These Chickpea Fritters are delicious and healthy - packed with protein and fiber. They're made without eggs and baked in the oven or air fryer, perfect for meal prep and served with my simple Greek yogurt sauce for the best combo.
If you've been here a while, you'll know I love fritters and also have a slight obsession with chickpeas, so why not put them together to make Chickpea Fritters! They're slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and absolutely delicious. Similar to my veggie fritters and zucchini corn fritters, they're baked in the oven making them healthier but equally tasty. In saying that, you can even air fry or pan fry too.
They're made with a combination of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors I personally love. Now I will say one thing...once you have one, its hard to stop at just one! So in my opinion, its best to make a double batch as they're great for meal prep. Enjoy the patties hot or cold the next day as they can be served in many different ways - refer to my serving suggestions below. Kids will love them too and you can make them into mini chickpea fritters for fun.
I always have a few cans of chickpeas in my pantry so these fritters have been a life saver many times for a quick meal, as they're made with simple pantry staples you may already have. They're also egg-free and are naturally gluten-free as I've used chickpea flour to help bind them together. With one simple substitution they can even be vegan, so everyone can enjoy them.
Table of Contents
Recipe Highlights
- Quick & Easy: Ready in 30 minutes
- Nutritious: Packed with protein, fiber and oven baked
- Versatile: Enjoy as an appetizer, snack, or main
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chickpeas are the star today - also known as garbanzo beans. I'm using canned for convenience, when you drain them, reserve some of the chickpea water (aquafaba). These little legumes are packed with plant protein and fiber
- Chickpea flour helps bind the fritters and keeps the recipe naturally gluten-free. You can also substitute with all-purpose flour
- Carrots, onion, and parsley add sweetness, flavor and freshness. You can substitute with shallots or scallions. Fresh herbs are preferred but dried can work
- Parmesan cheese grated, adds a cheesy umami flavor. Substitute with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast to keep them vegan too
- Cumin powder adds a warm and earthy flavor. You can replace it with other spices such as curry powder, turmeric or garlic powder
- Baking powder makes the fritters light and soft - you only need a small amount
- Olive oil spray is my preference adding a lovely golden brown color once baked, you can alternatively brush with oil too
- Sesame seeds are added for garnish, bringing a nutty crunch on top but totally optional
How to make Chickpea Fritters
These Chickpea Fritters come together quickly with simple ingredients and are baked until perfectly golden. Follow my simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)
Step 1: In a food processor, blitz onion, carrot, and parsley until finely chopped
Step 2: Add drained chickpeas, chickpea flour, parmesan, cumin, baking powder, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons chickpea water (or regular water)
Step 3: Pulse until combined and chickpeas are broken up but still textured. If too dry, add more water; if too wet, add more flour
Step 4: Preheat oven to 400℉ / 200℃. Scoop 6–8 portions of mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet
Step 5: Lightly flatten into circles using your fingers or back of a spoon
Step 6: Spray or brush with olive oil and sprinkle sesame seeds if using
Step 7: Bake 20–22 minutes until golden brown - otherwise air fry 15–18 minutes or pan-fry until golden
Step 8: Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet (as they will seem soft), then transfer to a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Pulse or mash the mixture until it's well combined but don’t overdo it—you want to keep some texture. If you don't have a food processor, use a potato masher or the back of a fork
- If the mixture feels too wet, sprinkle in extra flour or alternatively breadcrumbs. If it's too crumbly, add another spoon of water
- For oven bake and air fryer methods, ensure they are similar in size and in a single layer for even cooking
- Ensure to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the baking sheet as they will be soft
- If pan-frying in a skillet, cook on medium-high heat so they don't burn on the outside. You can then place on a paper towel afterwards to absorb excess oil
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days
- Enjoy them cold, or reheat in the oven or air fryer to keep the outsides crisp. Microwaving can turn them soggy but will still work
- Freeze cooked fritters in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet for an hour, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month
Serving Suggestions
Here are a few favorite ways I love to serve these Chickpea Fritters:
- Greek yogurt sauce, tzatziki sauce or tahini sauce with lemon juice
- Pita flatbread or wraps to make a delicious sandwich
- Alongside Turkish orzo rice or basmati rice
- As a salad topper on fattoush salad or Shirazi salad
- Classic hummus or roasted pepper hummus
- Make Mediterranean bowls or Greek bowls
FAQs
Yes they're packed with protein and fiber. Here I've also made them healthier with an oven bake and air fryer method which uses much less oil
No, not at all. A food processor just saves time, but you can mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork in a large mixing bowl
Yes indeed! Make the mixture and keep it chilled, then form the patties when ready to cook
More Fritter Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Chickpea Fritters (Protein Packed, Oven Baked)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 can (15oz / 430g) chickpeas / garbanzo beans - drained reserving some of the water
- 1 small carrot
- ¼ white onion
- Handful fresh parsley leaves
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil spray
- *Optional garnish of sesame seeds
Serve with Greek yogurt sauce
Instructions
- In a small food processor, add the onion, carrot and parsley and blitz until finely chopped - alternatively grate the carrot and finely chop the onion and parsley
- Add in the drained chickpeas, chickpea flour, parmesan, cumin, baking powder and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of the chickpea water from the can - or you can use regular water
- Pulse the mixture together until well combined and the chickpeas are broken up, but still keeping some texture (you can also use a potato masher)*If the mixture seems dry or crumbly add another spoon of water, if it seems too wet add another spoon of flour
- Preheat oven to 400℉ / 200℃. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, make spoons of the mixture and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have 6-8 fritters depending on your preferred size
- Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, gently press down on the fritters to slightly flatten and create a circle shape - don't flatten too much
- Spray or brush them well with olive oil and optionally sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until lightly golden brown. Alternatively you can air fry the fritters for 15-18 minutes or pan fry until golden
- Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet as they will seem soft, then using a spatula move to a cooling rack until ready to serve Serve your delicious Chickpea Fritters with Greek yogurt sauce on the side and enjoy!
Comments
No Comments