Chickpea pumpkin fritters are a delicious and healthy fall recipe. They're made easily with canned pumpkin and chickpeas, a little kale, toasted sesame seeds, garlic, and some smoked paprika. Then the pumpkin patties are coated in panko and cooked in a pan until nice and crispy.

If you love pumpkin as much as we do, also try our pumpkin spinach salad and our creamy pumpkin hummus.

Chickpea Pumpkin Fritters on a plate with a side salad.

This recipe was originally published in 2011. We've updated the post with some new photos, more information, and an easier-to-follow recipe. But the fritters are as delicious as always!

Chickpea Pumpkin Fritters

These chickpea pumpkin fritters are one of our favorite fall recipes. They're super soft, sweet from the pumpkin, crispy from the panko, and mildly spicy from the cayenne. The smoked paprika adds a wintery warmth while the kale adds delicate flecks of vibrant green.

They're pan-fried (which is NOT the same as deep-frying!) so that the panko coating becomes super crispy. The combination of the soft inside and crispy exterior is heavenly.

We love to eat these as a simple, healthy vegetarian dinner during pumpkin season. But they are also delicious made into tiny fritters, topped with a little lemon mayo, and served as a pretty appetizer.

How to make chickpea pumpkin fritters

These chickpea pumpkin fritters are very easy to make. Here's what you're going to do:

  1. Put all the ingredients except the panko into your food processor.
  2. Blend until mostly smooth. It should look like thick, chunky hummus.
  3. Now use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop them into equal portions then coat the fritters in panko.
  4. Pan fry the pumpkin fritters in a little oil until they are nice and crispy on both sides.

Full recipe in the recipe card below.

4 pictures showing how to make chickpea pumpkin patties.

Recipe FAQs

Can chickpea pumpkin fritters be made ahead of time?

These fritters taste best if pan-fried right after they're coated in panko. But the pumpkin chickpea mixture can be blended a few days ahead of time and kept in your fridge until you're ready to make them into fritters.

What's the best way to reheat leftovers?

The best way to reheat leftover pumpkin fritters is in your oven.

Can these fritters be baked instead of pan-fried?

You can bake these fritters in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes. Make sure to spray the pan and the top of the fritters with oil. And know that they won't be as crispy as they are when you cook them in a pan.

Can I use a different type of bean?

Yes! Cannelini beans also work well.

What can I use roasted pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin?

Canned pumpkin tends to be a lot thinner than roasted, pureed pumpkin. You can use roasted pumpkin in this recipe, but the fritters will be a little denser. They'll still be delicious!

What to serve with chickpea pumpkin fritters

We love these crispy pumpkin patties served with a simple green salad tossed with our lifesaving lemony salad dressing. But they're also delicious served as a side dish. Here are a few of our favorite mains that go well with these fritters:

A closeup of Chickpea Pumpkin Fritters in a pan.

Popular pumpkin recipes

Chickpea Pumpkin Fritters on a plate with a side salad.

Chickpea Pumpkin Fritters

Yield: 8 fritters
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Chickpea pumpkin fritters are a delicious and healthy fall recipe. They're made easily with canned pumpkin and chickpeas, a little kale, toasted sesame seeds, garlic, and some smoked paprika. Then the pumpkin patties are coated in panko and cooked in a pan until nice and crispy.

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

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Ingredients

  • 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup minced kale
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ¼ cups panko, gluten-free, if needed
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Lemon Mayo

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions 

  • Start by making the mayonnaise. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
    ¼ cup mayonnaise, Zest from 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Add the chickpeas, kale, pumpkin puree, sesame seeds, almond flour, salt, paprika, garlic, and egg to your food processor and blend on high until mostly smooth.
    14 ounce can chickpeas, 1 cup minced kale, ½ cup canned pumpkin puree, ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons almond flour, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 large garlic cloves, 1 large egg
  • Place the panko into a shallow bowl. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop the fritters and place them (one at a time) into the panko. Coat them well on all sides and form them into the shape of patties. They will be quite soft.
    1 ¼ cups panko
  • Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin fritters and pan fry until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side, working in batches if needed. Lower the heat if the fritters are browning too quickly.
    ¼ cup olive oil
  • Serve the crispy pumpkin fritters with the lemon mayo for dipping.
Serving: 1 fritter, Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 854mg, Potassium: 213mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 3390IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 122mg, Iron: 3mg
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Try one of these recipes to use the rest of the can of pureed pumpkin:

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Chickpea Pumpkin Fritters on a plate with a side salad and the recipe title on top of the picture.