Chickpea Waffles (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
These crispy chickpea waffles are a delicious side dish or base for savory toppings! It’s definitely a fast recipe (the waffle batter uses only 4 ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes to make), but it needs to sit at room temperature for at least an hour (or up to 9 hours). I usually whisk the batter together in the morning after breakfast—that way it’s waiting for me come dinnertime. The sugar is optional but helps balance the flavors. The crispy, nutty waffles are awesome on their own, or they can be turned into a full meal by topping them with things such as grilled, roasted or sautéed vegetables and/or eggs. One of my favorite ways to eat them is with sautéed spinach, a dollop of plain yogurt, and a sprinkle of roasted chickpeas (get the roasted chickpeas recipe below!). This recipe is adapted from Nicholas Day’s socca waffles on Food 52.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 cups (7oz/200g) chickpea flour (also called garbanzo bean flour)
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for waffle iron
- 1 ½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1 teaspoon if using Morton brand kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon sugar, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and sugar (if using) until smooth (the batter will be quite thin). Cover and let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour, or up to 9 hours. Do Ahead: The batter can be made up to 9 hours in advance. Store at room temperature.
- Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high.
- Brush the waffle iron with a bit of olive oil or spray it with cooking spray. Working in batches, cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately. Do Ahead: The waffles can be kept warm in a 200˚F oven for 15 minutes. Once cooled, the waffles can be stored between layers of parchment or wax paper and frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat in a toaster oven.
Notes
Tips:
- I prefer cooking with Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which has a fine texture and mild flavor. If you use Morton Kosher Salt, be sure to cut back on the quantity as indicated in the recipe, otherwise the waffles will be too salty.
- Be sure to preheat your waffle iron and to spray it with cooking spray (or brush it lightly with oil) before adding the batter. You can use a regular waffle iron or a Belgian waffle iron to make these waffles. I LOVE this Cuisinart Belgian Waffle Maker, since it makes 4 waffles at once (no waiting around for individual waffles to cook!).
- The waffles are the crunchiest straight out of the waffle maker. You can also make them ahead and let them cool, then freeze them in an airtight container or ziptop bag. Reheat the waffles in a toaster oven until crisp (they’re a perfect lunch or easy side dish!).
- If you like these waffles, you've got to try these Savory Green Chickpea Flatbreads!