Florencia Baldini Last Updated on October 12, 2025Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle – this Sicilian panelle recipe is one of the most iconic street foods from Palermo. Traditionally deep-fried and served in a crusty roll, panelle are savoury chickpea fritters made with just a few simple ingredients – and they’re naturally gluten-free and high in plant-based protein.
If you’ve ever strolled through a Sicilian market, chances are you’ve seen (or tasted!) these golden fritters fresh from the fryer. My version is oven-baked, so you get all the flavour and crispness without using a pan of hot oil. It’s a lighter twist on the traditional recipe, but still delivers on taste.
This easy chickpea flour recipe is a great gluten-free alternative to bread or crackers. You can serve panelle as an appetiser, snack, or in the classic Sicilian sandwich. The best part? They store well and reheat beautifully in the air fryer the next day – even crispier than before. If you’re looking for an easy, authentic Sicilian panelle recipe, this baked version is a must-try.
What Are ‘Panelle’?
Panelle are thin Sicilian chickpea flour fritters that originated in Palermo, the capital of Sicily.
They’re made by cooking chickpea flour with water, salt, and parsley until thickened, then setting the mixture, slicing it, and frying or baking until golden and crisp. The result? Savoury slices that are crispy on the outside and creamy inside—perfect eaten hot and fresh.
Traditionally served in a sesame roll (pane e panelle), these crispy fritters make one of Palermo’s most beloved street food sandwiches. Locals often top them with a squeeze of lemon and sometimes add crocchè (mashed potato fritters) for the ultimate comforting combo.
After frying, they’re typically drained on paper towels to remove excess oil before serving. Thanks to the chickpea flour, panelle are naturally gluten-free, high in protein, and rich in fibre. Across Sicily, you’ll find street vendors selling them from carts called friggitorie, especially near markets and coastal areas.
What Does “Panelle” Mean?
The word panelle is the plural of panella, a Sicilian dialect term that loosely translates to “little panel” or “small slice.” It refers to the thin, rectangular shape the fritters take on once the cooked chickpea mixture is cut and fried. The name is less about the ingredients and more about their distinctive shape and size.
What’s the Difference Between Panisse and Panelle?
Both panelle and panisse are made with chickpea flour, but they come from different places and have their own unique style.
- Panelle are a traditional Sicilian street food from Palermo. The mixture is cooked, spread out, then cut into thin slices and fried until golden and crisp. They’re often enjoyed in a sesame roll (pane e panelle) with a squeeze of lemon.
- Panisse come from Provence, France. They’re shaped into thicker batons or rounds and have a soft, creamy inside. Think of them more like chickpea fries, usually served as a snack or side dish rather than in sandwiches.
In short: panelle are thin and crispy Sicilian fritters, while panisse are thicker Provençal chickpea fries.
Ways to Enjoy These Italian Chickpea Fritters
Panelle are super versatile – here are a few of my favourite ways to enjoy them:
- As a snack or appetiser: Serve hot with a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. So simple, so good.
- In a sandwich (Palermo-style): Add them to a soft bread roll or ciabatta with lemon juice, a crack of black pepper, and maybe a few slices of aubergine or tomato.
- With dips: Try them with hummus Carrot Hummus, tzatziki, or a yoghurt-tahini sauce for a light lunch or sharing platter.
- As a gluten-free bread alternative: Use them like crackers alongside a bowl of soup Winter White Soup or salad Beetroot & Feta Salad
- Reheated and extra crispy: Honestly, they’re even better the next day after 5 minutes in the air fryer—perfect for a quick snack or lunchbox addition.
Once you start making them, you’ll find they go with just about everything!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Add chickpea flour, salt and pepper to a saucepan. Step 2 – Slowly pour in 600 ml water, whisking until smooth. Step 3 – Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until very thick. Step 4 – Stir in the chopped parsley. Step 5 – Transfer to a loaf tin and smooth the top; let it cool and set. Step 6 – Unmould the firm block. Step 7 – Slice into thin pieces. Step 8 – Arrange on a lined tray and brush both sides with oil, then bake.
Tips
- Use a whisk: When making this Sicilian panelle recipe, add the water slowly and whisk well to avoid any lumps. Chickpea flour can clump easily, so this step is key for a smooth batter.
- Keep stirring on the heat: Once the batter is on the stove, stir constantly until it thickens. This ensures it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Let it set properly: After cooking, transfer the chickpea mixture into a loaf tin and let it cool completely before slicing. This helps it firm up and makes slicing easier.
- Bake or air fry: Traditional panelle are deep-fried, but my healthier baked version still gives a delicious crispy finish. If you’re reheating leftovers, pop them in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 200C—they’re even better the next day!
- Serve hot: Like many Sicilian street foods, panelle are best enjoyed warm and freshly cooked. The texture and flavour are at their peak straight from the oven or air fryer.
- Try the authentic way: In Palermo, pane e panelle is a famous street food sandwich—panelle slices served in a soft bread roll with a squeeze of lemon juice. According to the BBC Travel guide on Sicilian street food, pane e panelle is one of Palermo’s most beloved snacks, typically served in a soft bread roll with a squeeze of lemon.
Swaps
Chickpea flour: This is essential to the recipe – no swaps here, but it’s also sold as gram flour in many supermarkets.
Fresh parsley: You could use coriander or dill for a different flavour profile, but parsley is the traditional herb.
Extra virgin olive oil: Any neutral oil will work, but EVOO gives the best flavour, especially in Italian recipes.
Storage
Fridge: Store cooled slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing panelle – they lose their texture once thawed.
To reheat, simply air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes. They come out even crispier and tastier the next day!
More Recipes Made With Chickpea Flour
Panelle Recipe (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)
Video
Ingredients
- 200 g chickpea flour, (=gram flour)
- 2 handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper, to taste
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk together chickpea flour, salt, and pepper.
- Gradually add 600 ml of water, whisking continuously to form a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Pour the mixture into a loaf tin (or a lined dish) and smooth the top. Let it cool completely until set.
- Once firm, slice into thin pieces and place them on a baking tray.
- Brush both sides with a little oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
- Enjoy straight away — they’re delicious on their own as a snack, appetizer, or even as a bread or cracker alternative.
- In Sicily, panelle are traditionally served in sandwiches — simple, authentic, and incredibly tasty!
Notes
- This panelle recipe is naturally gluten-free, made with just chickpea flour, water, herbs, and seasoning—no eggs, breadcrumbs or flour needed.
- Traditionally served in Sicily as a sandwich filling, I love it on its own as a savoury snack, appetiser, or a crunchy bread alternative.
- It’s best eaten fresh, but you can reheat leftovers in the air fryer to bring back the crispiness—they’re even better the next day!
Love this recipe! Perfect protein for lunches on a crusty multi grain with last of the summer tomatoes . I customized with scallions, in addition to the parsley, but I will probably add smoked garlic next time. Really a winning recipe. 😋
Thank you Mara! 😊 That sounds absolutely delicious! I love how you made it your own — scallions and smoked garlic sound like the perfect touch 😋 So happy you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious and yummy, a must try 😋😋😋we use a lot of chickpea flour
Hi Lallie, Thank you so much! I’m so happy you loved it 🥰 Chickpea flour is such a staple in my kitchen too — so versatile and full of goodness!
I wish I’d taken a pic of mine. But they were too delicious, and I was too busy eating them to think of that. Will definitely be making these a regular part of my meals. I’m thinking of trying a few different things in the batter, just to ring the changes. Garlic or onion powder or ime and coriander possibly. I love the idea of squeezing lenom juice on the original recipe.
That makes me so happy to read 🥹
Honestly, the best compliment is not getting a photo because they were eaten too fast!
I love all of those ideas too — garlic or onion powder would be delicious, and lime with coriander sounds so fresh. And yes, that squeeze of lemon at the end really lifts everything.
If you do try a new combo, let me know how it turns out… sounds like they’re officially on regular rotation now.
THANK you. I bought chickpea flour to make just this recipe. Next week I will try garantita.
It is very good. But I would add that for me I needed to switch on the fan of the oven the get the crispiness
Thank you so much for trying it — that makes me so happy to hear! 🥰 And great tip on the fan oven too! It is a brilliant way to get that extra crispiness. Now that you’ve got plenty of chickpea flour, you can try my farinata or even chickpea pancakes too — both so good and perfect for using it up! 💛 💛