{"id":341,"date":"2026-08-23T09:49:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T09:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/?p=341"},"modified":"2026-08-23T09:49:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T09:49:43","slug":"falafel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/?p=341","title":{"rendered":"Falafel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Air-Fried \u2022 Crisp Outside \u2022 Soft Inside<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Falafel is traditionally deep-fried, but this version is made in the air fryer for a lighter finish while still keeping that familiar crisp outside and soft, flavourful centre. Made with soaked chickpeas, roasted garlic, herbs, spices and a little semolina for structure, these falafel work beautifully in wraps, bowls or simply served on their own with a dip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Recipe Details<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Prep \/ Total Time:<\/strong> 25 mins<br><strong>Cuisine:<\/strong> Arab \/ Middle Eastern<br><strong>Category:<\/strong> Vegetarian<br><strong>Serves:<\/strong> 4<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nutrition \/ Macros \u2014 Full Recipe:<\/strong><br><strong>Calories:<\/strong> 387 kcal<br><strong>Protein:<\/strong> 17 g<br><strong>Carbs:<\/strong> 57 g<br><strong>Fat:<\/strong> 9 g<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Recipe Highlights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2665 Air-fried instead of deep-fried<br>\u2665 Crisp outside, soft inside<br>\u2665 Made with soaked chickpeas<br>\u2665 High in fibre and plant-based protein<br>\u2665 Great for wraps, bowls or snacking<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"849\" class=\"wp-image-342\" style=\"width: 600px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1E74C5F3-2DBB-440D-8670-E0F77D5A033F.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1E74C5F3-2DBB-440D-8670-E0F77D5A033F.png 1054w, https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1E74C5F3-2DBB-440D-8670-E0F77D5A033F-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1E74C5F3-2DBB-440D-8670-E0F77D5A033F-723x1024.png 723w, https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1E74C5F3-2DBB-440D-8670-E0F77D5A033F-768x1087.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ingredients<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Chickpeas \u2014 80 g<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Onion \u2014 25 g<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Semolina \u2014 10 g<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Roasted garlic \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sesame seeds \u2014 3 g<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Green chilli \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Red chilli \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coriander powder \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cayenne pepper \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Salt \u2014 to taste<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Parsley \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cardamom powder \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Black pepper \u2014 as required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cumin \u2014 as required<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Method<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Soak the Chickpeas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of cold water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The water should sit roughly <strong>3 inches above the chickpeas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leave them to soak overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The chickpeas will expand significantly as they soak, so use a bowl large enough to allow for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Drain &amp; Prepare<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once soaked, drain the chickpeas completely and rinse them well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Transfer them to a food processor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Add the chopped onion, roasted garlic, parsley, semolina, salt, cumin, coriander powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cardamom powder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Add the green chilli and red chilli according to your preferred spice level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Process the Mixture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pulse everything together until a rough, coarse mixture forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the processor so everything blends evenly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Continue processing until the texture sits somewhere between <strong>couscous and a paste<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not blend until completely smooth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mixture should remain slightly coarse but should hold together when pressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. Add Sesame Seeds &amp; Rest<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Transfer the mixture to a bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Add the sesame seeds and mix well with a fork so they are distributed evenly throughout the falafel mixture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a short while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chilling helps firm the mixture and makes shaping easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. Shape the Falafel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using wet hands or a falafel scoop, shape the mixture into round balls or small flattened patties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About <strong>1 tablespoon of mixture per falafel<\/strong> works well, although you can make them slightly smaller or larger depending on your preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Press them gently so they hold together without becoming too compact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6. Air-Fry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Preheat the air fryer if required by your model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arrange the falafel in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air-fry at <strong>180\u00b0C for 10\u201315 minutes<\/strong>, turning them midway through cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cook until the outside is golden and crisp and the centre is cooked through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Serving Suggestions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Serve hot with your favourite dip, chutney or yogurt-based sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also work well in pita or wraps with salad, onion and sauce, or added to a grain or salad bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not over-process the chickpea mixture. If it becomes completely smooth, the falafel can turn dense rather than light and crumbly inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chilling the mixture before shaping also helps the falafel stay together better during air-frying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ipshita\u2019s Note<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Falafel is usually deep-fried, but I wanted to see how well it would work in the air fryer. Keeping the mixture slightly coarse and allowing it to chill before shaping makes a big difference \u2014 you still get that crisp outside while the centre stays soft and nicely textured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Air-Fried \u2022 Crisp Outside \u2022 Soft Inside Falafel is traditionally deep-fried, but this version is made in the air fryer for a lighter finish while still keeping that familiar crisp outside and soft, flavourful centre. Made with soaked chickpeas, roasted garlic, herbs, spices and a little semolina for structure, these falafel work beautifully in wraps,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":343,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recipes","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=341"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":346,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions\/346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ippitizer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}