With just 4 ingredients and some seasoning, you'll get delicious savory vegan veggie cakes or vegetable fritters that are full of flavor with sweet and tender leeks.
They're also gluten-free and incredibly easy to make.
I love leeks, especially when tenderized in olive oil and adequately seasoned.
They become deliciously sweet but still maintain that mild-onion-like taste that goes so well with these veggie fritters.
And although usually a great addition to flavor soups and many entrees, here they are the star of the dish.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These crispy fritters are great for lunches, a side dish for dinner, meal prep, or breakfast.
- They are even a great appetizer.
- They are super easy to make with only a few ingredients.
- Leeks add a wonderfully sweet, mild-onion-like taste.
- And they pair well together with a simple seasoning blend that includes curry or turmeric powder.
- It's such an easy and adaptable recipe.
Ingredients, notes, substitutions
LEEKS: They add a lovely sweet, mild onion flavor. Great alternatives are green onions or scallions. Although a bit stronger in flavor than leeks, they still work great in this recipe.
For a sharper taste: Try combining leeks with scallions.
OLIVE OIL: You don't need much oil here, just enough to make the vegan fritters beautifully golden brown.
CHICKPEA FLOUR: I have made these veggie cakes before with (gluten-free) all-purpose flour, but garbanzo bean flour brings the best out of tender leeks and adds a more savory element.
Note: It's a more filling flour creating softer cakes, nicely contrasting the crispy brown edges of these delicious vegetable fritters.
SEASONING: I'm keeping it simple with a little bit of salt, black pepper, and curry powder.
Note on seasoning: Don't have curry powder on hand, then add some turmeric powder. Or make it a tad spicier, if preferred, with ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
WATER: use water at room temperature instead of cold, as cold water immediately creates lumps when mixed with the flour.
How to make these delicious fritters
- Clean and chop the leeks, then set them aside.
- In a large bowl, mix flour with water added in increments until smooth and all flour lumps are gone.
- Stir in seasoning until well combined. Set aside.
- Note: this isn't a thick batter.
- In a large non-stick skillet, coat the bottom with half the oil and heat until shimmering.
- Add the leeks. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender.
- Then transfer the leeks into the reserved batter and stir until well combined.
- In the same large pan, over medium-high heat, place batter (¼ cup measure per fritter) on hot oil.
- Flatten with your fingers to form patties.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until firm and brown at the bottom, then gently flip and continue to cook on the other side for 4-5 minutes or until crispy brown.
- Repeat with the remaining batter until done.
How to serve these savory veggie cakes
- They are the perfect snack whether at home or on-the-go
- Enjoy them for breakfast. Or better yet, pair them with large eggs scrambled or fried (if not vegan).
- They make a great appetizer for parties. Make them smaller and pair them with a cilantro chimichurri sauce or serve as part of a charcuterie board to complete a buffet-style dinner.
- Turn them into a full meal. These veggie cakes contain healthy plant-based proteins due to the chickpea flour and taste good with other vegetable side dishes.
Here are a few pairing suggestions:
- They also go well with a simple root vegetable side dish with feta cheese;
- Or cooked and lightly salted brown rice topped with some extra-virgin olive oil;
- O enjoy these veggie cakes with a hearty soup.
Storage
- They last in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container.
- You can stack them. No need for layers of parchment paper.
- Reheat on a warm cooking surface on the stove for a few minutes with a bit of oil. Or drop them in the microwave for a few seconds.
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Have questions? Simply comment below or message me. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Savory Vegetable Cakes with leek
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 large non-stick frying pan or skillet
Ingredients
To Make the Vegetable Fritters
- 1 pound leeks, thoroughly cleaned and chopped about 500 grams
- 1 ½ cups garbanzo bean flour (a.k.a chickpea flour), plus one tablespoon separated 185 grams + 8 grams
- 1 ⅓ cups water at room-temperature 325 ml
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or 15 half turns with the pepper mill
- 1 teaspoon curry powder or turmeric powder
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- More salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim off and discard the root ends and any dried or browned parts of the leek greens. Cut the leeks lengthwise in half and then slice them crosswise into bite-sized pieces; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour with water. It's best to use a whisk to dissolve any small lumps of flour.
- Stir in the salt, black pepper, curry, or turmeric powder.
- Ensure the seasoning is well combined with the batter; set aside.
- Coat the bottom of a large skillet with two tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Stir in the leeks—cook and stir for 5 minutes, or until tender—season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the sauteed leeks into the reserved batter and stir until everything is well combined.
- Add one tablespoon of chickpea flour to the mix to thicken the batter.
- Coat the same skillet over medium heat with one to two tablespoons of olive oil—either swirl the pan or use a spatula to divide the oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- When olive oil is shimmering, drop ¼ cup of the veggie cake batter at a time and flatten slightly with the backside of a spoon to form a pattie. Leave enough space in between the veggie cake patties, and try not to crowd the pan.
- Cook first for 3 to 5 minutes on one side. Ensure that they have a solid bottom and are sufficiently browned on one side before you turn them around.
- Then cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on the other side until golden brown with a crispy exterior. Transfer the veggie cakes to a plate.
- Repeat until all batter has been used—only add more oil if needed. Enjoy!
Notes
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
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