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!
What to serve with chickpea veggie burgers
- Skinny Fries
- Sour Cream and Onion Potato Salad
- Mediterranean Bean Salad
- Asian Slaw
- Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
- Sweet Corn and Watermelon Salad
Chickpea Veggie Burgers
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)
These were delicious. I used Melissa’s cooked AND peeled chickpeas, vacuum packed and very little to no liquid.. Usually in the produce aisle.
I’m glad you liked them Mary Ann, I’ve got a brand new veggie burger posting soon, so keep an eye out!
These were amazing; enjoyed by all 5 in my family! I used canned chick peas and a Tupperware burger press to prep them last night and cooked them tonight in a cast iron fry pan. WOW delish!!! Will be making them again and again? Thanks very much!!
This 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.
I’m so glad you liked these Natlia, I always have a stack in my freezer. Thanks for the info on the canned beans 🙂
Could 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?
I 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.
Hi 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!
Hey 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.
I 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!
This recipe is near and dear to my heart, Sherri, so I’m trilled to hear it!
I love the recipe..i tried making it though it did not come out exactly like yours..but i loved it
Wow! 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!
I 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!
Sorry – just read your notes section and you answered my question 🙂
No problem Melissa! I hope you like these, we love ’em 🙂
Hi 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!
Yes, you can, Melissa, other readers have done so with success.