These vegan chickpea burgers are nourishing and packed with bold flavor. They’re perfect baked or grilled in a cast iron pan and are delicious when smothered with my smoked paprika vegan aioli.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Hearty, nourishing, and delicious. What more could you want out of a vegan burger?!
Packed with protein and fiber-rich ingredients like chickpeas, quinoa, rolled oats, and hemp seeds, this burger is sure to satisfy.
It boasts bold flavor thanks to spices like paprika, cumin and coriander, and to the miso umami-bomb.
These are quick to grill in a cast iron pan, only taking a few minutes per side. If you want a crispier vegan burger, then take the extra time to bake them! These burgers bake perfectly in the oven in 25 minutes.
These burgers are perfect for your next summer cookout or BBQ and are sure to wow all your vegan guests!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes on Ingredients
chickpeas: I use canned – be sure to rinse and drain to remove excess sodium
flaxseed: mixed with water to create a flax “egg” to help bind the ingredients. Make sure you use ground flaxseed.
garlic: adds flavor to burgers. you could use garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic
shallot: adds a mild onion-like flavor
carrot: adds a subtle sweetness, some veggies, and color to the burgers
quinoa: adds more protein, fiber and bulk to the burgers
rolled oats: helps to bind burgers – you could also use breadcrumbs or quinoa flakes if you have them on hand
hemp seeds: adds protein, fiber and omega-3s!
miso paste: adds an umami savory flavor punch. can use tomato paste as a substitute.
paprika: mildly sweet and subtly smoky, this adds flavor to the burgers
cumin: adds a rich, nutty, earthy flavor
coriander: adds warm, sweet and citrusy flavor
salt: helps to enhance and meld the flavors of the burger
olive oil: used for grilling in the cast iron pan
hamburger buns: for serving – you can use gluten-free buns if you are gluten-free
Equipment You’ll Need (affiliate links – if you make a purchase I receive a small commission)
How to Make Vegan Chickpea Burgers
- Make the flax “egg”. Stir flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water and let sit until thickens, at least 5 minutes.
- Mash the chickpeas. In a large bowl, add chickpeas and use a potato masher or back of a fork to mash chickpeas. Or, use a food processor (my preferred method) add chickpeas and pulse until chickpeas are ground.
- Combine all ingredients. Add garlic, shallot, carrot, quinoa. oats, hemp, miso, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper, and mix together until combined.
- Refrigerate ingredients. Press burger mixture together to form into a round. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Form patties. Form mixture into six burger patties.
- Grill burgers. Add olive oil to a cast iron grill pan (or any nonstick skillet) over medium heat. Add burgers and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. If you’re baking the burgers, bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until browned and crispy to the touch.
- Assemble your burgers! Serve with buns, vegan aioli, and desired toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and avocado.
Expert Tips
- If you like your vegan burgers crispier, take the time to bake them in the oven. Grilling the burgers in the cast iron or skillet is great if you’re strapped for time or you enjoy a mushier consistency.
- Customize this recipe based on your flavor preferences – experiment with different spices and sauces. If you like buffalo sauce, be sure to try my buffalo chickpea burgers!
Recipe FAQs
How do you keep chickpea burgers from falling apart?
To keep chickpea burgers from falling apart, you need to make sure you have enough binding agents to soak up the moisture from the chickpeas. Binding agents include breadcrumbs, oats, or quinoa flakes. You also need to use an egg or egg alternative like a flax egg to keep burgers from falling apart.
Are chickpea burgers healthy?
These chickpea burgers are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. Chickpeas are also packed with vitamins and minerals like iron, copper, manganese, folate, zinc, phosphorous, magnesium, thiamin, B6, selenium, and potassium.
What makes vegan patties stick together?
Using an egg or egg replacement like a flax egg helps vegan patties stick together. You also want to have enough binders like breadcrumbs or oats to soak up moisture.
How do you add flavor to a veggie burger?
There are lots of ways to add flavor to a veggie burger – onion, shallot, and garlic go a long way. Using spices or herbs like basil, cilantro, paprika, cumin help add flavor. You could also use a hot sauce like Frank’s to make a buffalo flavored veggie burger.
Storage and Preparation
Chickpea burger leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat chickpea burgers, heat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. You could also air fry the burgers at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes or until heated through. To reheat frozen burgers, let defrost first in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
These burgers can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking.
Recipes That Pair Well
Caprese Pasta Salad with Pesto
For more veggie burger inspiration, check out my other recipes below!
Spicy Hummus Black Bean Veggie Burger
Buffalo Chickpea Veggie Burgers
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Description
These vegan chickpea burgers are nourishing and packed with bold flavor. They’re perfect baked or grilled in a cast iron pan and are delicious when smothered with my smoked paprika vegan aioli.
For the burgers:
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1.5 cups) *
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 cup cooked quinoa *
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup hemp seeds
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 hamburger buns
- Optional, for serving: lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado
For the vegan garlic aioli:
- 2 tablespoons aquafaba (from can of chickpeas)
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup olive oil
For the burgers:
- In a small bowl, stir together flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water and let sit for at least 5 minutes or until thickens.
- In a food processor, add chickpeas and pulse until chickpeas are ground or use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash chickpeas.
- In a large bowl add ground chickpeas, garlic, shallot, carrot, quinoa, rolled oats, hemp seeds, miso, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and flax egg. Mix ingredients together until combined. Season with pepper, to taste.
- Using your (clean) hands, press burger mixture together to form a round. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Form mixture into six burger patties.
- Add olive oil to a cast iron grill pan (or any non-stick skillet) over medium heat. Add burgers and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. *
- Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado) and vegan aioli.
For the vegan garlic aioli (makes 1/2 cup):
- Add aquafaba, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and smoked paprika to a blender (or tall measuring cup if using an immersion blender).
- With the blender or immersion blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until thick and creamy.
- Serve with vegan chickpea burgers.
Notes
- Save the leftover chickpea juice (aquafaba) from the can for the aioli.
- Cook quinoa according to package instructions. 1/3 cup dry quinoa yields 1 cup cooked quinoa.
- To bake burgers, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake burgers for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until burgers are browned and crispy to the touch.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cast Iron
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: vegan chickpea burgers, vegan burgers, chickpea burgers, vegetarian chickpea burgers, veggie chickpea burgers
