Crispy Chickpea and Shrimp Fritters with Greek Salad and Garlic Sauce

These crispy chickpea and shrimp fritters are a delightful twist on falafel, featuring a light tempura batter infused with shawarma spices, fresh dill and garlic. Pan-fried until golden, they pair perfectly with a refreshing Greek salad, warm pita and a creamy garlic sauce.

Stack a little bit of everything on your fork for the perfect bite-salty feta, crunchy cucumber and tender fritters. This dish is a celebration of textures and flavors, sure to become a favorite.

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

1 unit ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit PitasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ShrimpView 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. Adjust oven rack to top position and preheat to 425°F (or use a toaster oven). Wash and dry produce. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise, then slice crosswise into half-moons. Dice tomato. Halve, peel and thinly slice half the shallot; mince the remaining half. Pick and chop dill fronds. Quarter lemon. Peel and 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 squeeze in some lemon juice to taste. 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 (some chunks are fine). In a large bowl, whisk together tempura mix, shawarma spice blend, stock concentrate, ¾ teaspoon salt (1½ tsp for 4 servings) and ⅓ cup water (⅔ cup for 4) until smooth. If too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until pancake-batter consistency. 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 is shimmering (a drop of batter sizzles), carefully add heaping ¼-cup scoops of batter, placing them close to the oil to avoid splatter. Cook in batches if needed. Fry until golden and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
5. While fritters cook, toast pitas on the top oven rack (or in a toaster oven) until warm and pliable, but not crispy. Alternatively, microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20 seconds. Halve pitas crosswise.
6. Divide fritters and drained salad among plates. Top with remaining feta. Serve with pitas, sauce and lemon wedges. For sandwiches, stuff pitas with fritters, salad and sauce.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of shrimp?

Yes, you can substitute shrimp with cooked chicken or keep it vegetarian by omitting the shrimp entirely.

What can I use instead of tempura batter mix?

You can make a simple batter with all-purpose flour, baking powder and cold water. Use about 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/3 cup cold water.

How do I store leftovers?

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