You already know how much I love to vary my diet and how it should mostly lean towards healthy and genuine dishes! For this reason, I try to reduce my intake of white and red meat weekly, replacing animal proteins with equally beneficial plant proteins! Legumes come to our aid and are truly versatile because they don’t necessarily have to be consumed in soups, but with a little imagination, you can make them much more appetizing by creating really tasty burgers! The cutlets I propose today are an example! They are made with already cooked chickpeas and not with chickpea flour, which I often see online. By all means, that version will also work, but this way they will be much less cloying and much tastier! Moreover, they are even vegan, as they are free of eggs or other animal-based ingredients like cheeses. If cooked perfectly, even in the oven, they can be very satisfying because they will be soft inside and crunchy outside, thanks to the double-fineness breading that I love to create in this type of preparation. A nice and valid alternative to the usual cutlets, don’t you think? They will also be a great and healthier break to enjoy between one Christmas lunch and another! Prepare them too, accompanied by a fresh seasonal salad, making them a surprising vegan-style second course, super rich in nutrients to offer the whole family.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 cutlets
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 8.1 oz cooked, boiled chickpeas
- 0.4 cup water (room temperature)
- 1.8 oz breadcrumbs
- 1.1 oz cornstarch (maizena)
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (+ as needed)
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 0.14 oz herbs (fresh parsley and thyme, chives, and tarragon)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- to taste salt
- 1.1 oz breadcrumbs (fine grain)
- 1.1 oz breadcrumbs (coarse grain)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Sieve
- 3 Absorbent paper
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 parchment paper
Steps
Start by rinsing the pre-cooked chickpeas well under running water, removing them from their canning liquid (fig. 1).
Dry them by gently rubbing them several times with kitchen paper to remove all the outer skins. This way they will come off much more easily (fig. 2). At this point, transfer them to a food processor (fig. 3).
Blend for a few seconds until you get a coarse mixture and add the oil (fig. 4). Also incorporate the water slowly and blend again (fig. 5).
Add the previously sifted cornstarch (fig. 6), breadcrumbs, garlic, turmeric powder, sweet paprika, and salt (fig. 7).
Complete by adding the mix of fresh and dried herbs, and finally the mustard (fig. 8). Blend until you obtain a homogeneous and workable mixture (fig. 9).
Place the mixture in the fridge to rest for half an hour covered with cling film, then with always well-moistened hands, shape the cutlets as you like. I made 4 (fig. 10).
Flatten them slightly, coating them on both sides in the previously prepared double breadcrumb mix (fig. 11). Place your chickpea cutlets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle the surface with a little oil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25′-30′ turning them a few minutes before turning off (fig. 12).
Once cooked, turn off and take out of the oven. Serve with a few drops of pomegranate balsamic dressing.
And voilà…your chickpea cutlets are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from FeFè’s Kitchen!
Storage
👉 You can store the cutlets in the fridge inside a glass container with an airtight seal, then reheat them in the microwave for a few minutes.
Tips
🟣 I recommend accompanying these cutlets with a fresh mixed salad and a few drops of pomegranate balsamic, which will enhance and accentuate the flavor.
