Chickpea Fritters
These crispy Chickpea Fritters are quick and easy to make in just 20 minutes, and have a puffy, light texture. You can eat them as is with yogurt and fresh Tabbouleh, or stuff them into a pita for a faux falafel sandwich. No need to get out the deep fryer for this recipe!
If you’re looking for chickpea flour recipes, you have to try these little chickpea puffs!
They have a really interesting texture, and almost remind me of a biscuit made with chickpea flour. Seriously, my husband was splitting them just like a biscuit and sticking some yogurt sauce in the middle!
What’s nice about these delicious chickpea fritters is that they are pan fried in a skillet with olive oil. It’s still crispy goodness, but much healthier and less messy than the usual treat. They’re crispy and golden on the edges, but have a fluffy interior.
We also add an assortment of spices to the chickpea flour, like cumin, coriander, and yellow curry, to give it a really delicious flavor. All pretty simple ingredients.
Everything about this recipe is simple, with no heavy machinery or special equipment required. No need for a food processor or anything like that, just a medium bowl for mixing and a pan!
Tips for Best Results
Use a nonstick skillet – Though I have not attempted to use an uncoated pan and there’s a possibility it could work, I recommend using a large nonstick skillet just so you don’t have to worry about sticking.
Use fresh spices – Spices lose their flavor rapidly as they sit in the pantry. The general rule of thumb is that they will stay potently fresh for 3 to 6 months after opening. They won’t necessarily be “bad” at that point, but less flavorful. So try to use freshly purchased spices here for optimal flavor.
Let the dough sit for 10 minutes before cooking – Though this recipe takes 20 minutes to make, 10 of those minutes are actually just waiting for the chickpea flour to hydrate and thicken. This is an important step for the best texture.
Step by Step Overview:
Add chickpea flour to a bowl (I purchase Bob’s Red Mill brand), and add sea salt, baking soda, ground cumin, ground coriander, yellow curry powder, garlic powder, and onion powder:
Stir that all together to combine, then add lemon juice and water to hydrate the chickpea flour.
It will look like a thick cookie dough:
Use a cookie scoop to portion out little mounds of the chickpea mixture, and put them directly in a skillet with some olive oil (here’s the size I like to make the little mounds):
Fry the chickpea fritters for 2 minutes on each side over medium-high heat, until golden brown, and watch as they puff up in the hot oil!
FYI, you’ll get prettier browning on the second side with these chickpea patties.
I’m sure you can get a more even, robust crunch if you deep fry them, but I love pan frying in just a little bit of olive oil. It really adds a lovely flavor to the chickpeas, that something like a flavorless vegetable oil cannot add.
Drain the fritters on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet as you pull them out of the frying pan, to absorb any excess oil.
I also like to sprinkle them with a pinch of salt while still hot.
How to Serve
I like to eat these chickpea fritters on their own as a healthy snack, but these are also great if you stick them in a pita with some lettuce, tomato, and tzatziki sauce. You can even dip in a little bit of yogurt sauce with minced garlic, or make a fresh tahini sauce.
For complimentary sides, serve alongside Stuffed Cherry Peppers or Stuffed Mini Peppers, and a fresh Antipasto Platter with Stuffed Grape Leaves.
I also recommend these Zucchini Fritters which are pan-fried in olive oil. They’re wonderful with yogurt dipping sauce too. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
You can certainly experiment with the spices and flavorings you add to this chickpea fritter recipe.
Try mixing fresh herbs like chopped fresh parsley or chopped cilantro into the actual fritter ingredients, or into the sauce.
You can also smash a few whole chickpeas and mix them into the batter for a different texture from the chick pea flour alone.
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Yes, store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. For best results, let thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
For the crispiest results, it’s best to pan fry them in a skillet with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, for a couple minutes on each side, until hot. The microwave can work, at 50% power in 30 second intervals, but the fritters will not be crispy.
I like Bob’s red mill and find it to be the most widely available. You may find other brands labeled as “garbanzo beans” flour. They are the same thing.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Chickpea Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp yellow curry powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup hot water
- about 1/4 cup olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Whisk to combine the chickpea flour, salt, baking soda, cumin, coriander, curry powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Add the lemon juice and water, and stir to combine (it will be a thick, lumpy mixture). Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to give the chickpea flour a chance to hydrate and get even thicker.
- Heat up a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out small mounds of the chickpea mixture into the hot oil, then coat a spatula with oil and lightly press the tops to smush the mounds down into patties.
- Let the patties cook for about 2 minutes on each side until they’re golden brown, and you’ll see them puff up considerably.
- Drain them briefly on paper towels after frying and enjoy them while they’re hot!
- You can serve them with a sprinkle of good quality salt or some tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with photos, writing, and more tips in August 2018. Originally published April 2013. This post contains an amazon affiliate link.
97 Comments on “Chickpea Fritters”
I’ve been enjoying chick pea flour in this recipe:
http://triumphwellness.com/chickpea-flour-omelette/
I triple the recipe, keep them in fridge and heat them up in toaster oven for quick, yummy bfast. They’re good alone or with green chutney.
Thanks for this recipe!
Wow, that’s a really cool recipe! Thanks for sharing Beverly.
I’m fascinated by these — they seem wholly unique! Definitely nothing I’ve seen before, and I can’t recall sampling a chickpea at any point recently. I need to get up with the times! 🙂
Thank you Meg! I’m a little addicted to chickpeas…sometimes I will open up a can, rinse, and eat!
Those look dangerous. Dangerously delicious, that is. Hm….. how long until I can open my windows and do fried food again? 😉
Haha, I agree Deanna! FYI I don’t find this to be one of those smelly fried food dishes, though I admit I like the fragrance of olive oil so maybe I just don’t notice. Looking forward to warm weather too!
So intrigued by this recipe!
Hi Kalyn, these falafel puffs are wonderful! If you ever get some chickpea flour I highly recommend them.
Hi Joanne!
I have been watching Chef Dennis’ video from last night that featured you and I want to let you know how much I LEARNED from you (and I have credibility to say that as a college professor) of which I constantly crave new knowledge! I just love your blog now that I’ve found it, and have certainly begun my subscription to your tasty recipes!!! YAY! I’d love to have you pop on over to my newly designed blog (just launched on Sunday in fact) and would be honored if you too would subscribe to my blog too. I hope that is OK to ask! I’m not really sure if it’s appropriate, but I’d love to have you as one of my subscribers!
Thanks,
Roz
I’m sorry Joanne, let me correct myself . . . my blog isn’t new, it was re-designed. Thanks for your support and delicious recipes that truly make me just want to give up my day job and live in the kitchen preparing them!
Roz
Oooo these sound so delicious! I can guarantee I would be addicted to them as well!
Thanks Caroline! They are delightful!
These sound wonderful and knowing my friends I need a lot of them. You always come up with such great dishes…
Thanks Norma! I appreciate it =)
Whoa! OK, love chickpeas, love all these flavors. I have used chickpea flour before but never for anything that looks this scrumptious. I notice there’s no fat (butter, oil) in the actual dough. Is that right? Definitely making these ASAP!!
That’s correct, Anita. No fat in the dough, and it’s amazing how fluffy and not dry they taste in the inside!
Where do I purchase the chickpea flour? CanI make this myself if I can find dried chickpeas?
Hi Gail, the one I used is sold by Bob’s Red Mill. They make all sorts of specialty flours and ingredients, and most stores seem to carry them these days. If you can’t find it in store, the Amazon price seems decent http://amzn.to/10wspeh
I don’t think you can make it yourself, as it’s a super fine stone ground flour. I wish we could!
It can also be called Garbanzo Flour but I think also some have it as Garam Flour.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Gail, I’ve done a Google search and yes, chickpea flour can be made at home. Here’s one of the may links I’ve found, http://blog.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/how-to-make-chickpea-flour-at-home/
would these be good with gravy on them?
I haven’t tried it, but if it sounds good to you, I’m sure it will be!
Mmmm…these look so good!! Don’t you just love Bob’s Red Mill? 😉 I’ll definitely have to make these as soon as I get my hands on some chickpea flour! They look like a great spin-off on falafel.
Bob’s Red Mill is awesome! They are nice people too. I love falafel so I knew I would love these too. Chickpeas rock!
Okay, I’m just tagging this on to my previous comment because I don’t want to clutter up the comment section. I made these this morning, and they (sadly) ended up nothing like what your picture looks like. They puffed up a little bit in the pan but really just stayed dense and were pretty bitter. I don’t know why. I followed the recipe, but the only thing that I changed was that I used urad flour (made from lentils) instead of chickpea flour, because that’s what I had on hand. Do you think that would change the entire recipe so drastically? It’s really sad, because I so wanted some puffy chickpea biscut-things. 🙁
Hi Myrtle, it is essential that you use chickpea flour =) The recipe is solid, it’s on the side of the Bob’s Red Mill bags so I know it’s been tested many times, and I have also made it many times. Let me know when you get to try them, they’re great!
Yum! These are called “channa tikki” in Hindi. Perfect bite size morsels that’s usually serve as a snack in India 🙂
Kiran, I’m so thrilled to discover there is another “real” name for these!!! Thanks so much.
These look tasty! I think I could eat 1,000 right along with you. We could race.
Thanks Tommy! I think a chickpea fritter puff eating race sounds good. I’m going to win! =)
Ha, challenge accepted! 🙂
How cute are these?! Look delicious too! perfect for a party.
Thanks Mallory! That’s a smart idea about making it party food.
These are SUPERB!!! Love ’em!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe and idea!
Hugs,
Maria
Thank you Maria! They’re wonderful little bites.
How many puffs does this make? 🙂 Looks delicious!
Hi Beth, it depends on sizing but if you use the OXO small cookie scoop I linked to above, it makes about 10-12 puffs. If you’re serving more than two people as a light snack, it’d be best to double or triple the recipe. Enjoy!