Zucchini Fritters & Red Onion Marmalade

Surprise your friends or family for brunch with these delicious Zucchini-Chickpea Fritters with Red Onion Marmalade, an easy gluten-free, whole-food, plant-based recipe. Zucchini fritters are a great replacement for potato pancakes or deep-fried hash browns, providing your daily intake of Vitamin C, while filling you up the healthy way, with fiber, protein, and deliciousness!

Ingredients:

  • Red Onion Marmalade:
    • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
    • Pinch sea salt, to taste
    • 1 cup organic apple or pear juice
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon arrowroot or kudzu powder 
    • Zest of 1 organic orange
  • Fritters:
    • 1 can / 1.5 cups garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
    • ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
    • 3 cups shredded zucchini
    • 1 teaspoon garlic granules / powder
    • ½ cup garbanzo bean flour (or unhulled sesame seeds, if baking only)
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • Avocado or coconut oil for frying (optional, not needed for baking option)

Instructions: 

  • Red Onion Jam: 
  1. In a large, heavy, preheated skillet, add the onion and sprinkle with salt. 
  2. Stir and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. 
  3. Add a teaspoon of juice at a time to prevent sticking or burning.
  4. Mix the arrowroot into cold juice and whisk until smooth. 
  5. Add this mixture and the rest of the ingredients to the skillet, and cook until the onion is very soft and much liquid has cooked off, about 10 minutes more. 
  6. Season with salt and set aside.
  • Fritters: 
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor until they form a thick paste. 
  3. Transfer to a large bowl and add the onion and zucchini. 
  4. Form the mixture into 10 cakes. Set aside.

Cooking

Frying Option: 

  1. combine the garbanzo bean flour and the salt on a large plate,
  2. then gently dredge each cake in the flour, patting it onto all sides of the cake. 

Baking Only Option: 

  1. gently dredge each fritter in sesame seeds.

Fry-Bake Option: 

  1. Add oil to coat the bottom of a large frying pan or skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. 
  2. Add 3 or 4 cakes at a time and cook until golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. 
  3. Transfer the cakes to a rimmed baking sheet. 
  4. Repeat with cooking the remaining cakes, adding more oil to the pan if needed.

Bake-Only Option (no oil): 

  1. Transfer the cakes to a rimmed baking sheet. 
  2. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until hot and a deeper golden color. 
  3. Serve hot with the red onion marmalade.