Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Lemon Thyme Baked Falafel
These falafels are delightfully craggy and crisp, with a refreshing lemony lift that complements the chickpeas beautifully. The air fryer is ideal for this recipe, as it quickly dries the surface, creating a crunchy exterior with minimal oil.
Ingredients
- 250g dried chickpeas, soaked in plenty of cold water for 12–18 hours, then drained well
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped, about 90g
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 25g fresh flat-leaf parsley, stalks and leaves
- 15g fresh coriander, stalks and leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried thyme
- Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or Aleppo pepper if you prefer a gentler heat
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp gram flour/chickpea flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra in a spray bottle or for brushing
- Optional: 1 tbsp sesame seeds for a lightly nutty crust
Method
- Soak the dried chickpeas in at least three times their volume of cold water for 12–18 hours, then drain and spread them on a clean tea towel for 10 minutes to remove surface water.
- Add the drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse couscous.
- Tip the mixture into a bowl and stir in the gram flour, baking powder, tahini and 1½ tbsp olive oil. Adjust consistency if needed by adding more gram flour or pulsing part of the mixture finer.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
- Shape into 16 small patties or squat balls, about 30g each, flattening them slightly to 2–2.5cm thick. Press sesame seeds onto the tops and bottoms if using.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes if your model recommends preheating. Lightly oil the crisper plate or parchment, then arrange the falafel with at least 1cm space between them. Spray or brush the tops with a thin film of olive oil.
- Air fry at 190°C for 9 minutes, then turn carefully and cook for a further 5–7 minutes, until deep golden at the edges and firm when nudged.
- Rest the falafel on the basket plate for 2 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
