These chickpea patties are crispy on the outside and tender and fluffy in the center. They're packed full of fiber and protein and loaded with flavor. Serve them on their own or with my yogurt dip, or use them to make veggie burgers.
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Is there anything that you can't make with chickpeas? I've made everything from curry to chocolate ice cream (yes, that's right!).
So, I got to thinking, why have I never made a chickpea patties recipe? Chickpeas are the perfect candidate for crispy fritters or patties that can be used as veggie burgers. They're full of protein and fiber and kids love them too.
Related Post: Vegan Lentil Patties
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
💛These chickpea patties are packed with fiber and protein.
💛If you swap the chili powder for smoked paprika, these patties make a great snack for kids.
💛Double or triple the recipe for meal prep. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a great grab and go snack. They'll stay fresh for up to five days.
💛They're freezer friendly!
🛒Ingredients And Chef's Tips
- Vegetable Oil: Peanut oil or vegetable oil will both work here. I used plain ol' vegetable oil.
- Onion: Choose a medium sized yellow onion for this recipe. Be sure to chop it quite finely. If you leave large chunks, your chickpea patties might not hold together.
- Ginger, Cumin, Turmeric and Chili Powder: These are the dry spices that you'll need. If you're looking for a milder chickpea patty, swap smoked paprika for the chili power.
- Garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic over powdered here.
- Chickpeas: You'll need 2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas that have been drained and washed.
- Vegetable Stock: You can use fresh or powdered stock. If you don't have any on hand, it's fine to use water.
- Cilantro: I know that cilantro is one of those spices that you either love or hate. I love it, but if you're someone who dislikes it, it's fine to omit it. Your chickpea patties will still be delicious.
- Salt And Pepper: I've left the amount up to you. I always season these quite generously though.
- Flour: Flour will allow your chickpea dough to come together. If you'd like your patties to be gluten free, simply substitute with your favorite gluten- free blend.
- Baking Powder: I think baking powder is essential in this recipe, so don't skip it. It gives the chickpea patties a bit of lift.
- Yogurt: I used soy yogurt for the dip, but any kind of vegan yogurt will do. The thicker the better.
- Olive Oil: You only need a tablespoon, but aim for the best quality olive oil you can afford. Something magical happens when you combine yogurt, a high quality extra virgin olive oil and garlic.
👨🍳How To Make Chickpea Patties
- Step 1 - Saute The Aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium low heat. Saute the onions until they're translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, cumin and chili powder (or paprika for less spice) to the pan. Saute for an additional minute. Add the garlic and saute for a further 30 seconds.
- Step 2 - Blend The Chickpeas: Put the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until they are just blended. Alternatively, you can mash the chickpeas with a fork or a potato masher. Do not blend them to a fine sand. Some chunks in the mixture is normal.
- Step 3 - Add The Aromatics: Add the sauteed onions, vegetable stock and fresh cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pulse again until just combined. Do not blend to a puree.
- Step 4 - Add Flour & Baking Powder: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add this mixture to the chickpea mixture and pulse until just combined.
Top Tip
If you want to make your chickpea patties gluten-free simply substitute your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the wheat flour in the recipe.
- Step 5 - Chill: Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours.
- Step 6 - Make Dipping Sauce: While the patties are chilling, stir together the yogurt, garlic and olive oil. Blend until the consistency is smooth.
- Step 7 - Grease Baking Sheet: Lightly grease a large baking tray and set aside.
- Step 8 - Form The Chickpea Patties: Once the chickpea batter has finished chilling, use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into a ball. Flatten each ball into a 2 inch patty and transfer to the baking sheet.
- Step 9 - Fry: Wipe out the saute pan with a paper towel. Heat the remaining ½ cup of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles when it hits it, carefully transfer the chickpea patties to the pan. Fry the patties for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
- Step 10 - Garnish & Serve: Garnish the chickpea patties with fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro and serve them hot with the cold yogurt and garlic dip.
7 Things To Serve With Chickpea Patties
- Instead of the green yogurt dip, you could serve these chickpea patties with a garlic aioli or even a Sriracha mayo to spice it up.
- Serve with a simple green salad like this Israeli Salad for a light lunch.
- Make the chickpea patties a little bit bigger than the recipe recommends and use them as veggie burgers.
- For the best Mediterranean meal ever, serve with a side of Mediterranean rice.
- I love this lemon and tahini sauce. Make it up and use it as a dip in lieu of the yogurt dip.
- Try these waffle fries for a kid (or adult friendly lunch).
- Serve with a side of hot corn on the cob drizzled with vegan butter.
❄️Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
Allow the chickpea patties to cool completely. Put the cooled patties in an airtight container, and separate the layers with parchment paper or plastic wrap to keep them from sticking together. Store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Freezer
Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the patties to a freezer-safe bag or container, removing as much air as possible before sealing. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, thaw the patties overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional falafel is made from dried chickpeas that have been soaked, whereas chickpea patties typically use canned chickpeas or cooked chickpeas. Falafel has denser texture, while chickpea patties made from cooked chickpeas have a softer texture and a milder flavor.
Absolutely! This is a great meal prep recipe. Simply prepare the batter, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Then, store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Chilling the batter not only helps to meld the flavors but also allows it to firm up slightly, which can make shaping and cooking the patties easier. When you're ready to cook the patties, simply remove the batter from the refrigerator and proceed with forming and frying them according to the recipe instructions.
No, because I've used wheat flour in the recipe, but it's easy to make them gluten-free by swapping your favorite gluten-free flour for the wheat flour called for in the recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Best Ever Chickpea Patties
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- ½ inch piece of ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or paprika for a less spicy version
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup vegetable stock or water
- 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Garlic Yogurt Dip
- ½ cup vegan yogurt
- ½ tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic finely mined
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium low heat. Saute the onions until they're translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, cumin and chili powder (or paprika) to the pan. Saute for an additional minute. Add the garlic and saute for a further 30 seconds.
- Put the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until they are just blended. Alternatively, you can mash the chickpeas with a fork. Do not blend them to a fine sand. Some chunks in the mixture is normal.
- Add the sauteed onions, vegetable stock and fresh cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pulse again until just combined. Do not blend to a puree.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add this mixture to the chickpea mixture and pulse until just combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours.
- While the patties are chilling, stir together the yogurt, garlic and olive oil. Blend until the consistency is smooth.
- Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.
- Once the chickpea batter has finished chilling, use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into a ball. Flatten each ball into a 2 inch patty and transfer to the baking sheet.
- Wipe out the saute pan with a paper towel. Heat the remaining ½ cup of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles when it hits it, carefully transfer the chickpea patties to the pan. Fry the patties for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan
- Serve the chickpea patties hot with the cold yogurt and garlic dip.
Notes
- Let the chickpea patties cool fully. Then, store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for 3-5 days.
- To make these chickpea patties gluten free, substitute your favorite gluten free flour blend for the all purpose flour in the recipe.
Brian Pendergraff
I’m not sure about how the garlic is “mined” for the sauce so ill just use my minced garlic.
Keri Bevan
Hi Brian, It's just very finely chopped. Hope the recipe worked for you!