I swear, a simple, satisfying meatless burger has the power to change the world, and these delicious Chickpea Veggie Burgers are contenders, for sure — they’re just as tasty as beef, but so much better for you!
I have nothing against eating beef occasionally, but if we could replace even a fraction of the beef burgers we all consume with a healthy, sustainable, veggie version, what a difference it could make not only to our own well being, but the well being of the planet as a whole. I eat and make veggie burgers often, and lately I’ve come full circle from some of my earlier recipes. Those recipes were great, but a little bit more, let’s just say, complex. In my quest for that perfect meatless burger I’ve tried just about everything and I’ve come to the conclusion that simple is best. For one thing, if we’re going to eat veggie burgers on a regular basis we want the process to be streamlined and convenient, otherwise most of us just won’t bother.
When I say I’ve come full circle, I really mean it, this burger is based on the very first one I learned to make back in college when I was cooking at Hal’s Restaurant, in Hanover, NH. Hal’s was a student hangout tucked away down a little alley, and they served up the best simple vegetarian food to dirt poor and very hungry, students. While I worked there I learned to make fluffy whole wheat pancakes, home grown sprouts and yogurt, paper thin cheese omelettes, and soy burgers that I dream about to this day. These chickpea veggie burgers follow that same recipe, except that I’ve used garbanzos in place of soybeans. You can use the soybeans for sure, if you can find them.
These burgers are made from chickpeas that have been blitzed in a food processor with a few seasonings and a little whole wheat flour to bind it everything together. I think the resulting texture is perfect.
TIP: There are 2 methods for cooking dried chickpeas. You can soak the beans overnight in water, or you can bring them to a boil, boil for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and let them quick soak for about an hour. Then drain, add fresh water, and cook until tender. I like to add seasonings to the water so the beans absorb flavor while they cook. Go ahead and salt the cooking water, it’s a myth that it toughens beans.
This recipe makes 6 burgers, but feel free to double or triple it so you can keep a batch in the freezer.
TIP: An inexpensive tortilla press makes perfectly round, flat, uniform burgers in an instant. Just place a ball of bean mixture on the plate and press down — they’ll look so professional! You can use a heavy skillet to get a similar effect if you don’t have a press, and little sheets of waxed paper help keep the burgers from sticking.
I always concoct some sort of special sauce for my burgers, it adds extra flavor and makes such a difference. It can be as simple as whisking mayo with some chipotle chili powder.
TIP: Thin is best, and to get a nice crispy crust make sure to cook the burgers in a little butter on a hot grill. Flip them gently, they can be fragile.
TIP: A great veggie burger is only as good as its accompaniments. A fluffy bun, (not too big or thick!) a piece of your favorite cheese, a slice of ripe tomato, a handful of fresh sprouts, and of course a fabulous mayo or sauce are essential!
Now you’re going to need something to go with your fantastic chickpea burgers ~ how about some SKINNY FRIES, or some NEW POTATO SALAD WITH EGGS AND MUSTARD?
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup dried chickpeas
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried rosemary or thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste, sauce, or ketchup (I used spicy ketchup)
- about 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
Instructions
- Rinse the beans and soak them in cold water overnight. Drain and put in a large pan with cold water to cover by several inches. Add bay leaves, cumin powder, onion salt, garlic powder, rosemary or thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the beans are tender.
- Drain the beans, (you should have about 3 cups) remove the bay leaves, and put them in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse about 15-20 times.
- Add in the ketchup and flour and run the machine until the mixture is combined and holds together when you press it between your fingers. It will be crumbly.
- Measure out 1/2 cup scoops of the bean mixture, compressing it so it holds together, and flatten with a tortilla press into thin 5-inch patties. You will get six burgers.
- Store the burgers in the refrigerator until ready to cook. You can freeze them, well wrapped, too.
- Cook the burgers on a hot grill in a little melted butter until crisp and golden on each side. Flip them gently as they are fragile.
- Serve on buns with mayo, cheese, onion, tomato, and sprouts.
notes:
- I like to use dried beans because I think they give the best texture, and I haven’t tried this recipe with canned. If you decide to try, drain and rinse them well to remove the canned flavor. You will need 3 cups for the above recipe. You might need more flour as the canned beans may be moister.
- I sometimes add the spices to the cooking water, and other times I add the spices directly to the cooked beans, it’s your choice. I liked the results either way.
don’t forget to pin these healthy chickpea veggie burgers!
used to make Chickpea Veggie Burgers (the photos are clickable)

47 Comments
Natlia
August 9, 2019 at 10:05 amThis recipe was amazing!! So cheap as well with everything being a store cupboard staple in my house, I used canned chickpeas and worked just as well. Super quick to make (don’t have a food processor so just mashed well with a potato masher) Had one and froze the others for other meals. Will be making again in the future.
Sue
August 9, 2019 at 10:28 amI’m so glad you liked these Natlia, I always have a stack in my freezer. Thanks for the info on the canned beans :)
Jane
July 5, 2019 at 10:36 amCould I use oat bran instead of the wheat? How much? Trying to improve my cholesterol scores. I also thought of using avocado oil instead of butter?
Sue
July 5, 2019 at 10:56 amI think your substitutions should work well, but you might consider oat flour instead of the oat bran, I just think it might bind the burgers together better, they’re quite loose and need that to hold together.
Nancy Shaw
May 22, 2019 at 12:44 pmHi Sue! Thanks for the well researched piece on Veggie Burgers. It seems I have tried most of the brands and cooked many homemade versions myself and have never really found the one I loved that wasn’t labor intensive. So I am very excited to try yours. Almost as important as the veggie pattie are the accompaniments as you mentioned. I love the traditional hamburger pickles, sauce, lettuce and tomatoes. Do you know the kind of small round pickles that are traditionally used? Thanks again!
Sue
May 22, 2019 at 12:54 pmHey Nancy ~ I hear you about homemade veggie burgers being labor intenseve…the way I try to deal with that is to make a large batch and freeze the patties, they do great in the freezer and then I’m set for weeks.
And yes to the fixings, they make all the difference. The small pickles on most fast food burgers are sliced dills, I think.
Sherri
October 17, 2017 at 7:03 pmI just made this recipe and these are AMAZING!!! They have a meaty quality and are super satisfying. I was trying to replicate a burger I had at a restaurant and this was the ticket. Thank you so much!! Delicious!
Sue
October 17, 2017 at 7:08 pmThis recipe is near and dear to my heart, Sherri, so I’m trilled to hear it!
elsie
June 20, 2017 at 11:29 pmI love the recipe..i tried making it though it did not come out exactly like yours..but i loved it
Kelsey
February 13, 2017 at 3:26 pmWow! Who knew such a simple veggie burger recipe could be soooo delicious?! I used canned chickpeas i had sitting in the fridge (only had 2 cups so modified a little) and these wete sooo delicious! This will definitely become my go to veg burger recipe, as i know ill always have everything on hand for it. I put mine with a piece of chao vegan cheese, tahini dressing, some arugula, and some tomatoes.
I shared this with all my friends and family and will continue to do so! Took me 5 minutes start to finished! I. Am. In. Love!
Sue
February 13, 2017 at 6:15 pmI can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear this Kelsey ~ I’m a big believer in veggie burgers, and I’m thrilled that you liked this one!
Melissa
January 9, 2017 at 11:59 amSorry – just read your notes section and you answered my question :-)
Sue
January 9, 2017 at 12:06 pmNo problem Melissa! I hope you like these, we love ’em :)
Melissa
January 9, 2017 at 11:58 amHi there! Just found your site on Pinterest this afternoon and I already made your ginger cookies – delish! I am wondering if I could just used canned chickpeas – rinsed and drained for this recipe? Thank you!
Joe
October 9, 2016 at 1:11 pmI wonder if chick pea flour would work as well. We Italians make something called panelles which is chick pea flour mixed with water and turned into a polenta. The mixture is molded into patties and fried. They are delicious
Sue
October 9, 2016 at 1:44 pmI’m sure it would work, but the texture would be smoother, and possibly a little ‘mushier’, maybe? Let us know if you try that Joe.
Naheed
September 3, 2016 at 8:08 amHello! Your chickpes burger recipe looks amazing! We would like to try a gluten free version-reould replacing it with rice flour work ? Any other possibilities? Thank you.
Sue
September 3, 2016 at 2:29 pmThat should work fine, Naheed.
Laura | Tutti Dolci
August 20, 2016 at 10:58 pmNow this is my kind of burger! Can’t wait to try these on homemade buns!
Sue
August 21, 2016 at 8:20 amI was going to make homemade buns, but got tired and just bought some :/ I think whole wheat would be amazing!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
August 20, 2016 at 2:46 pmI’m with you, Sue, beef is great but in moderation. I love a simple veggie burger because you’re right, we get a little crazy with the ingredients sometimes. I’m going to finally open my Instant Pot because I have some dried chickpeas and apparently it only takes minutes in there. I’ve developed a fear of this thing though and I’m convinced I will set off all the smoke detectors in the house….and neighbourhood!
We’re having a Labour Day weekend bash and these are going on the menu for the vegetarians. Love it!
Renate
August 19, 2016 at 12:26 pmI just made these for lunch. I tried my tortilla press to flatten them, but I ended up with it being thick on one side and way too thin on the other. I imagine there are adjustable presses to even out thickness, but mine isn’t, so the two plates are only parallel when they are less than 1/8″ apart (tortilla thickness). But besides correcting for that step, I LOVED the recipe, and my husband has eaten his share PLUS all the broken pieces and crumbs! We’ll definitely be having these again often!
Sue
August 19, 2016 at 2:17 pmI will edit the post to talk about that, I rotate the burger after each gentle press to even it out! Sorry I didn’t mention that upfront, Renate, but I’m glad you liked them!
Katherine | Omnivore's Cookbook
August 18, 2016 at 7:20 amChickpeas are such a great idea Sue. And your sauces definitely sealed the deal on these guilt free burgers! Would love a couple!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
August 17, 2016 at 3:13 pmI love, love chickpeas but have never used them to make a veggie burger. These look totally doable!
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 8:55 pmThanks Karen, this is a very straightforward recipe, compared to other veggie burgers, and I think that’s the reason for its success. Hope you like it!
Sara
August 17, 2016 at 1:23 pmI love this! I used to make bean burgers all the time pre-kids, but my husband got tired of them. I’ll have to try again now with your recipe and hopefully the kids will eat them too, they love chickpeas!
Jules @ WolfItDown
August 17, 2016 at 1:12 pmSue, this looks and sounds wonderful! You are absolutely right – most times when I try my hands on a complex recipe – I tend to fail, and then, I might whip up something that sounds so simple I worry if it is actually going to taste of anything, and it ends up blowing my mind!
I really like this recipe, and I bet the rosemary really shines through here, lending the burger that savioury, homely flavour :) x
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction
August 17, 2016 at 12:29 pmThese burgers look absolutely perfect and delicious!
maria @closetohome
August 17, 2016 at 11:52 amWhat a great vegetarian option for late summer bbqs.
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
August 17, 2016 at 10:45 amI think simple is often best and these chickpea burgers look like they prove the point! How long would you say they keep in the fridge? I think they would be great to fry up fresh for lunch over a few days.
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 10:58 amThey’d keep well wrapped about a week, I’d guess. Longer than that you’d want to freeze them.
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 10:59 amBut you can cook them straight from frozen, so that’s convenient.
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
August 19, 2016 at 3:05 pmThanks for the info! :)
Renz
August 17, 2016 at 10:40 amI love that you thought of spicy ketchup. I thought spicy mayo when I saw the pic. Think that would be great with this burger. It looks amazing
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 10:59 amSpicy ketchup is my new obsession!
peter @Feed Your Soul Too
August 17, 2016 at 10:18 amI am always looking for veggie burger ideas. This is simple but the mayo spread really kicks it up.
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 11:00 amJust like with fast food burgers, it’s all about the sauce ;)
John/Kitchen Riffs
August 17, 2016 at 7:50 amWhat a great looking burger! Love chickpeas, and this is a great way to use them. Very creative — thanks!
Sue LaBenne
August 17, 2016 at 7:21 amThese look SO good — but I’m a bit confused…. in the recipe you say to add the seasonings to the cooking water, but then in the picture it looks like you’ve added them to the chickpeas AFTER draining, when they’re in the food processor?? Or am I just reading the instructions incorrectly?
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 7:27 amGood eye! I actually make them both ways, so I added that to the notes. Sometimes I cook the beans with the spices (the beans absorb a lot of flavor) and other times I add them directly to the cooked beans as I process them, it’s your choice.
Sue LaBenne
August 17, 2016 at 10:19 amThanks! The photo looks nice with the spices sitting on top of the chickpeas — your blog is one of the most beautifully-photographed ones that I follow!
Chris Scheuer
August 17, 2016 at 6:57 amIt sounds like your days at Hal’s were a wonderful foundation for a fabulous cook. I honestly have never been a huge veggie burger fan but that may be about to change. These sound/look fantastic. I love your simple sauce idea too! I can never wait to see what you’ll come up with next, I’m thinking I’d love to be a mouse living under your table.
Sue
August 17, 2016 at 7:20 amVeggie burgers as you get them in restaurants tend to be mushy, and unappealing, but try these Chris, they’re crispy on the outside, and not too thick, so they’re not mushy.
Cheri
August 17, 2016 at 6:56 amLoving these chickpea burgers Sue. I bet my husband would too which is a big deal. Thanks!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
August 17, 2016 at 6:30 amThis looks awesome, Sue. I love the sprouts in there.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
August 17, 2016 at 4:34 amI am always looking for the best veggie burger so thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I have to look into the press too – that would be so handy for many things. I need a slice of onion on mine along with your beautiful sprouts. Did you grow your own?