These vegan Vegetable Fritters make a great appetizer or meal. If you have vegetables to use up, these are a great way to use them up.
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These Vegetable Fritters are one of those dishes that if you have vegetables to use up in the fridge, this is a great way to get rid of them.
You could use almost any vegetable you want here, keeping in mind the water content of the vegetable, which will change the consistency of the batter.
I don't have kids, but I bet they will love these. The great thing about Vegetable Fritters is that you can hide loads of veggies in the batter.
Even the pickiest eaters who claim to hate veggies won't realize all the vegetables they are eating.
Want your kids to try a broccoli recipe they'll love? Try my Broccoli Fritters. They go great with hummus.
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My Tofu Frittata is another great place to sneak in some veggies. It is another versatile recipe where you can add whatever veggies you want. It is also one where you can spice it up or down.
Corn and red pepper add a sweet element to these veggie fritters, while red onion, chickpea flour, and a bunch of spices add a savory element.
If Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing is too spicy for your tastebuds or your kiddos, check out my Vegan Ranch Dressing - it is quite tame! It has all the same fresh herbs without the spicy smoky flavor.
These crispy Vegetable Fritters are fast and easy to make. I ate them for dinner, but they would also work well as an appetizer, side dish or snack. You could make extra and pack them for lunch to eat at work.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chickpea flour: I used chickpea flour because I love the taste with the veggies. While I have not tried this recipe with other flours, you could experiment with others. Rice flour or a gluten free 1:1 baking flour would also work.
- Water: To make the batter.
- Cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder: Add warming spicy flavors. Use your favorite spices.
- Salt: Enhances flavors.
- Red onion: I used red onion, but green onion would also work well.
- Red bell pepper and corn: Add a sweet flavor. You could use your favorite veggies. See below for suggestions.
- Parsley: You could leave it out or use other herbs.
- Vegetable oil: To fry the fritters. You could also use avocado oil, sunflower oil or another high heat oil.
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🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add water and whisk until all the lumps are out.
Fold the veggies into the batter.
Step 2: Heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Test that the oil is hot enough by dropping a couple of drops of water or a pinch of the batter into the oil. If it sizzles, it is ready.
Step 3: Spoon some of the batter onto the pan, making as many fritters as can fit comfortably without overfilling the pan. Cook until browned. Flip and cook the other side. You should be able to easily lift the fritter with a spatula when it is ready.
🥡 Storage
These chickpea flour fritters are best eaten right away, but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.
♨️ Reheating
The best way to reheat them is in a pan on the stove. Lightly oil a skillet and fry them 1-2 minutes until heated through. Place them on a paper towel to get off excess oil.
💭 Tips
- When mixing the flour mixture it will look like pancake batter.
- You only need enough oil to coat the pan. This is a shallow fry, not a deep fry.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. The oil cools down with each fritter added.
- After you heat your pan on medium-high heat, you'll want to test the oil to see that it's ready. To test your oil, sprinkle a few drops of water or a pinch of the batter in the pan. If they sizzle, your pan is ready. You can also test the oil with a wooden spoon. The oil will start bubbling around the spoon.
- Don't worry, the mixture will stay together when you add it to the frying pan. No, it doesn't need an egg to stay together. The fritters stay together all on their own.
- When scooping the vegetable fritter mixture onto the skillet, you can flatten it and push straggling pieces inward to make a more rounded shape.
- The veggie fritters are ready to flip when they are golden brown.
- Place fritters on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
🍽 Serving
My favorite dipping sauce to serve with these is Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing, but here are some others that work also:
- Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Buffalo Ranch Dressing
- Sweet Mustard Dressing
- Vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt
📖 Variations / Additions
While you can use about any vegetable you like with these vegan fritters, you'll need to know how to prep them. For high water content veggies, you'll want to get out as much water as possible.
Some veggies you'll want to steam first so that they taste better.
- Cauliflower and broccoli: steam first and chop into tiny pieces
- Zucchini, sweet potato: grate and squeeze out as much liquid as possible
- Carrots: grate
- Leafy greens like spinach or kale: blanch and squeeze out the liquid, then chop into tiny pieces
- Mushrooms: sauté first
Other Fritter Recipes
🎥 Video
I hope you love these vegan gluten free fritters as much as I do! If you love this recipe, please come back and leave your feedback and star rating.
📋 Recipe
Vegetable Fritters
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pepper
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ¾ cup chopped red pepper
- ¾ cup corn
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Vegetable oil
- Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing (optional)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. Add water and whisk until all the lumps are out. Fold vegetables into batter.
- Heat pan on medium high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to cover the pan. You can test the oil by dropping a couple of drops of water or the batter into the oil. If they sizzle, your oil is hot enough.
- Spoon some of the batter on the pan, fitting as many fritters as you can on the pan you use. Cook until browned. You should be able to lift the fritter easily when it is ready. Flip and cook the other side. Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more oil as needed.
- Place fritters on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- Serve with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
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Nutrition
*Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.
Patricia says
Wow, my fussy meat eating 3 year old loves these, as do we. Such honest wholesome ingredients . Thank you so much. Patti ( Aust)
Reem says
I’ve literally been making these fritters for years. They are SO DELICIOUS. Perfect for those days where you’re feeling lazy and want something quick/satisfying for dinner. Amazing recipe, thank you!!💜💜
Willow Moon says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like them!
Tori says
These are one of my favorite things to put in my body. I have been making these for maybe 2 years now and realize I should tell you how amazing this recipe is. The only changes I make to the fritter is to add a cup of chopped fresh spinach (because why not) and then increase the chickpea flour to 1 cup and make all the seasoning measurements "heaping" to compensate for the extra ingredient. I do not add salt b/c I avoid it unless actually baking.
I coat the pan with olive oil (because it is the only oil we really use).
I do use a different dip all together - a simple avocado one. 1 small avocado, some cilantro, some red onions, the juice of about half a lemon, a bit of ground red pepper flakes, and a quick splash of water to aid in blending (I am not too big on measurements when just dealing with veggies).
My 1.5 yr old is also a fan (a messy one, but definitely a fan).
Thank you for this gift.
Willow Moon says
Thanks Tori, I'm so glad you like them and they have become a go-to for you! The dip sounds delicious!
Maria says
These sound amazing. I'm trying to eat more plant based and I was wondering if using chickpeas instead of chickpea flour would work. I don't have the flour at the moment.
Willow Moon says
Yes, you could use dried chickpeas in place of flour.
SN says
Could you use coconut flour in place of the chickpea flour?
Willow Moon says
I’ve never tried it. If you do, you’ll need to add liquid since it’s very dense.
Susan says
My experience with coconut flour in general tells me it would probably not work without eggs to hold it al together.
Lissa says
These are delicious!! I ground up dried chickpeas in a spice grinder and they worked perfectly. I added mushroom and spinach to the mix, blended up a cashew based ranch dressing and served for breakfast with a bunch of fruit and kombucha. Definitely will make again and will do a double batch to freeze some for my husband's work days!!
Willow Moon says
I'm so glad that you like them! I've never tried grinding chickpeas to make flour. Spinach and mushroom both sound like great additions!
Joy says
Do these freeze well?
Willow Moon says
To be honest, I usually eat them up too quickly. You could try it, maybe a few to see how the texture holds up.
Amy Paul says
They freeze BEAUTIFULLY. After frying, I lay them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place it in the freezer until cold and firm, then plop them into a ziplock freezer bag. They reheat nicely straight from the freezer on a dry nonstick skillet or an air fryer. I make 4 batches at a time this way, and happily get to enjoy a few at lunchtime for a couple of weeks.
On a side note, I recently took a bagful on a road trip. They thawed quickly and were every bit as good cold... a delicious and convenient snack while driving.
Willow Moon says
Thanks Amy! That helps other readers and myself!
Tanya says
Hi! If I don't have the chickapea flour on hand, can I use regular flour? I have never tried any other flour and didn't know chickpea flour existed but will buy the next time I go grocery shopping!
Willow Moon says
Hi Tanya, I have never used regular flour because I am gluten intolerant. You could try it, but keep in mind the fritters will have a different flavor. You may want to check out the other comments to see what readers have said. I'm pretty sure there are some people that have used it.
Suzie says
I made these last night. Swapped the corn for Chana beans and added more red peppers for colour. Had them as an accompaniment to our meal as I wanted extra veg with our meal. Husband and I loved it and will definitely be making it again. Thank you for sharing.
Willow Moon says
Thanks Suzie! I am so glad that you both liked them!
Amy Paul says
These fritters are so good it’s ridiculous. And the Chipotle Ranch dip ? ....sheer genius.
My beef/egg/cheese loving husband even gobbled down three of them and asked for more.
Seriously Willow, you rock.
Willow Moon says
Thanks so much Amy, you made my day! I think that's one of the best compliments I've ever gotten on one of my recipes!
Elliott Grant says
This is DELICIOUS. I swapped a can of peas for the peppers and corn, and used sauteed yellow onion instead of raw red onion. Made a quick dip with grated cucumber (patted with paper towels), plain yogurt, garam masala and cilantro. YUM
Willow Moon says
Thanks, I'm so glad that you like it!