Falafels are a traditional Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean, food made from chickpeas or fava beans, or both. Typically, the ground beans are combined with spices, shaped into balls or patties, and deep fried. They may by served wrapped in pita bread, with tzatziki sauce and vegetables, or alone with sauce for dipping. Falafels make a great protein-rich staple for the plant-based diet.

For my falafels, I chose to add some non-traditional flavor by combining ground chickpeas with green olives and my mushroom sausage. I skipped the deep frying and cooked mine in the air fryer.

For dipping, I used a little mustard mixed with maple syrup.

Note that the chickpeas are not cooked first– this is important. You want to use dry chickpeas that have been soaked and rinsed, but not cooked.

If you don’t care for olives, simply leave them out.

Air Fryer Mushroom Sausage and Olive Falafels

You, On Plants

Mushroom sausage and green olives give these falafels some zing.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4

Equipment

Food Processor
Air Fryer (optional, see notes)

Ingredients

2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight Do not use canned chickpeas
1/2 onion, quartered
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional)
mustard
maple syrup

Mushroom Sausage

1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage

Instructions

For this recipe, you need to use dry chickpeas that have been soaked in water for 8 hours or overnight. Do not use canned chickpeas.
Drain the chickpeas and add them to a food processor along with the onions, baking soda, parsley, salt and pepper. Process until the chickpeas are granular but not mushy.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.
Heat a small skillet and add the mushrooms, fennel, thyme, and sage. Cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add a splash of water if the mixture sticks to the pan.
Add the mushroom mix and green olives to the mixing bowl and mix to combine with the chickpeas.
Form mixture into small patties.
Set your air fryer to cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Cook 3-4 falafels at a time, turning midway.
Combine some mustard and maple syrup in a ratio of three parts mustard to one part syrup as a dip for the falafels. The amount depends upon how many falafels you are serving at the time.

Notes

If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake the falafels at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, turning midway, or you can fry them in a small amount of oil on the stovetop.

If you don't care for olives, simply leave them out.

Keyword Chickpeas, Falafels, mediterranean, Plant-Based, Vegan