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 ~ but if we can swap in a veggie burger now and then, it’s a small shift that adds up. I’ve always loved them, and I’ve tried just about every one on the market (see my ultimate veggie burger taste test.) But most of all I love to make them at home. My veggie smash burger is a family favorite, but sometimes I need something a little bit simpler. That’s where these chickpea veggie burgers come in.
If we’re going to make veggie burgers part of regular life, they have to be easy and approachable ~ otherwise most of us just won’t bother.
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. It was a student hangout tucked down a little alley, serving simple, satisfying vegetarian food to very hungry (and very broke) students.
While I worked there I learned to make fluffy whole wheat pancakes, homegrown sprouts and yogurt, paper-thin cheese omelettes, and soy burgers I still think about.
These chickpea veggie burgers are based on that original recipe ~ I’ve just swapped in garbanzos for the soybeans.
The simplest veggie burger recipe
These burgers start with chickpeas, blitzed in a food processor with a few seasonings and a little whole wheat flour to bind everything together. The texture is just right ~ not mushy, with a nice, satisfying bite.
chickpeas ~ I cook my own, but canned work just fine in a pinch (be sure to drain well.)
whole wheat flour ~ helps bind everything together
tomato paste ~ adds a subtle, savory depth
seasonings ~ bay leaf, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, dried rosemary and thyme, and pepper
This recipe makes 6 burgers ~ feel free to double or triple and keep a batch in the freezer.
Sue’s chickpea veggie burger tips
- There are two ways to cook dried chickpeas. You can soak them overnight, or bring them to a boil for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and let them quick-soak for about an hour. Drain, add fresh water, and cook until tender. I like to season the cooking water so the beans absorb flavor as they cook ~ and go ahead and salt it, it won’t toughen the beans.
- An inexpensive tortilla press makes perfectly round, flat burgers in seconds. Just place a ball of the mixture on the plate and press ~ they’ll look so professional. No press? A heavy skillet works, and a little waxed paper helps prevent sticking.
- Thin is best, and to get a nice crispy crust make sure to cook the burgers in a little butter on a hot pan. Flip them gently, they can be fragile.
- 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!
special sauce ideas
I always concoct some sort of special sauce for my burgers, it adds extra flavor and makes such a difference.
- mayo + ketchup + pickle relish (classic special sauce)
- mayo + sriracha
- mayo + Dijon + honey
- mayo + sriracha
- yogurt + tahini + lemon
- mashed avocado + lime + salt
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Chickpea Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup (heaped) 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)
- 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 tomato paste 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 or a meat pounder 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.
- Nutritional information is for the chickpea patties only.
Nutrition
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I 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
I’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.
Hello! 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.
That should work fine, Naheed.
Now this is my kind of burger! Can’t wait to try these on homemade buns!
I was going to make homemade buns, but got tired and just bought some :/ I think whole wheat would be amazing!
I’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!
I 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!
I 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!
Chickpeas are such a great idea Sue. And your sauces definitely sealed the deal on these guilt free burgers! Would love a couple!
I love, love chickpeas but have never used them to make a veggie burger. These look totally doable!
Thanks 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!
I 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!
These burgers look absolutely perfect and delicious!
Sue, 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