With just a few ingredients and a quick cooking time, these Chickpea Fritters are a protein–packed meal that’s ready in under 20 minutes. (And they reheat well for the future, too!)

chickpea fritters on plate with cucumbers.

I love turning simple pantry staples into easy meals for my family, especially when it involves making fritters. Much like my Broccoli Fritters and Quinoa Fritters, this Chickpea Fritter recipe is super easy to make and seriously delicious to eat.

They are easy to adjust for allergies, can be made on the stove top or in the air fryer, and are great with a range of dipping sauces including Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, salsa, guacamole, hummus, and ketchup.

(You may also like Soft Roasted Chickpeas, Chicken Fritters, Lentil Patties and Chickpea Blondies.)

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Ingredients You Need

Below is a look at the ingredients you need to make this vegetarian recipe so you know what to have on hand.

Ingredients for chickpea fritters on countertop.
  • Chickpeas (rinsed and drained): I like to use canned chickpeas, which are sometimes called garbanzo beans, to make this easy. You can also cook chickpeas from dry if you want. Cook fully, drain, and let cool before you start the recipe.
  • All-purpose flour: Adding a little flour to the mixture helps it hold together. You can use a gluten-free flour blend as needed to make this recipe gluten-free.
  • Parmesan cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese adds nice flavor to these plant-based patties.
  • Cumin, garlic powder, and salt: A mix of these three ensures the chickpea patties are flavorful enough for kids and adults, without being overpowering.
  • Olive oil: I like to pan-fry my fritters in extra-virgin olive oil. You can also use butter or avocado oil if you prefer.
  • Cucumber-yogurt sauce, tzatziki, or hummus for serving as you like.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Below is a preview of how to make this recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full recipe, including the amounts and the timing.

how to make chickpea fritters in grid of images.
  1. Drain the chickpeas (I save the liquid for an egg replacer to use in baking). Rinse with cold water (this removes some of the sodium).
  2. Add to a shallow dish or bowl with the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil.
  3. Mash with a potato masher or fork until very smooth.
  4. Form into round, flat patties using 1 tablespoon batter in each. Add olive oil to a pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the fritters until golden brown.
Chickpea fritters in frying pan.

How to Store

Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week. Warm in the microwave, toaster oven, or air fryer briefly to serve. You can also freeze these in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for a future week.

Chickpea fritters with side and dip on plate.

Best Tips for Success

  • Use gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour to make these gluten-free.
  • To make in an air fryer, coat the tray with nonstick spray or avocado oil, place the patties on top and spray with oil. Cook at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Add fresh herbs such as minced fresh parsley for more fresh flavor, if desired.
  • Serve with desired dipping sauces and/or pita bread if you’d like.

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chickpea fritters on plate with cucumbers.

Easy Chickpea Fritters

With just a few ingredients and a quick cooking time, these Chickpea Fritters are a protein–packed meal that's ready in under 20 minutes. (And they reheat well for the future, too!)
5 from 30 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Dinner
Calories 210kcal
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  • 14.5- ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained; sometimes called garbanzo beans)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast to make dairy-free)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Cucumber-yogurt sauce, tzatziki, or hummus for serving
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Instructions

  • Drain the chickpeas (I save the liquid to use as an egg replacer in baking). Rinse with cold water (this removes some of the sodium).
  • Add to a shallow dish with the flour, Parmesan, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and 2 tablespoons water.
  • Mash with a potato masher until very smooth and uniform, adding another 2-4 tablespoons of water as needed.
  • Form into round, flat patties using 1 tablespoon batter in each. Patties should be about ½ inch thick.
  • Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat and cook the fritters for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  • Place onto a paper towel to drain, if desired, and serve warm with desired dips.

Notes

  • Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to a week. Warm in the microwave, toaster oven, or air fryer briefly to serve.
  • Use gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour to make these gluten-free.
  • To make in an air fryer, coat the tray with nonstick spray or avocado oil, place the patties on top and spray with oil. Cook at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Add minced fresh parsley for more fresh flavor, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 4patties, Calories: 210kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 687mg, Potassium: 181mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 0.05g, Vitamin A: 76IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

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5 from 30 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    So. Good.
    Toddler, baby and I ate them all up! Even had to make a second batch on the spot because they were too good! Testament to how quick, easy and good they are!
    I omitted cheese (because of allergies) and didn’t have nutritional yeast, but they still tasted great!
    I sprinkled some lemon juice after cooking to add vitamin c and flavour *chefs kiss*

  2. These sound delicious, going to try then dairy free. Do you sub out the parmesan cheese for Nutritional yeast 1:1? So 1/4 cup?

    And, can you freeze these?

    1. I would do a little bit less than the Parmesan amount to make sure you like the flavor. And yes, cook, then let cool fully and freeze in an airtight container or bag with as much air removed as possible. Then just warm to serve!

  3. 5 stars
    I would give 10 stars if I could! So easy, flavor profile was on point too. I did the GF and DF option with only 2T water. It did take more than 3T of oil but that might have been because I was doing small batches. Adding to the weekly rotation!

  4. 5 stars
    I think I put too much water cause they were very soft and my picky daughters didn’t appreciate. Flavour was fantastic, I ate them . I ll try again with less water

  5. 5 stars
    I loved these (used Bob RedMill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour) but my 2 toddlers not so much… yet. Lots of mashing, and I even shelled the chick peas. My kids don’t like much texture, so I’ll give it another go using a food processor to make these more creamy. I served them with ketchup! They were delightful.

  6. 5 stars
    Great recipe, and so easy, especially when done in the airfryer! My toddler is in the „nothing new, please“-phase, but took a couple of bites anyways, so that’s fine with me. The adults loved them! We put them in pita bread, added some cream cheese and veggies – makes a great lunch!

  7. 5 stars
    These were sooooooo good! And my two toddlers loved them! So easy to put together too! Could I maybe try a food processor next time because that was a lot of mashing haha?

    1. They may be a tad mushy if used in the same amount without any other adjustments since almond flour does not absorb moisture the same way as wheat flour. Let me know if you try it!

    1. I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, but I would guess 375 degrees F for about 18-20 minutes. Let me know if you try it!

  8. I’m so looking forward to trying these! I do want to point out that these are tagged as Dairy Free, but they include parmesan cheese and are therefore not DF. I’m planning to sub the parmesan cheese for a dairy free alternative, but updating the tag might be helpful to others looking for DF recipes!

      1. Thanks for chiming in. And yes, it is the unavoidable fact of feeding kids…they are hard to predict because they are unique little people! (Which is why I try to make my recipes yummy enough for parents, too, so if nothing else, we can enjoy them!)

  9. 5 stars
    Hi Amy, thanks so much for sharing your recipe for EASY CHICKPEA FRITTERS. I made a batch the same night I read your email! I had all the ingredients at hand and thought this seems simple enough to try. It was a hit! Of course mine didn’t form as perfectly as yours, but it was so good. Most importantly my toddler son devoured it as if they were French Fries. So thank you so much for making dinner a bit easier for us tonight!