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These chickpea fritters with salsa verde and queso fresco are a delicious and quick side dish or vegetarian entree. If you like falafels, I know you'll love these easy fritters!
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What makes this dish special
When I started preparing vegetarian meals, I had the most difficult time thinking of creative dishes. As a meat lover, I tend to get hungry quickly if I don't have enough protein in a vegetarian dish. Over the years, I have fine-tuned recipes and now can proudly say that making a meatless dish is a cinch. These chickpea fritters with salsa verde and queso fresco are the perfect example of a vegetarian meal that delivers on flavor and substance; I almost (keyword here is almost) don't miss the meat! And for another fantastic vegetarian entree, check out my roasted miso mushroom sandwich or sweet potato and chickpea red lentil dal.
The inspiration behind these chickpea fritters was one of my favorite vegetarian side dishes, falafels. I decided to give the original falafel a twist by adding chili flakes, lemon zest, and fresh herbs. Finish with homemade salsa verde and crumbled queso fresco and you suddenly have a Latin dish.
Ingredients
- Parsley: The main ingredient in the salsa verde, providing fresh, herbaceous flavor.
- Fennel: Contributes a subtle anise-like flavor to the salsa verde. If you dislike fennel, you can omit it.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a touch of heat to the salsa verde. Omit it for a mild salsa.
- Canned chickpeas: The main ingredient for the fritters, providing protein and substance.
- All-purpose flour: Helps bind the fritter mixture together.
- Baking powder: Leavening agent that helps the fritters become lighter and fluffier.
- Queso fresco: Adds a creamy, salty element to top the dish.
Substitutions and variations
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour for the fritter batter.
- Spicy: Add red chili flakes to the chickpea fritter mixture.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make salsa verde
Let's start by making the salsa verde. The sauce serves two purposes: as a finishing sauce and as a flavor component for the chickpea fritters.
To make the sauce, all you have to do is process all of the ingredients in a food processor. You can also chop the ingredients by hand, but I like to use the machine to cut down on time.
Season the salsa verde and set it aside.
Step 2: Prepare batter
Now we can move on to making the chickpea fritter batter. Unlike falafels which require you to use dried chickpeas, you can use canned chickpeas for this recipe. This cuts the preparation time tremendously since you don't have to cook the chickpeas!
The easiest method to prepare the chickpea fritters is by using a food processor. No need to wash the food processor - we're using the same seasonings so skip the wash after you make the fritter batter.
Pulse the chickpeas until they resemble a paste. Do not over-mix since you want a little texture in the fritters.
Combine the rest of the ingredients with the chickpeas and you are ready to get cooking.
If you don't have a food processor, you can use a masher to mash the chickpeas and finely chop the remaining ingredients, mixing them with the mashed beans.
You can prepare the chickpea fritter mix and salsa verde the day before. I prefer to make the salsa verde 24 hours in advance to allow the flavors to meld; however, the color dulls over time.
Step 3: Cook fritters
Shape the fritter batter into about 2-3 tablespoon-sized balls. I like to use an ice cream scooper to make the job cleaner and easier.
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Then, add the fritters into the pan, pressing down on the balls to create patties. Cook the patties until golden brown, flip, and cook until golden brown on the other side.
If you're cooking the fritters in two batches, make sure to add additional oil as needed.
I like to pan-fry the fritters to get that beautiful golden crust; however, you can also bake them. To bake them, spray a lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape the patties and lay them on the prepared baking sheet. Then, spray the fritters with cooking spray and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Drizzle salsa verde on top and finish with a sprinkle of queso fresco. These chickpea fritters sure were delicious if I do say so myself! I love how the outside is crispy while the inside stays tender and moist. I might even prefer these over falafels!
Make-ahead and store
- Make-ahead: The salsa verde and chickpea fritter mixture can be prepared the day before. However, the salsa verde will dull in color over time.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the salsa verde in a separate container in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but you'll need to soak and cook the dried chickpeas first. Canned chickpeas are more convenient for this quick recipe.
Yes, you can bake them at 400°F (200°C) for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, though they may not be as crispy as fried ones.
Yes, you can freeze cooked fritters for up to 2 months. Reheat them in the oven for best results.
More vegetarian side dish recipes
Looking for more easy vegetarian sides? Try these:
Recipe
Chickpea Fritters with Salsa Verde and Queso Fresco
Ingredients
Salsa verde
- 1 cup parsley
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground toasted fennel
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
Chickpea Fritters
- 14 ounces canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons salsa verde
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- oil for cooking
Remaining ingredients
- ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
- Prepare the salsa verde. Add the parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, fennel, coriander, and red chili flakes in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped and combined. Season with salt and pepper. Alternatively, chop the herbs and garlic by hand and combine with the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chickpea fritters. In the same food processor, pulse the chickpeas until roughly chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined but not completely pureed. You still want some texture in the chickpea fritters.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Form chickpea mixture into balls about 2-3 tablespoons big. Lay in the pan and flatten into patties. Pan fry until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining chickpea mixture, adding more oil as needed.
- Drizzle salsa verde on top of chickpea fritters. Top with crumbled queso fresco. Serve immediately.
Adam Williams says
This recipe looks too delicious in the picture. I gotta give it a try. Bookmarked this page and I'll try it on this Sunday. I love your recipes.
cma0425 says
Thanks Adam! Hope you'll enjoy the fritters as much as I did!