Air-Fryer Falafel with Garlic Tahini Sauce (Gluten-free)

It's no secret that I love my Air-Fryer. But allow me to explain why.

I’m a busy mom who wants to cook healthy for my family. And for many years, this seemed like an impossible task. When the kids were babies, in between diaper changes and feedings, my husband and I often relied on take-out. When they got a little older, they started to eat “real” food, but that often consisted of chicken nuggets from the freezer section. Even now, they still love their fried foods.

After a few years of this kind of eating, I grew tired of feeding them food filled with preservatives, fat, and who knows what else! I realized that I needed to start preparing more home-cooked meals for my children to make sure I knew exactly what they were putting in their bodies. And let's be honest, we ALL needed to eat a bit healthier.

I started meal planning, in hopes of coming up with an array of healthy meals that everyone would enjoy. I'm gluten-free, my husband doesn't eat beef, and my kids are both picky eaters. Add in some lactose intolerance and mild soy and dairy sensitivities and you can see how meal planning was...eh...challenging. No wonder I do it a month at a time!

This is why my air-fryer has been a god-send! It will “fry” up foods that are normally drenched in oil to the perfect crispiness. My kids actually beg for “mommy’s chicken nuggets” and "fried" pork chops. It also makes a mean Chicken Milanese or Parmigiana! But it can do so much more than that!

This Air-Fryer Falafel recipe is a perfect example of just what the air-fryer can do! Instead of being deep-fried in oil or even pan-fried, these come out perfectly crisp with just a little spritz of olive oil spray! And they’re so easy! Just mix them up in a food processor and scoop them into patties. Be sure to use parchment paper in your air-fryer to avoid the mess!

I served these with homemade gluten-free pita bread. It was good, but I'm still trying to perfect the recipe before I share it with you. Until then, you can easily serve these with your own favorite pita bread or even over a salad.

Air-Fryer Gluten Free Falafel with Garlic Tahini Sauce

For the falafel:

2 15 oz cans chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 medium onion, cut in large pieces

1/2 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

3 tbs gluten-free all-purpose flour

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

For the tahini sauce:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup tahini, stirred well

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp ground cumin

Cilantro and parsley, optional

To make the falafel: Preheat air-fryer to 350 F for 5 minutes. In a food processor, add all ingredients EXCEPT chick peas and pulse until blended (about 15 seconds). Add chick peas and process until chick peas are just broken down and blended. Do not over-mix. Using a tablespoon, scoop chickpea mixture into a ball, and place on parchment paper. Balls will flatten slightly as you drop them or you can lightly press on them to flatten. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. Place a piece of parchment paper into air-fryer to avoid sticking. Add falafel patties, in batches, and spray with a little bit of olive oil spray. Cook for 8 minutes, flip, and cook for another 8 minutes until crispy. Serve with tahini sauce, pita, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red onion.

To make Tahini sauce:

In a bowl, mash garlic and salt into a paste. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until well-combined.

Enjoy!