Pumpkin and chickpea balls are super tasty, incredibly soft, and very easy to make. They are a great appetizer or a delicious main course. It really takes just a few ingredients and a few minutes to bring these delicious balls to the table, which will win everyone over at the first bite.
Come with me, and let’s start having fun. Enjoy the recipe, Giusi.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 25 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Pumpkin and Chickpea Balls
- 12 oz pumpkin (cleaned 7 oz)
- 10.5 oz chickpeas
- 1 egg
- 0.7 oz grated cheese
- to taste salt
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs (Generous)
Steps for Pumpkin and Chickpea Balls
First, clean the pumpkin, cut it into small pieces, and cook it for about 10 minutes (I used the microwave at 600 watts for 10 minutes, you can do as you prefer). Once the pumpkin is cooked, place it in a mixer along with the chickpeas and blend them until they become a cream.
Once our cream is ready, pour it into a bowl and start adding the cheese, salt, and egg, and mix well. Finally, add the breadcrumbs to blend everything into the mixture; the mixture will be very soft but perfectly workable to form your balls.
At this point, form the balls and roll them in the breadcrumbs. You have two options for cooking:
In the oven: Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper lightly oiled. Bake at 392°F (200°C) in a preheated static oven for 20 minutes; turn on the grill for the last five minutes for perfect browning.
In an air fryer: Place the balls in the basket and spray with a light layer of oil. Cook at 374°F (190°C) for about 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking until they are nice and crispy.
Storage
You can store the pumpkin and chickpea balls in the refrigerator, inside an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days. Since they are very soft, I recommend warming them slightly before serving to enjoy them at their best
