Baked Chickpea Parmesan

Yes, you read that right: Baked Chickpea Parmesan. While I have nothing against breaded and fried poultry, I thought a vegetarian version of the Italian-American classic would be a great addition to my meatless repertoire. Spoiler alert: It’s a total hit. 

Crisp chickpea patties mixed with Parmesan cheese and topped with melty mozzarella makes a delicious, satisfying, and oh-so-cheesy dinner. Serve it with warmed marinara sauce, a simple side salad, and a slice of buttered bread to complete the meat-free feast. A nice glass of Chianti Classico would make the meal even more special, if you partake (another spoiler: I partake).

A few tips to make this recipe great:

• Drain the chickpeas well. Wet chickpeas could lead to a slightly mushy middle. If the batter feels too wet as you’re mixing, just add another sprinkle of flour.
• Use fresh, whole milk mozzarella instead of the pre-shredded, part-skim, low-moisture stuff. Fresh mozzarella will be much richer and creamier while the latter could dry out in the oven.
• Keep the side salad simple with just greens, oil, and vinegar. It won’t compete with the flavors of the main dish and—as an added bonus—it’s less work than chopping up an elaborate lettuce bowl. Mixed Greens and Herb Salad is a great, easy option.

Let’s make Baked Chickpea Parmesan

Heat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

To a large bowl, add the chickpeas and mash until broken down (you want the texture here to be somewhat chunky, not smooth like hummus).

Add the eggs, Parmesan, onion, garlic, oregano, baking powder, flour, one tablespoon of olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and as much pepper as you’d like. Mix until well combined. The consistency of the batter should be like thick cookie dough, not too wet or dry. To try the mixture, add a tablespoon of the batter to a small skillet and cook until crisp on both sides, then taste and adjust the seasonings.

Use the remaining two tablespoons of oil to grease the prepared baking sheet. Spritz a ⅓ cup dry measuring cup with a little nonstick cooking spray (or grease with olive oil), then use the cup to scoop out the batter and transfer to the baking sheet into about eight mounds. Spray the back of the cup measure with a little more nonstick spray, and use it to press the mounds into ½-inch-thick patties.

Bake the patties for 20 minutes, then carefully flip them over and top with mozzarella cheese.

Continue baking until the patties are lightly golden brown on the edges and the cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes more. Alternatively, you can bake the patties on both sides without the cheese. Once they’re cooked, top them with marinara sauce and mozzarella and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve with warmed marinara sauce, a buttered roll, and a side salad.

Print Recipe

Baked Chickpea Parmesan

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star (8 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)

Dinner – American, Italian

By Samantha – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 minutes – Total Time: 45 minutes

Crisp chickpea patties mixed with Parmesan cheese and topped with melty mozzarella makes a delicious, satisfying, and oh-so-cheesy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
• 2 eggs
• ½ ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
• ¼ of a small onion, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
• 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more if needed
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or torn
• 2 cups jarred marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
• Rolls and a side salad, for serving

Instructions

1

Heat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. To a large bowl, add the chickpeas and mash until broken down (you want the texture here to be somewhat chunky, not smooth like hummus). Add the eggs, Parmesan, onion, garlic, oregano, baking powder, flour, one tablespoon of olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and as much pepper as you’d like. Mix until well combined. The consistency of the batter should be like thick cookie dough, not too wet or dry. To try the mixture, add a tablespoon of the batter to a small skillet and cook until crisp on both sides, then taste and adjust the seasonings.

2

Use the remaining two tablespoons of oil to grease the prepared baking sheet. Spritz a ⅓ cup dry measuring cup with a little nonstick cooking spray (or grease with olive oil), then use the cup to scoop out the batter and transfer to the baking sheet into about eight mounds. Spray the back of the cup measure with a little more nonstick spray, and use it to press the mounds into ½-inch-thick patties.

3

Bake the patties for 20 minutes, then carefully flip them over and top with mozzarella cheese. Continue baking until the patties are lightly golden brown on the edges and the cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes more. Alternatively, you can bake the patties on both sides without the cheese. Once they're cooked, top them with marinara sauce and mozzarella and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.

4

Serve with warmed marinara sauce, a buttered roll, and a side salad.

Notes

For a fast side dish, my preference is a simple salad with just greens, maybe some fresh herbs, oil, vinegar, and salt. It’s the perfect acidic complement to the cheesy patties.