Those who like falafel will love these tasty curried chickpea patties, which have tons of crunch and flavor but are not deep-fried. Eat them straight from the pan or make them ahead of time to store in the refrigerator or freezer. Serve them on top of dressed greens or tuck them into pita bread or a lettuce wrap and drizzle with tart yogurt sauce for a fast, tasty lunch or dinner.

4 servings

20 minute prep

16 ingredients

Ingredients
  • 1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small onion, about ½ cup, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Whole-wheat pita pockets or large lettuce leaves (optional, for serving)

For the yogurt sauce:

  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
  1. Combine chickpeas, onions, garlic, and eggs in a food processor. Blend until the mixture has the texture of a chunky hummus, leaving some large chickpea pieces.
  2. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Form into 4 patties or up to 12 small patties if you want to eat in a pita pocket or lettuce wrap. The mixture should be very wet to ensure a moist patty, but if you are having trouble forming them, stir in more breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time.
  3. Combine all ingredients for the yogurt sauce. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop the patties into the pan with space in between. Do this in batches if necessary. Cook for 5 minutes, then carefully flip and cook the other side for another 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve on a warm pita pocket or in a lettuce wrap with the yogurt sauce.

Chef Tips

These patties will keep in the fridge for 3 days. If frozen, let them gently defrost in the body of the fridge for 3-4 hours until soft, or run cold water over the bag until the patties are soft.

Heat them up either over a medium low heat in a lightly oiled skillet, or loosely wrapped in foil in a low oven, or on a glass or ceramic plate in the microwave.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 376; Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Carbohydrates: 40g; Sugar: 8g; Fiber: 9g; Protein: 18g; Sodium: 556mg

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, videos, and more content are reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society.

This recipe was originally published on Cook for Your Life. It is used by permission.

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