Quick and Easy Falafels (vegan + gluten-free)

Vegan and gluten-free Falafels are a quick and easy lunch recipe to make that will be ready in less than 30 minutes. This recipe is made with simple and wholesome ingredients like chickpeas, cilantro and onion. This recipe is made in the air fryer, but can easily be baked in the oven or cooked on the stovetop.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Now that I am home full time, I have a lot more time to focus on my blog and create new and exciting recipes. I know my page is full with a ton of sweet treats that you can make, which don’t get me wrong, I LOVE. But I also want to be able to provide simple and efficient lunch recipes that you can easily make at home with me.

That’s when this air fried falafel recipe came into play. This recipe cannot be any easier to make. From start to finish you’ll be enjoying this meal in about 30 minutes or less (depending how quick you go). This falafel recipe is both vegan and gluten-free and is jam packed with nutrients and flavor.

If you give this one a try, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your recipe remakes, it warms my heart. And if you love this recipe as much as I think you will, please leave a comment + rating below (under the recipe card). This supports my business more than you know!

Ingredients in vegan + gluten-free falafels

Let’s talk ingredients, this recipe is made with simple ingredients (all of which i’m sure most of us already have on hand in our pantry right now). Once you have the ingredients, all you have to do is add them to a blender or food processor, roll them into balls and air fry! It’s as simple as 1-2-3.

chickpeas
garlic
diced onion
cilantro
ground cumin
sea salt
black pepper
red chili flakes
lemon juice
paprika
lemon juice

How to make falafels

To start making this super quick lunch or dinner recipe, first start by draining and rinsing your can of chickpeas really well, for about 2 minutes under fresh water.

Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to your food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend for about 1-2 minutes or until you have a thick batter. You don’t want to over process them, some chunks are okay!

Scoop out about 2 tbsp of the batter and roll it into a ball. Place it on a plate lined with parchment paper so nothing sticks. Then, lightly coat your air fryer with non-stick spray. Just enough to where the bottoms of the falafels won’t stick when removing them.

Place the falafels in the air fryer and fry for 15-20 minutes at 350F. Remove and let cool.

I like to enjoy mine on a bed of spinach with brown rice. For the additions, I love to add in cucumbers, pickled onions and the vegan tzatziki sauce from Trader Joe’s (which is a must).

These are perishable as well, so feel free to save them in the fridge all week and enjoy!

Other lunch recipes to try

If you enjoyed this recipe, I encourage you to try any of my other quick and healthy lunch recipes! Don’t forget to tag me on socials, or leave a comment + rating below!

Quick and Easy Falafels (vegan + gluten-free)

PIN RECIPE

PREP TIME:

10 minutes

COOK TIME:

20 minutes

Author - Hannah

Ingredients

1 (15.5oz) can of chickpeas
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

SCALE:

YIELDS:

10 falafels

Directions

First start by draining and rinsing the can of chickpeas really well, for about 2 minutes under fresh water.
Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to your food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend for about 1-2 minutes or until you have a thick batter. You don’t want to over process them, some chunks are okay!
Scoop out about 2 tbsp of the batter and roll it into a ball. Place it on a plate lined with parchment paper so nothing sticks. Then, lightly coat your air fryer with non-stick spray. Just enough to where the bottoms of the falafels won’t stick when removing them.
Place the falafels in the air fryer and fry for 15-20 minutes at 350F. Remove and let cool.
I like to enjoy mine on a bed of spinach with brown rice. For the additions, I love to add in cucumbers, pickled onions and the vegan tzatziki sauce from Trader Joe’s (which is a must).
These are perishable as well, so feel free to save them in the fridge all week and enjoy!