute, and sure to satisfy your cravings.
Ingredients
Falafel:
¾cupDried Chickpeas, 110g, not canned, see notes for canned
1cupBroccoli Florets, 90g
½cupCarrots, Chopped, 64g
⅓mediumWhite Onion, Chopped, 35g
⅓cupFresh Cilantro
1TbspTahini
1TbspMinced Garlic, about 3-4 cloves
1½tspCumin Powder
½tspCardamom Powder
½tspSalt
¼tspBlack Pepper
¼tspCayenne Pepper, more or less according to spice tolerance
Cilantro Yogurt Sauce:
½cupGreek Yogurt, about 100g
¼cupChopped Cilantro
2½tspLemon Juice
½TbspTahini
1tspMinced Garlic
Instructions
Put chickpeas in a bowl and fill with water, about 3” over the top surface of the chickpeas. Soak for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a baking sheet, or use an air fryer.
Place all ingredients - soaked chickpeas, broccoli, carrots, onion, cilantro, minced garlic, tahini, cumin, cardamom, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper - in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Do not over-pulse - the mixture should be coarse/paste-y.
Use your hands or a cookie scoop to shape falafel mixture into small balls or patties and place in air fryer basket or prepared baking sheet.
Air fry at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or Bake for 25 minutes, flipping half way, until golden brown and crisp. See notes for frying.
Combine all ingredients for sauce in a bowl.
Serve falafel with the cool sauce and a warm pita!
Chickpeas need to be soaked in water for 24 hours so they soften up, do not cook or they will crumble.
To use canned or chickpeas, mix in about 2-3 Tbsp flour to the crumbled falafel mixture to so it binds and holds shape. If you skip the flour, they will crumble after baking even if they seem to hold shape before.
To fry: Fry on a skillet in oil about 1” high heated to 350°F for 2-3 minutes.
Make ahead:
Prep the dough and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw, stir the mixture, then shape into balls and cook.