The Potato Alternative That Will Shake Up Your French Fries

While America was still in its infancy, Thomas Jefferson brought a new dish to the freshly founded United States that changed the course of our diets forever — french fries (per National Geographic). In the centuries since Jefferson served as president, fries have become a regular part of our fast-food orders. And even when we're not satisfying our fry cravings at McDonald's, it's apparent that we're devising ways to cook up our own extra-crispy fries at home

Whether they're slathered in ketchup or dosed in cajun seasoning, Americans put away almost 30 pounds of fries per person per year (per South Florida Reporter). Additionally, according to Montana State University, 35% of the potatoes grown in the United States end up in a fryer of some sort or another (per Montana State University). But what if there was a way to make french fries without this widely-beloved veggie? 

What if, instead, you used an ingredient filled to the brim with vitamins and protein (via Healthline)? What if we dared you to imagine a healthy, less-fat-dense version of this long-time American sweetheart? Because according to The Washington Post, there is, in fact, a simple potato ingredient swap that can make these wild french fry dreams come true.

Make chickpea flour fries

We've previously shared a number of chickpea recipes that we knew readers would love, but this is one interesting approach to the legume that french-fry aficionados everywhere will be rushing to try. While canned chickpeas are a great way to add plant-based protein, YuppieChef reports that chickpea flour can also be used in dishes that call for batter. In essence, chickpea flour works as a replacement binding agent in these recipes.

According to The Washington Post, this is why it can function as the perfect potato alternative for french fries. The outlet reports that using chickpea flour to make this side dish will result in a batch of crispy fries with a custard-like center. And by trading out your potatoes for chickpea flour, you'll be dining on a delicious set of fries. Better yet, even if you dip it in a mayo-based sauce, each serving will only contain a single gram of saturated fat.

To whip up a batch of chickpea fries, The Washington Post reports that you'll need chickpea flour, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sunflower oil. In order to prepare the batter for frying, you'll have to start off by heating your olive oil and water in a pan on medium-high heat. After your water and oil begin to boil, you'll then add in the chickpea flour and seasoning. Once the batter forms, you'll need to refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Then you can carefully cut the batter into pieces, fry them in sunflower oil, and (if you're feeling fancy) dip your chickpea fries into a mayo and lemon paste sauce before savoring this potato-free side dish.