Vegan Cauliflower and Chickpeas Hummus Fritters

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Rinse and drain 1 can of the chickpeas and place them on a paper towel, drying them off well. Place chickpeas into a large bowl, removing any of the loose skins that come off, and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread them onto a large pan, being careful not to overcrowd them, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake chickpeas for 20 minutes, stir, and then bake an additional 5–10 minutes until very crispy.

Once the chickpeas are roasted, transfer into a large food processor and process until broken down and crumbly. Don’t turn them into flour, as you want to leave some texture. Place into a small bowl and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add chopped cauliflower and cook an additional 2 minutes, until cauliflower is also golden.

Turn heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook until cauliflower is fork-tender and onions are golden brown and caramelized, stirring every so often, about 3–5 minutes. Transfer cauliflower mixture into the food processor.

Drain and rinse the remaining can of chickpeas and add it into the food processor, along with salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Blend until smooth and mixture starts to turn into a ball, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.

Transfer cauliflower mixture into a large bowl and add 1/2 cup of the roasted chickpea crumbs (you don’t use all of the crumbs, but it’s easier to break them down when you have a larger amount). Stir until well combined.

Pour just enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a large pan and heat on medium heat. Cook patties until golden brown, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and cook again. It’s easiest to cook a few at a time, and work in multiple batches.

Top with hummus, green onions and devour.

Notes:
1. You can use whatever hummus you want. However, I think a flavored variety it best. I used roasted red pepper. Additionally, if you want the hummus to be more “saucy” you can thin it out with equal parts water and olive oil, until it reaches desired consistency.
2. You don’t want too much oil here, or they will just get soggy. Just enough to cover the pan evenly will do the trick. I had great success pouring in some oil, and then rubbing it around with a paper towel to ensure the pan is evenly coated, but not excessively coated.
3. Resist the urge to flip them every minute to see if they are golden, as this prevents a nice crust from forming. Additionally, I found it easiest to gently flip with a fork, as opposed to a spatula. A spatula sometimes scrapes the crust off.