You may have noticed I’ve been on a bit of a falafel kick lately (exhibit A, B and C).
When I find something I love, I’ve been known to make spin-offs and improve techniques and flavors as I go. This recipe is no exception.
Say hello to your next 30-minute meal: Turmeric Chickpea Fritters that are tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, loaded with garlicky flavor, and infused with the wonder spice known as turmeric.
This recipe is simple, requiring just 30 minutes start to finish and very simple methods. It’s also loaded with antioxidants, boasts anti-inflammatory benefits, and gets its lovely yellow-orange hue from turmeric. Learn about its origins and health benefits here.
It starts in the blender (pictured above), gets a crispy edge in the skillet (pictured below), and firms up in the oven while you prepare any toppings like my zingy Garlic Dill Sauce – the perfect, 4-ingredient topping for this dish.
These turmeric fritters are insanely delicious. They’re:
Slightly crispy
Perfectly tender
Garlicky
Boldly spiced
Hearty
& Simple
These make the perfect plant-based meal when you’re craving something substantial yet easy. For serving you can go the traditional route with pita and hummus, or lighten it up with lettuce wraps, fresh vegetables, and my Garlic Dill Sauce.
If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by leaving a comment, rating it, and tagging your photos #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with.
Last but not least, if you have a recipe request let us know in the comments!
Several of our recent recipes (Lemon Almond Blueberry Pie Bars, Peanut Butter Overnight Oats, and Grillable Veggie Burgers) have come from reader suggestions, and we’re always happy to get creative and simplify/vegan-ize recipes you’d love to make at home.
Turmeric Chickpea Fritters
Ingredients
CHICKPEA FRITTERS
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax egg)
- 2 ½ Tbsp water (to make flax egg)
- 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (divided // plus more for sautéing)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 12 g)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (gluten-free for GF eaters)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 3 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp hulled white sesame seeds or hemp seeds (optional)
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (1/2 lemon yields ~1 Tbsp or 15 ml)
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (drained, rinsed and thoroughly dried)
FOR COATING
- 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp panko bread crumbs (gluten-free for GF eaters)
FOR SERVING optional
- Pita or Lettuce Cups
- Onion (sliced)
- Tomato (sliced)
- Fresh parsley (chopped)
- Garlic Dill Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees (190 C) and add flax egg to a food processor or high speed blender.
- Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add lesser amount of olive oil (1 Tbsp or 15 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and minced garlic. Sauté until slightly browned, stirring often – about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then add to food processor or blender with flax egg.
- Next add panko bread crumbs, parsley, vegan parmesan cheese, sesame seeds (optional), coconut sugar, turmeric, cumin, a pinch each salt + pepper, and 1 tsp olive oil (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), and lemon juice. Pulse/blend until small bits remain, scraping down sides as needed.
- Next, add rinsed/dried chickpeas and blend/pulse until a moldable “dough” is formed, scraping down sides as needed. You don’t want the chickpeas to turn into a paste, but you also don’t want any left whole.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a bit more vegan parmesan and salt. Add more panko bread crumbs if the mixture feels too wet. You want them to be very flavorful, so season liberally.
- To make the coating, mix vegan parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Scoop out heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of dough (I used this 1.5 Tbsp scoop from Amazon) and form/roll into balls – about 15 total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). They can be fragile, so handle gently.
- Roll fritters in the vegan parmesan cheese-panko bread crumb mixture to coat.
- Heat the same skillet you used earlier over medium heat. Once hot, add enough oil to form a thin layer on the bottom of the skillet, then add fritters. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook them in two batches as to not crowd the pan. Add more oil as needed.
- Brown fritters for 4-5 minutes total, shaking the pan to roll them around and brown all sides. Turn down heat slightly if browning too quickly.
- Add sautéed fritters to a bare or foil-lined baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.
- At this time, prepare any vegetables, sides and/or desired sauces, such as the Garlic Dill Sauce (link above).
- Once fritters are golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven. Let cool a few minutes before serving. They will firm up the longer they cool.
- To serve, top pita or lettuce wraps with desired number of fritters (2-3), fresh tomato, onion, parsley, and sauce.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, though best when fresh. Reheat in a 350-degree (176 C) F oven until warmed through, or in the microwave.
- To freeze, sauté fritters as instructed, then transfer to a baking sheet and freeze until completely firm. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 375-degree F (190 C) oven until completely warmed through.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without any additional sauces/toppings.
Jeanette says
Loved it! Really enjoyed making this recipe. So delicious!
Yay! Thanks for the great review, Jeanette! xo
Meredith says
I used a regular egg and brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. I flattened them into small disks like falafel and fried/baked in a cast iron. Turned out great. I server on naan with tomato, red onion, and a yogurt lemon dill sauce.
Also, I made these ahead of time and froze before cooking. They defrosted great.
Great! Thanks so much for sharing, Meredith! xo