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These Air Fryer Chickpea Patties make the perfect meatless meal! Paired with delicious and flavourful Vegan mushroom gravy, these Chickpea Patties are sure to be a hit across the board!

I just love my Air Fryer. If you have one, I’m sure I don’t even need to explain why. They’re SO versatile and since I got one, I’ve almost stopped using my oven! Anything the oven can cook, the air fryer can cook better. Am I right? You’ve seen what it can do to homemade french fries or chicken wings. And now, it’s time to let these Air Fryer Chickpea Patties shine! They’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They’re super fun to make and with the air fryer doing all of the cooking, they’re easy, too! Pair ’em with the most perfect and savoury mushroom gravy and uh…. say no more.

Gravy boat holding vegan mushroom gravy on a plate next to five stacked chickpea patties, garnished with fresh chopped parsley

Oh yes. If you’re looking to cut down your meat consumption and incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet (Veganuary, is that you?), then these Air Fryer Chickpea Patties have got you covered. They’re made of Chickpeas (duh) combined with a few other delicious ingredients such as red onion, jalapeño, garlic and parsley, mixed with an array of spices and then breaded with Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs for an extra boost of flavour.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THE CHICKPEA PATTIES

the ingredients to make chickpea patties: rinsed and drained canned chickpeas in a fine mesh strainer, minced garlic in a clear small bowl, chopped fresh parsley in a clear small bowl, diced jalapenos and red onions in clear small bowls, an array of spices in a white bowl and seasoned italian breadcrumbs in a white bowl — *Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.*

These Air Fryer Chickpea Patties are made with simple and fresh ingredients. Let’s talk about them in a little bit more detail down below:

Chickpeas: The base of the patties. Provide a nice meaty, hearty texture. I used canned chickpeas to same on time and for convenience. However, you can use dried chickpeas instead of canned, if soaked overnight and prepared in advance.
Red Onion: Adds crunch, texture and a bit of colour to the chickpea patties. If all you have on hand is white or green onion, I’m sure those would work just as well.
Jalapeño: For texture, extra flavour and the slightest hint of heat.
Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs: Feel free to use regular breadcrumbs although the Italian Seasoned ones add extra flavour. I would up the spices by a touch if you do choose to use regular breadcrumbs.
Garlic: For flavour. I prefer fresh minced garlic for this recipe however, if all you have on hand in garlic powder use 1/4 teaspoon instead of the 2 fresh cloves.
Parsley: Adds a herby freshness and nice pop of colour to the dish. Fresh is best in this recipe.
Spices: You could use whatever spices you like, I just found that Basil, Thyme, Paprika and Turmeric worked well for these. Although I wouldn’t skip out on the Salt or Pepper. You may also use fresh herbs in place of dried, if preferred.

RECIPE NOTE: I had to add a couple eggs because I found the mixture too dry and crumbly so the patties wouldn’t stay in shape otherwise. The egg acted as a binder for the ingredients but if you’re Vegan or really taking part in Veganuary, feel free to use another alternative such as a Flax Egg.

HOW DO YOU MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKPEA PATTIES?

It’s pretty easy, actually. So hooooray for that. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Put on your favourite tunes to get down to while cooking. Heck, involve the kids if you have to. Either way, the first thing you’re gonna wanna do after getting all your ingredients ready, is to pull out your handy, dandy, trusted food processor.

RECIPE NOTE: If you don’t have a Food Processor (I highly suggest getting one and can’t recommend it enough!!!) feel free to use a potato masher to get the job done instead.

ROUGHLY CHOPPING INGREDIENTS pre-food processor is optional, however, I choose to do it because we only have a limited number of pulses once the ingredients actually make it in to the blender. The chopping doesn’t have to be perfect as all the ingredients will get chopped again in the food processor but giving them a bit of a head start by roughly pre-chopping them ensures we don’t end up with huge pieces in the patties.
SPICING INGREDIENTS pre-food processor is again optional, however, I choose to do it because this way, the spices will distribute evenly. Coating the ingredients in the spice mixture will ensure that the flavours are consistent throughout. Alternatively, you can just add the spices directly to the food processor with the other ingredients.
PULSING THE INGREDIENTS in the food processor is limited to 40 pulses. We want to keep the texture of the chickpeas and avoid pureeing them to the consistency of Hummus. Mixture should be chunky and ingredients still visible.

a food processor bowl showcasing finely processed chickpea patty mixture

Once your mixture looks like this, transfer it to a bowl and mix in some eggs and breadcrumbs. It’s time to start forming patties, baby!

I went with rectangular ‘cutlet’ looking patties. But you can go with circular ‘burger’ looking patties. Heck, you can even make ball like patties. Whatever floats your boat! You’re gonna have to be pretty firm with the mixture, though, as it’s a tad bit dry and crumbly. Coat the patties with breadcrumbs and set aside until ready to cook.

PRO TIP: Place Chickpea Patties in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to cooking to firm them up a bit.

pre cooked breaded chickpea patties side by side on a plate

I decided to air fry these babies, because WHY NOT?! After all, I was just going on about how much I love my Air Fryer. But you do you, boo. You can shallow pan fry them in some oil (8-10 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through). Or oven bake them if you prefer (at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, flipping once).

a hand holding a chickpea patty broken in half showcasing the inside

Either way, you wanna know about that Vegan Mushroom Gravy, too. It’s a MUST.

VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY, YOU SAY?

Oh yes. I did say. And I would shout it out from the rooftops if that meant more people would get the joy of trying this Vegan Mushroom Gravy. It’s just too good to keep to myself.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY

ingredients for vegan mushroom gravy - mushrooms, vegetable broth, flour, salt/pepper, garlic, red onion, fresh herbs, butter, soy sauce — *Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.*

Vegetable Broth: Adds flavour and thins out the gravy a bit. You can use Mushroom Broth instead, if preferred.
Fresh Herbs: For freshness and flavour. I used Thyme and Parsley because that’s what I had on hand but Rosemary or Sage would also be great options.
Sliced Mushrooms: You can use whatever mushrooms you prefer or have on hand. For me, that was Cremini but I wouldn’t be opposed to throwing in a mixture of a few different kinds. The more the merrier, eh? White button, porcini or shitake would be interesting options.
Onions and Garlic: Adds flavour and texture to the gravy.
Flour: Helps to thicken up the gravy a bit. I used regular all purpose flour but if you don’t have any on hand, you can use arrowroot powder, cornstarch or tapioca flour instead.
Soy Sauce: Adds a nice saltiness, almost smokeyness to the gravy. Also helps give it a nice, deep brown colour.
Butter: Adds flavour and helps make the gravy silky and smooth.
Salt/Pepper: For seasoning and extra flavour, of course.

The Vegan Mushroom Gravy is also pretty dang easy to make (and therefore, don’t skip it as it pairs SO WELL with the Chickpea Patties!). It’s just a matter of cooking down the shallots and sliced mushrooms, adding some chopped fresh herbs and garlic. Adding some flour (used to thicken), some broth and salt and pepper. And simmering away as it thickens and makes the house smell amazing. It’s a win-win for everyone!

PRO TIP: Don’t over simmer the gravy as it’ll thicken up more after removed from heat and sitting.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO I HAVE TO USE AN AIR FRYER TO COOK THESE CHICKPEA PATTIES?

No, you can bake them in a 350° oven for 40 minutes, flipping once or pan fry them in some oil for 8-10 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.

MY MIXTURE IS TOO CRUMBLY AND DOESN’T HOLD TOGETHER. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Add a binder of some sort. If not vegan, adding an egg or two will fix this problem. If vegan, an egg replacer, such as a Flax Egg, will do the trick. However don’t over mix once the egg is added as you don’t want it to become mushy.

WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH AIR FRYER CHICKPEA PATTIES?

Spinach Mashed Potatoes or Crispy Baked Potato Wedges are always good options. I also love serving them up alongside a delicious soup like this Lentil Soup or this Chinese Style Vegetable Soup. However, they really go great with almost anything.

HOW DO I STORE LEFTOVER CHICKPEA PATTIES AND VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY?

In separate airtight containers in the fridge, for up to 5 days.

five chickpea patties laying on top of each other on a white plate next to a gravy boat filled with vegan mushroom gravy

CHICKPEA PATTIES WITH VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY

Yield: 6 Patties

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

These Chickpea Patties are a perfect Vegetarian alternative! Served with the best Vegan Mushroom Gravy, these savoury patties are always a hit!

Ingredients

For the Chickpea Patties

1 19 fl oz. can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, diced
1 Jalapeño, seeded and diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
2 Eggs, lightly beaten*
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

For the Vegan Mushroom Gravy

12-16 oz. Fresh Cremini Mushrooms
4 cups Vegetable Broth*
1 Shallot, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
3 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CHICKPEA PATTIES

1. Whisk all the spices together in a small bowl so they are well combined.

2. Add the diced jalapeño, diced red onion, chopped fresh parsley and minced garlic to a large bowl. Pour in the mixed spices and stir until all are nicely coated.

3. In the body of a food processor, add the chickpeas. Pulse 20 times.

4. Add the onion and spice mixture and pulse an additional 20 times – I know it’s tempting to do more, but trust me, that’s all you’re going to need! We don’t want to puree it, we still want some texture in there.

5. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs.

6. Add the two beaten eggs, stirring with a rubber spatula until mixed in (but do not over mix). The mixture should be nice and wet.

7. Using your hands, form rectangular shaped patties and dip into bowl of remaining breadcrumbs. Coat evenly on each side.

8. Air fry for 35-40 minutes at 350°, until the patties are golden brown and crispy.

FOR THE VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY

1. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the butter and swirl until melted.

2. Add the diced shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.

3. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes).

4. Add the garlic, thyme and parsley and stir until garlic fragrant (about 1 minute).

5. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and stir constantly for about a minute or until no visible flour remains.

6. Add the broth, soy sauce, season with salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, then a simmer, for about 20 minutes until gravy has thickened (will thicken more as it sits).

Notes

I like to chop my jalapeño, red onion, garlic and parsley on a cutting board first and then add it to the food processor in the last 20 pulses.

To keep this recipe completely Vegan, use a Flax Egg or similar in place of the Eggs.

You can substitute Mushroom Broth for the Vegetable Broth.

Optional: You can put the Chickpea Patties on a plate in the fridge to firm up a bit 30 minutes prior to cooking so they're a bit easier to handle.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 528Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 1524mgCarbohydrates: 87gFiber: 15gSugar: 23gProtein: 37g

Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.