Crispy Chickpea Fritters with Greek Salad and Garlic Sauce

These crispy chickpea fritters are a delicious twist on falafel, featuring mashed chickpeas mixed with a light tempura batter and shawarma spices. Pan-fried until golden, they’re served with a refreshing Greek salad, warm pita and a creamy garlic sauce. It’s a meal that’s bursting with texture and flavor.

Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a fun weekend lunch, these fritters come together quickly. The combination of crunchy fritters, cool salad and tangy sauce is irresistible. Serve them stuffed into pita for a handheld meal or on a plate for a fork-and-knife experience.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Feta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Chopped Chicken BreastView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit PitasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Mini CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

82 g Tempura Batter MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce DillView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (or use a toaster oven). Wash and dry produce. Halve cucumber lengthwise, then slice crosswise into half-moons. Dice tomato. Halve, peel and thinly slice half the shallot; mince the remaining shallot. Chop dill fronds. Quarter lemon. Mince or grate garlic.
2. In a small bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, sliced shallot, half the chopped dill and half the feta. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, mix sour cream with a pinch of garlic. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place in a medium bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until almost smooth. In a large bowl, whisk together tempura mix, shawarma spice blend, stock concentrate, salt (¾ tsp for 2 servings, 1½ tsp for 4) and ⅓ cup water (⅔ cup for 4) until smooth. If too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in mashed chickpeas, minced shallot, remaining garlic and remaining dill. Season with pepper.
4. Heat a ⅓-inch layer of oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, carefully add heaping ¼-cup scoops of batter (add close to oil to avoid splatter). Cook in batches until golden and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt.
5. While fritters cook, toast pitas on top rack of oven (or in toaster oven) until warm and pliable, not crispy. Alternatively, microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20 seconds. Halve pitas crosswise.
6. Divide fritters and salad (drained) among plates. Top with remaining feta. Serve with pitas, garlic sauce and lemon wedges. For a sandwich, stuff pitas with fritters and salad, then drizzle with sauce.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I make these fritters gluten-free?

Yes, use a gluten-free tempura batter mix or substitute with rice flour and cornstarch. Adjust water to achieve the right consistency.

Can I bake the fritters instead of frying?

For best texture, pan-frying is recommended. However, you can bake them at 425°F on a greased baking sheet for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden.

How do I store leftovers?

Store fritters and salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat fritters in a toaster oven or skillet to restore crispness.