You must have falafels in your entertaining recipe box for the summer. They make a beautiful presentation on the picnic table and they are naturally vegan and gluten free to satisfy all your party guests dietary needs! Also, you will want to make falafels for yourself, as they are delicious and efficiently nourishing, containing all the macros. And now thanks to one of the best inventions of the decade, the air fryer, you can make them crispy on the outside without using a $17 bottle of avocado oil and a roll of paper towels to clean your stove!
Whether you adhere to being vegan or gluten free, it’s nice to have a gluten free vegan recipe that is fit for entertaining for when you are hosting a party or if you are invited to a potluck. It is so thoughtful and much appreciated by guests in 2023. You also want a dish that makes a beautiful presentation and falafels can make this happen. Added bonus, you can eat them with your hands!
I’m going to share two different versions as well as how you can serve them in style.
The Self-Love version is featured in the Beauty chapter of Sexy Starts in the Kitchen because Sexy Starts with Self-Love is less time consuming, allowing you to sub in canned chickpeas and doesn’t require the air fryer. The end result is more of a uniform texture and more delicate. While the Share The Love version does use an air fryer and a microwave (I know! It’s used very minimally!) and involves soaking chickpeas for at least 8 hours. The end result will mimic more like deep fried falafels with a crispy outside and soft inside. Both versions are nourishing, taste good and look pretty.
Self-Love Roasted Carrot Falafels
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups CHICKPEAS, cooked
- ½ cup CARROTS, peeled and roasted
- ⅓ cup ONION, roughly chopped and roasted
- 4 tbsp ALMOND FLOUR
- 1 tsp GARLIC POWDER
- ½ tsp TURMERIC POWDER
- 1 tbsp LEMON JUICE
- ¼ tsp BLACK PEPPER
- 1 tsp SEA SALT
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse till ground but not pasty like a hummus.
- Gently, form into equal sized balls. They will be delicate.
- Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet at 375°. Check after 20 minutes. They are done when bottoms are brown.
Notes
Share the Love Falafels
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Microwave
Ingredients
- ½ cup SWEET ONION, roasted
- 1 bunch FRESH PARSLEY LEAVES
- 1 bunch FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES
- 1 tsp CUMIN
- 2 cloves GARLIC
- 1 tsp SEA SALT
- 1 cup DRIED CHICKPEAS, soaked for at least 8 hours up to 24 hours
- ¼ cup CHICKPEA FLOUR
- 2 tsp BAKING POWDER
- 1 tbsp EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Instructions
- Drain and rinse chickpeas.
- In food processor, process till paste consistency onions, herbs and spices.
- Add chickpeas and process till chickpeas are the size of sesame seeds.
- In a bowl, with a fork or whisk, mix chickpea flour and ½ cup water till flour is dissolved. Heat in microwave 10 seconds at a time and stir until it is a pudding consistency.
- Mix in baking powder to chickpea flour mixture.
- Add 1/2 chickpea baking powder mixture to falafel batter and combine. Test to see if you can mold into a ball. They will be delicate, but they should stick. If they form into balls, there is no need to add more of the mixture. If not, add 1 tbsp more at a time.
- Use a 4 cm diameter ice cream scooper if you have one to scoop out equal portions. Roll into balls with your hands, apx the size of meatballs. Place on air fryer rack that has been lightly sprayed with avocado oil.
- Using a brush dipped in extra virgin olive oil, lightly tap on top of falafels coating them with a little oil to help make them crispy.
- Air fry at 375° until the tops are crispy. Takes around 30 min. As all ovens are different check after 20.
- Allow to cool then take off with a fish turner or any thin spatula you have. See notes on how to serve with style!
