You have loved my Easy Falafel Recipe so I had to turn it into a burger for you and give you another way to enjoy it! Just like my original falafel, this crispy falafel burger recipe uses chickpeas that have only been soaked and not cooked. If you have been frustrated by crumbly falafel in the past... it's time to try this method.
Full of flavour
Deliciously crispy on the outside
Soft and fluffy on the inside
Plus... it's freezer friendly!
How To Make Falafel That Doesn't Crumble
I had a number of attempts at falafel that ended up as falafel crumble before I finally sought out traditional falafel recipes. The key difference I found between traditional recipes and many quicker variations was that the traditional recipes used chickpeas which had only been soaked and not cooked.
Yes, opening up a can of chickpeas is a lot faster than soaking them overnight but from my experience, it really causes the falafel to crumble. Suzy at The Mediterranean Dish has a lovely authentic recipe and details how she learned to make falafel with soaked chickpeas.
To soak dried chickpeas:
- Add the chickpeas to a large bowl or pot and cover them with in a few inches of cold water.
- Optionally, sprinkle 1 teaspoon baking soda into the water which can help the chickpeas to soften.
- Cover the bowl or pot and allow the chickpeas to soak for 18-24 hours in your fridge.
- After the soaking time they will have swelled and doubled in size. Drain the soaking water, rinse the chickpeas with fresh water, pat them dry & they are ready to use!
Ingredients For Falafel Burgers
The ingredient list is quite simple for this recipe. In addition to the dried chickpeas I use:
- A small yellow onion
- 4-6 cloves of garlic
- A couple handfuls of fresh parsley or spinach
- Some spices: cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper
- Baking powder
- And optionally... sesame seeds
How To Make Falafel Burgers
Soaking the chickpeas does require some time and forethought but the process for making this falafel burger recipe is quite quick and simple.
- After soaking the chickpeas simply add them to a food processor with the remaining ingredients (other than the baking powder and sesame seeds).
- Pulse the mixture to break down the chickpeas until they reach a couscous-like texture.
- Ideally, refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour to allow all of the flavours to come together.
- When you're ready to form the burger patties, stir the baking powder through the mixture. Optionally, add the sesame seeds to the mixture OR reserve them for a sesame coating on the outside of the burgers.
- To form the patties, scoop between ⅓ and ½ cup of the mixture into your hands and use your palms to flatten it into a burger shape. For a sesame coating, form the mixture into a ball, roll it through the sesame seeds, and then flatten.
To cook the falafel burgers:
- Air fry at 350 F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Deep fry in 2 inches of frying oil for 3 - 4 minutes on each side.
Recipe Cost
This falafel burger recipe makes between 6 and 8 burgers depending on how large you make them. If you have a keen eye you might realize that I have essentially doubled my Easy Falafel Recipe and yet the cost is nearly the same.
This recipe costs me approximately $2.80 Canadian which works out to less than 50 cents per patty. If I buy veggie burgers from my local grocery store I can expect to pay around $4 per patty.
The reason this recipe is actually more cost effective for me than when I created my original falafel recipe comes down to the ground coriander used. I have noticed that if I buy coriander from the regular spice aisle in my grocery store it can be relatively pricey. However, if I move a few aisles over to the "International Foods Aisle" I can buy a much larger quantity of coriander for a fraction of the price. (That might be a handy tip for you as well)!
Let me know in the comments below if you love this falafel burger recipe and how you load it up! You might also love my Vegan Chickpea Smash Sandwich!
Print
Crispy Falafel Burger (Air Fryer Instructions)
- Total Time: 40 minutes (plus 19 hours soaking/chilling time)
- Yield: 6 - 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A falafel burger recipe that won't fall apart on you! Soaked chickpeas are the key to falafel success and this deliciously crispy burger!
Ingredients
- 3 cups soaked chickpeas, drained & patted dry (500 g)
- 1 small yellow onion
- 4 - 6 garlic cloves
- 2 cups fresh packed spinach or parsley*
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 4 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds, optional
*Fresh ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
*The key to making falafel that doesn’t fall apart is to use soaked chickpeas, not cooked chickpeas and therefore not canned chickpeas. For best results, follow the instructions below for how to soak dried chickpeas.
- Soak 1 ½ cup (300g) dried chickpeas by covering in cold water (making sure the water is at least 3 inches above the chickpeas) and placing in the fridge for 18 - 24 hours. Adding 1 teaspoon baking soda can help to soften the chickpeas. After the soaking time, the chickpeas will have swelled to the 3 cups you need for this recipe. (Remember to increase the amount of dried beans if you are doubling or tripling the recipe).
- After the chickpeas have soaked and swollen in size, drain them from the soaking water and rinse them with fresh water.
- Pat the chickpeas dry with a clean cloth and add them to a food processor with the additional ingredients up to the black pepper. Pulse the mixture until the chickpeas are broken down to about the texture of couscous. You don’t want to blend the chickpeas so far that they become a paste. The mixture should still be a little crumbly but fine enough that the mixture will pack together without falling apart. See the photos in the blog post for reference!
- Ideally, refrigerate this mixture, covered, for at least 1 hour. This will help the flavours to strengthen and will make forming the burgers a little easier.
- Remove the mixture from the fridge and stir in the baking powder and sesame seeds. Alternatively, reserve the sesame seeds for a coating on the burgers (see next step).
- Form the burgers on a parchment lined baking sheet or cut little parchment paper squares that you can place under each burger to move them more delicately from your counter into your air frier/deep frier. Using ½ cup scoop will yield 6 burgers and a heaped ⅓ cup scoop will yield 8 burgers. For a sesame coating, form the batter into a ball in your hands, roll the ball in the sesame seeds, then press the ball flat into a burger shape.
- My preferred method is to air fry the burgers at 350 F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Alternatively, bake the burgers at 350 F for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through. Or, fry the burgers in 2 inches of oil with a high smoke point (like canola oil) for 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve on pita buns with my Creamy Vegan Tzatziki, tomato, lettuce, pickles, picked red onion, and any other toppings you desire.
- Store leftover burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cooked and cooled falafel burgers can be frozen in a single layer and then reheated in the air fryer/oven or on a frying pan. Uncooked burgers can also be frozen and then baked or air fried. (Take precautions if frying frozen burgers as ice crystals can cause the oil to splatter).
Notes
Approximate Cost: $2.80 for 6-8 burger patties vs typically $4 per veggie burger patty purchased from my grocery store.
Tip: My cost for these falafel burgers is actually less than the cost for my original falafel recipe because of a difference in the coriander. I have noticed that if I buy coriander from the regular spice aisle in my local grocery store it is quite a bit more expensive than if I move to the “International Aisle” and buy an international brand. The cost is a fraction of the price for a much larger quantity of the spice so that might be the case for you as well.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Burgers & Sandwiches
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern Inspired
Leave A Review