Easy to Make and Gluten-Free

Chickpea Flour-Veggie Fritter | Dara O’Brien

By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press

It won’t be a surprise to those who know my dietary history to learn about yet another dish or ingredient I refused to consume for most of my life: I am here to tell you I have come very late to the fritter/latke party. In my younger days as a picky eater, just about anything with veggies contained therein would have stayed off of my table. As I grew older those objections melted away—and yet I still didn’t eat fritters. Maybe it’s the color—another of those brown foods that don’t necessarily look all that appetizing.

But when I stumbled on this recipe for chickpea flour-veggie fritters as I was searching for gluten-free recipes to add to my arsenal, I was intrigued. The recipe is from “The Chickpea Flour Cookbook” by Camilla V. Saulsbury, published by Lake Isle Press, and I’ve gotten a few keeper recipes from this book, including her panisses (chickpea fries), farinata (chickpea pancake), and her chickpea aioli (which I like even better than hummus as a veggie dip). So I got past my fritter aversion and gave it a go.

This recipe would work with just about any veggie combination you have on hand; I used carrots, sweet potato, and a little zucchini for my shredded mix, and added chopped broccoli along with it. I could have dried the zucchini a little better, perhaps, but the batter held together nicely. I didn’t get the skillet hot enough on the first try so I frittered away my first attempt at frying, but soon got the hang of the process.

While the chickpea flour adds a nice little touch of nuttiness, the chopped broccoli, with its welcome bursts of flavor and texture, is this recipe’s secret weapon. I served these fritters with a simple harissa mayonnaise (two tablespoons of Trader Joe’s harissa with a half-cup of mayo) and the combination was terrific.

Leftovers were stacked in an airtight container separated by pieces of paper towel and stored in the fridge. Not only did they reheat beautifully with a 20-second microwave zap, I found that I liked them even better than when they were hot out of the frying pan. They make for a great breakfast paired with a hard-boiled egg, and an easy option for lunch or a light dinner paired with a soup or salad. I’m planning on mini versions as a savory appetizer.

Ever since I discovered that I function better when I avoid wheat, it’s a big win when gluten-free alternatives for foods that usually feature wheat aren’t a compromise. I’d stack these fritters up against any alternative recipes using wheat-based flour. And now that my fritter ban has been lifted, I may move on to latkes.

Power-Veggie Fritters

Click here for printable recipe.

MAKES 20 FRITTERS

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
¼ cup warm (not hot) water
¾ cup (90 grams) chickpea flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups finely shredded vegetables (such as sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, parsnips, or beets)|
1 cup finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
5 teaspoons olive oil

Chickpea Flour-Veggie Fritter | Dara O’Brien

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, water, flour, garlic, salt, baking soda, and pepper until blended and smooth. Stir in the shredded vegetables, broccoli, and Parmesan cheese.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Scoop four ¼-cup-size mounds of batter into the skillet, pressing down slightly to flatten. Cook 2½ to 3 minutes on each side, flipping once with a spatula and pressing down again to flatten, until golden brown and cooked through.

Transfer the finished fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and then place on an ungreased baking sheet in the oven to stay warm, keeping them in a single layer to maintain crispness. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter. Serve warm.

Make it vegan!
Replace the Parmesan cheese with ⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes and replace the eggs with 2 psyllium “eggs.”

Storage tip
Store the cooled fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave on a paper towel for 12 to 15 seconds. Alternatively, enjoy cold or at room temperature.

Recipe from “The Chickpea Flour Cookbook” by Camilla V. Saulsbury, Lake Isle Press, 2015