Chickpea and Zucchini Medallions: the Fast, Healthy and Gluten-Free “Dinner-Saver”
These days my work has intensified a lot, and often, paradoxically, the time I can spend at the stove is really limited. So I’m experimenting with fantastic “dinner-savers” that don’t require many steps and still help me avoid ready-made foods while ensuring a meal in line with my healthy choices! If you’re looking for easy, quick, and nutritious ideas that please everyone, you’re in the right place. These chickpea and zucchini medallions will become your new go-to!
The beauty of this recipe? You only dirty the food processor and the baking tray. It’s ultra-practical: nothing needs boiling. You blend, bake, and you’re done! Moreover, they can be easily adapted for lactose-intolerant people (using Parmigiano aged over 30 months). The healthy touch: ground flaxseeds, great for binding and for Omega-3s.
Why you’ll love them
Thanks to the use of pre-cooked chickpeas and the addition of raw zucchini, it’s a quick preparation that will take you about half an hour at most! Fine cornmeal (fioretto) not only avoids unwanted gluten but gives an incredible crispiness without weighing the medallions down. The mix of paprika, garlic and parsley gives that Mediterranean touch that wins everyone over and makes the final flavor very appetizing. Of course you can choose the herbs and spices you prefer, substituting or adding others for an extra flavor!
Baking in a fan (convection) oven is similar to an air fryer. The result will be golden and dry, without frying. Perfect to offer to the whole family, especially kids who are often reluctant to eat vegetables and legumes! Serve them as a vegetarian main dish or as finger food to pair with an aperitif. Everyone will love them!
Other easy and quick recipes for your perfect “dinner-saver” you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, at no extra cost to you!
- 1 zucchini (large)
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tbsp flaxseeds (ground)
- to taste sweet paprika
- to taste chives (dried)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Colander
- Paper towels
- 1 Knife
- 1 Grater
- 1 Food-safe bag
- 1 Mezzaluna (herb chopper)
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Garlic press
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
Steps
Start by rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly under running water, using a colander or sieve. This removes excess salt from the preserving liquid and lets you better control the seasoning of the recipe*.
Pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels, rubbing them with your hands. This helps remove the often-indigestible skins more easily and you can remove them quickly. I recommend this step, but it is optional.
Wash and trim the zucchini at only one end, leaving the end with the stem which will help in the next step.
Grate it with a coarse-holed grater down to the stem, which will have prevented you from cutting yourself and can now be discarded.
Transfer the grated zucchini into a large bowl lined with a reusable filtering bag like I used or with a clean kitchen towel (preferably not treated with softeners or fragrances) and add two pinches of salt. Mix with your hands and let rest 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, place the pre-cooked chickpeas and the garlic pulp crushed with a garlic press.
Add the egg, a pinch of salt, paprika powder, pepper, finely chopped parsley using a mezzaluna and dried chives.
Pulse until you obtain a creamy but compact and homogeneous mixture.
Once the resting time has passed, wring the zucchini well to remove their liquid. They must be very dry.
Transfer them into a large mixing bowl together with the chickpea mixture and stir with a spatula or spoon.
At this point also add the breadcrumbs, the ground flaxseeds and the grated Parmigiano.
Mix well and compact the mixture so that it becomes firm and workable.
With slightly damp hands, take portions slightly larger than meatball size but smaller than burger size, and form compact discs or shape the mixture as you wish. Quantities and cooking times could change if you change the size.
Place the medallions on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and drizzle the surface with a little oil. Bake in a preheated fan (convection) oven at 356°F for 15 minutes, then flip them and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until the medallions are golden and crispy on the surface.
Remove from the oven and serve the medallions hot, accompanied by tahini sauce to enhance their flavor.
And voilà… the chickpea and zucchini medallions are ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉The medallions can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To restore crispiness, heat them for 2 minutes in an air fryer or in a pan (avoid the microwave, which would make them soggy).
👉In the Freezer: you can freeze them either raw or cooked. If freezing raw, place them on a tray spaced apart, and once frozen transfer them to a bag. You can bake them directly from frozen, adding 5-8 minutes to the cooking time.
Tips, notes, variations and suggestions
🟣Pan or Air Fryer Cooking: in a pan it takes 4-5 minutes per side with a drizzle of oil. In an air fryer, 12-15 minutes at 374°F, turning halfway through.
🟣As an alternative to tahini sauce: serve them with a Greek yogurt sauce with lemon juice and chives to contrast the sweetness of the chickpeas! Or try yogurt and mustard sauce.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
1. Can I make them vegan?
Absolutely! Replace the egg with a “flax egg” (1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds + 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 10 minutes) or 1 tablespoon chickpea flour mixed with 2-3 tablespoons water. Instead of Parmigiano use a plant-based substitute such as nutritional yeast flakes.
2. What flour can I use instead of fine cornmeal (fioretto)?
If you don’t have fine cornmeal, you can use chickpea flour (for a stronger flavor) or all-purpose flour.
