These chickpea burgers are delicious way to eat plant based for dinner! Try them slathered with BBQ and topped with vegan bacon and special sauce.
Eating plant based food doesn’t have to mean giving up the burger! Veggie burgers can be seriously satisfying: and that doesn’t just mean meat substitutes. No, these homemade vegan chickpea burgers are made just with whole foods and so, so delicious!
I love making these vegan burgers: they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a hint of nuance from smoked paprika. Painted with BBQ sauce and served with shiitake bacon and spicy mayo, they’re pretty darn tasty (if I do say so myself!).
5 Star Reader Reviews
“I just tried these burgers tonight and they were so good, my mom who has no interest in veggie anything loved them too. I have it with the special burger sauce and they were so good. I’m glad I found your website.” -Shannon
“I was looking for a chickpea burger and decided to give yours a try. I’m SO glad I did!! Followed the recipe to a T and they turned out great, with lots of flavor! In fact, I’m sorry I didn’t make a double batch! I’ll be making these again for sure. Thank you!” -Rose
Ingredients You’ll Need For Chickpea Burgers
Here’s a story for you: Alex and I recently tried a vegan burger from one of those popular plant-based meat companies. It tasted good at first: but we both ended up with a stomach ache afterwards! (Maybe because we don’t yet understand the effects of this processed food?)
Anyway, it’s back to homemade veggie burgers over here! Not only are these vegan chickpea burgers tasty, they’re made out of all whole foods. Here are the ingredients you need:
- Mashed chickpeas: you’ll use a potato masher or fork to mash them by hand.
- Onion, carrot and red onion: You’ll grate these down so they integrate well; you can use a hand grater, food processor or high-speed blender
- A little flour: Flour is needed to hold the patties together (trust us!). You can use gluten-free flour or oat flour for gluten-free diets.
- Tahini: This sesame paste holds it all together.
- Cumin and smoked paprika. Big flavor comes from cumin, and a back-end smoky nuance from smoked paprika.
- BBQ sauce, for painting (optional). Use your favorite store-bought sauce or our homemade BBQ sauce. We like to check the label to find an organic version without high fructose corn syrup.
The Pan-Fry + Bake Method (And Why It Matters)
These chickpea burgers are lightly pan-fried to get a crispy crust, then baked to cook them through. Why the two steps? When I tried them baked only, the texture wasn’t quite what I wanted. Pan frying adds a nice crispness to the outside of the burger without it getting too dried out in the oven.
When you make your chickpea burgers, shape them so they’re about 3-inches in diameter and about 3/4-inch thick. This will help them to stay together when pan frying and get an even golden brown. I had a 3-inch round biscuit cutter that I used to shape them this size.
Don’t Skip the Shiitake Bacon
It’s totally optional, but you’ve got some time while the chickpea burgers are on the oven. Why not whip up a unique topping? This shiitake bacon is just that: vegan bacon made out of shiitake mushrooms.
It sounds a little odd, but once you taste the salty, smoky flavor, you’ll understand! Since Alex and I first made it as a loaded potato soup topping, I’d been dying to try it on a burger. It’s only 5 ingredients, and it’s simple to whip up while the burger bake.
Burger Sauce Ideas
Important note: because veggie burgers don’t have the same natural fat like beef burgers, they can taste dry. You really need to add a creamy sauce to get the right textures on a bun! I like serving with spicy mayo, which also adds richness. Here are a few more creamy sauce toppings you could try:
- This Special Burger Sauce is all your favorite condiments in one, making an irresistible slather.
- Try Yum Yum Sauce for a savory sweet drizzle made with mayo, ketchup and spices.
- This Horseradish Sauce is creamy with a spicy bite!
- Serving burgers with Russian Dressing is basically a Big Mac Sauce!
- I love using guacamole as a creamy, savory sauce to top a vegan burger.
Ways to Serve Chickpea Burgers
You don’t have to serve these burgers with BBQ sauce, of course! There are lots of great topping suggestions: here are a few ways I thought of:
- Mediterranean style. If you eat some dairy, top with tzatziki, red onion and feta.
- Mexican style. Top with guacamole and spicy chipotle sauce, and pickled jalapenos for some heat.
- Ranch style. Add pickled radishes, lettuce, and slather the bun with ranch or vegan ranch.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These chickpea burgers save well, making them great for making ahead! You could meal prep them on a weekend and then refrigerate them for eating throughout the week. Here’s what we’d recommend:
- Store in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. When you reheat them, place them in a 375 oven and reheat until heated through (about 10 minutes or so).
- Freeze for 1 to 2 months. These burgers freeze well, so pack them in a sealed container and store for a few months. You can also make a double recipe if you know you’d like leftovers and do the freezing option. Let them thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat as per above.
Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically yes, but the texture won’t be quite as good. Baked-only patties tend to be softer and more crumbly. If you want to skip frying, brush each patty with olive oil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
A few possible culprits: the chickpeas weren’t mashed enough, the vegetables had too much excess moisture, or the patties were moved in the pan before they had a chance to form a crust. Let them cook undisturbed for the full 3–4 minutes before flipping. Also, make sure you’re using the full amount of flour — it’s what holds things together.
All-purpose and whole wheat both work well. For gluten-free, I recommend oat flour or a GF all-purpose blend. You can also grind 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor until fine: it also works well!
They have a moderate protein content from the chickpeas: roughly 7–9 grams per patty depending on the bun and toppings. For a higher protein meal, pair with a Greek yogurt-based sauce.
Easy Chickpea Burgers
Pin RecipeThese chickpea burgers are a hugely satisfying plant-based dinner! Crispy on the outside, they’re painted with BBQ and topped with vegan bacon and spicy mayo.
- Prep Time: 14 minutes
- Cook Time: 26 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 burgers 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the chickpea burgers*
- 15-ounce can chickpeas (1 ½ cups cooked)
- 1 large carrot
- ½ red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup all purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil, for frying
For serving
- Your favorite BBQ sauce (optional; check the label to find an organic version without high fructose corn syrup)
- Lettuce, tomato and red onion
- Shiitake bacon (optional but recommended!)
- Spicy Mayo or Special Burger Sauce
- 4 burger buns
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Use a potato masher or fork to mash them in a bowl until they’re mostly mashed with some chunks. Use a large size grater to grate the onion and carrot, then finely grate the garlic OR place them all in a food processor and process until finely minced. Add them to the bowl with the chickpeas. Stir in the tahini, flour and spices. Mix with a spoon and then your fingers until a sticky dough forms. Form 4 round patties and place them on a cutting board, about 3 inches wide by about ¾ inch thick (we had a 3-inch circle biscuit cutter, which you could use if you have one).
- In a medium frying pan, heat ¼ cup oil over medium heat. Carefully add the patties to the pan. If you have one, top with a splatter screen. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown, turning down the heat as necessary.
- Transfer the patties to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and baked through.
- Remove the patties from the oven and let them cool for at least 15 minutes to firm up. Paint liberally with BBQ sauce. Top with toppings (make sure to have a creamy rich topping like the Spicy Mayo or Special Sauce to enhance the flavors and textures. The burgers save well in the refrigerator, so they’re great to make ahead and eat throughout the week. They also freeze well!
Notes
Doubling the recipe: If you’d like more servings, double the ingredients and pan fry in batches, then bake 8 burgers on the same tray. The burgers stay well refrigerated or frozen (see Step 6).
Oats Variation: We have tested this recipe with 1 cup Old Fashioned oats ground in a food processor in place of the flour, and it works well. You can also use ¾ to 1 cup purchased oat fluor.
More Veggie Burger Recipes to Try
If you love a plant-based burger night, here are a few more worth adding to the rotation:
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/nZjAyWH
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