Chipotle Quinoa Fritters
Crispy chipotle quinoa fritters with spicy dipping sauce are a game day hit!
Last fall, I attended a dinner as part of the New York City Wine and Food Festival and one of the biggest hits of the night was a falafel-type fritter made with quinoa, white beans, and broccoli. I’ve been looking for an excuse to play with this idea ever since!
I finally found the perfect opportunity: This week, #SundaySupper is being sponsored by Gallo Family Vineyards and it’s all about game day entertaining. Wine probably isn’t the first thing to come to most people’s minds when they think about football – I know it certainly isn’t for me – but it actually pairs with game day foods really well. Reds go great with meaty dishes like ropa vieja; crisp whites are perfect alongside fried foods.
I created these Chipotle Quinoa Fritters with Gallo’s chardonnay in mind and, as anticipated, the pairing was a huge hit. The fritters were smokey and spicy (but not too spicy!) and came with a fantastic dipping sauce that has the perfect amount of kick. They’re also loaded with protein and fiber from quinoa, chickpeas, and cauliflower. The chardonnay was perfect for washing away any lingering spiciness between bites, so each fritter tasted just as good as the one before.
Chipotle Quinoa Fritters #SundaySupper
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup finely chopped cauliflower
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 chipotle peppers finely chopped plus 2 tablespoons adobo
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 15- ounce cans chickpeas garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- oil for frying
- 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons adobo
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, garlic, shallot and simmer another 5 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and stir in the mozzarella, chopped chipotles, adobo, and salt. Add the chickpeas and egg; use a potato masher or heavy wooden spoon to mash everything together, breaking the chickpeas down into a relatively smooth paste.
- Use a teaspoon to form the mixture into rounds; coat with bread crumbs.
- In a large pan, heat 2-inches of oil to 275ºF. Add the fritters and cook until golden brown, 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and let drain on a cooling rack set over some paper towels.
- While the fritters cool, prepare the dipping sauce by mixing together the yogurt, lime juice, and adobo. Add salt to taste.
- Serve the chipotle quinoa fritters and dipping sauce warm or at room temperature.
Notes
A huge thank you to Gallo Family Vineyards for sponsoring this week’s Sunday Supper! Find their wines near you using their store locator or connect with them online via facebook, twitter, instagram, and youtube.
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
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I so rarely do fried foods, but for some reasoe I just LOVE fritters! I can’t wait to try these!
Ooh, I’ve been wanting to try making some quinoa fritters. These look great!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I don’t think i’ll wait for game day to make them though. I make cauliflower fritters, but never with quinoa. I’m so excited to make these, Lauren!
I can imagine these fritters paired well with chardonnay. I must ask, which oil did you use for frying?
These look so good and honestly, I wouldn’t mind eating a plateful for dinner one night. Who cares about the game!
I’m not sure I could stop popping these awesome little bites!
Oh I want some now, Lauren! I’ll bring the wine!
How creative! I love chipotle and quinoa! I’m going to have to make these!
What a great idea! These fritters sound amazing and I love the wine pairing. Yum!
I want these… I really do! These fritters look fantastic!