Greek revithokeftedes, Chickpea fritters with a lemon tahini sauce (Ρεβυθοκεφτέδες με σάλτσα ταχίνι)

Vegan and gluten-free fritters made with chickpeas and fresh herbs served with a homemade tangy lemon tahini dipping sauce. These egg-free and dairy-free revithokeftedes are a traditional Greek recipe that is often served as a meze, or as part of a light meal.

Growing up Greek I ate a lot of plant-based, real food. This is not because my parents were following any fad diets or food trends. They were just cooking traditional Greek recipes, and many of these happen to be meat, dairy and egg free! Included in these delicious healthy recipes are a category of fritters collectively referred to as pseftokeftedes (or fake keftedes, where keftedes means meatballs). Pseftiko– means fake, and so pseftokeftedes are fake meatballs, in other words fritter made with something other than meat. These mostly vegan (sometimes they include eggs and cheese) fritters are incredible, and a staple in Greek cooking.

Revithokeftedes are one type of pseftokeftedes. These Greek chickpea fritters (pronounced revithokeftedes in Greek) are packed with chickpeas (which are called revithia in Greek) and chickpea flour, so the protein and fiber punch that they pack is significant.   It also means that these little fritters are satisfying and hearty.  Flavored with nothing more complicated than some fresh herbs, they are easy to put together and a very economical way to serve a crowd.  I love to serve these fritters the way my parents always did, with a vegan lemon tahini sauce.  Beyond delicious!

Why I love this recipe

I love this recipe because it is appropriate for almost everyone! They are vegan, gluten-free and have no processed ingredients. This is pure, clean, real food eating, and it is delicious.

I also love that this is a pretty inexpensive recipe to make. This is super important these days when grocery prices have skyrocketed!

I love that they can be made ahead and simply reheated. They also taste pretty good at room temperature.

Last but not least, they are nutritious! Packed with chickpeas, tahini, fresh herbs, this is a recipe you can feel really good about feeding your family. Yes, they are fried, but still! If that is an issue for you though, you can also try baking them!

Key ingredients

Chickpeas In this recipe I use canned chickpeas that I drain and rinse.

Chickpea flour I keep the recipe gluten-free by using chickpea flour. More nutritious than regular flour too.

Parsley Fresh parsley is a great addition as it adds colour and flavour.

Chives Slightly peppery, but with such a delicate flavour. I love the addition of fresh chives.

Oregano Although fresh herbs are delicious, here I use dry Greek oregano for maximum flavour.

Olive oil I add a bit of olive oil to the batter, but I also use olive oil to fry the fritters.

Lemon I add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the batter. The bright citrus flavour brings out all the other flavours!

Salt & pepper Basic seasonings that make everything better!

For the dipping sauce

Tahini I love the nutty flavour of this sesame seed paste or butter. Mix it well before using it as the oil tends to separate from the solids and rises to the top of your container.

Parsley Fresh parsley adds colour and freshness to this amazing dipping sauce.

Lemon I use both lemon juice and lemon zest in the dipping sauce.

Sesame seeds I toast the seeds first to really bring out the nutty flavour. They are great in the dipping sauce as they add flavour and texture.

Salt & pepper Basic seasonings that make everything better!

How to make it

Making these chickpea fritters is pretty easy! Follow these easy steps to make them:

Instructions for chickpea fritters

Step 1
Place all of the ingredients for the fritters, except for the olive oil which you will use for frying the fritters, into the bowl of a food processor. Process until you end up with a smooth mixture.

Step 2
Heat approximately 1/2 inch of olive oil in a non-stick pan (you will not use all of the olive oil for frying all at once). Scoop 1 tablespoon of the chickpea mixture and use your hands to make a ball which you will then flatten into a disc using the palms of your hands. Note, the dough is quite sticky.

Step 3
As you shape each fritter, transfer it carefully into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for approximately 2 – 3 minutes and then carefully flip the chickpea fritters over to cook for another 2 – 3 minutes on the opposite side.

Step 4
As your chickpea fritters develop a nice brown colour on both sides, transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Instructions for tahini dipping sauce

Step 1
Toast the sesame seeds in a non-stick skillet, stirring regularly, until you begin to smell the sesame seeds being toasted.

Step 2
Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a bowl and combine them with the rest of the ingredients for the tahini sauce. Use a whisk to mix everything together and serve with the chickpea fritters.

Recipe substitutions

I like to use parsley, oregano and chives in this recipe, but you can definitely add any fresh or dry herbs you like. You can add things like basil, mint, dill or even chopped up thyme. Any herbs you like would work.

For a lighter flavour you can fry your revithokeftedes in vegetable oil. As well, you can bake them in the oven. Spray them first with some cooking spray and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven in the middle rack for about 30 minutes, flipping them once part way through the cooking time.

If you don’t need or want to keep these fritters gluten-free, then you can use regular all-purpose flour instead of the chickpea flour. You may need to adjust the quantity to form a batter than you can shape and fry without it falling apart.

Recipe variations

This recipe for revithokeftedes is vegan, and so perfect also for periods of lent. If you do not need to avoid eggs and dairy, adding an egg to the mixture will help to bind it together. Not necessary, but you might find it helpful.

If you prefer to serve the revithokeftedes with a different sauce (and are open to dairy) try them with a homemade tzatziki or a whipped feta dipping sauce.

Helpful hints

You will need a food processor or high speed blender for this recipe if you want your chickpea mixture to be completely pureed.  If you have neither a food process or a blender, and still want to try this recipe (good for you!), then use a potato masher to mash up your chickpeas and then mix everything with a wooden spoon. Your fritters will be chunkier, but still yummy!

Usually I prefer to use dry beans in my cooking.  But, in this case, I find that canned chickpeas are perfect. Because they are being mashed up, the texture of the canned beans does not matter (they will be mashed up).  Canned beans for the win!

How to serve

There are so many ways to enjoy revithokeftedes. I tend to have them with a side salad or other vegetable dish, like rapini or briam.  Sometimes I make a wrap out of them, and use the lemon tahini sauce as a sort of dressing on my wrap.

Storing and reheating

Fully cooked, and uncooked revithokeftedes can be frozen. To cook frozen revithokeftedes, allow to thaw for about 15 minutes at room temperture before frying. If your frozen chickpea fritters were already cooked, allow to defrost and then heat through as above.

This recipe makes lots of chickpea fritters, maybe more than you can eat in one sitting.  If you have leftovers, they keep very well in the refrigerator for several days.  To reheat them, I suggest warming them in a non-stick skillet (no oil required).  This will bring back their crispy exterior while heating them through. You can also use an air fryer!

The dipping sauce can keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. It does not freeze well.

Related recipes

If you love these revithokeftedes, then I know you will also love these recipes for traditional Greek fritters!

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Recipe

Revithokeftedes, Chickpea fritters with a lemon tahini sauce (Ρεβυθοκεφτέδες με σάλτσα ταχίνι)

A fritter made of chickpeas and fresh herbs served with a tangy tahini dipping sauce.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Light meal, meze, Side Dish

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 fritters

Calories: 125kcal

Author: miakouppa

Equipment

• Food processor or high speed blender

Ingredients

For the fritters

• 2 cans chickpeas 540 ml each can
• 1 cup chickpea flour or all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon juice of
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil for frying

For lemon tahini sauce

• 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 and 1/2 lemons juice of
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 3 tbsp water
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the chickpea fritters

• Place all of the ingredients for the fritters, except for the olive oil which you will use for frying the fritters, into the bowl of a food processor. Process all of the ingredients together until you create a smooth mixture.
  2 cans chickpeas, 1 cup chickpea flour, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup chopped chives, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 lemon, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp dry oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Heat approximately 1/2 inch of olive oil in a non-stick pan (you will not use all of the olive oil for frying all at once).
  1/2 cup olive oil
• Scoop 1 tablespoon of the chickpea mixture and use your hands to make a ball which you will then flatten into a disc using the palms of your hands. Note, the dough is quite sticky.
• As you shape each fritter, transfer it carefully into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
• Cook for approximately 2 – 3 minutes and then carefully flip the chickpea fritters over to cook for another 2 – 3 minutes on the opposite side.
• As your chickpea fritters develop a nice brown colour on both sides, transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

To make the tahini sauce

• Toast the sesame seeds in a non-stick skillet, stirring regularly, until you begin to smell the sesame seeds being toasted.
  1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a bowl and combine them with the rest of the ingredients for the tahini sauce. Use a whisk to mix everything together and serve with the chickpea fritters.
  1/3 cup tahini, 1 and 1/2 lemons, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest, 3 tbsp water, salt and pepper

Notes

If you don’t have chickpea flour, you can use all-purpose flour.

The best way to re-heat the revithokeftedes is to place them in a non-stick skillet; cook for a minute or two per side and serve.  You can also use an air-fryer.

Bake your revithokeftedes instead of frying them:
Place in a preheat oven (350 degrees F.) and bake for approximately 30 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Flip once halfway through cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg