Chickpea Burger Recipe (Vegan)

Name: Chickpea Burger Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained; ½ cup bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons olive oil or nut butter ((or tahini)); ½ small red onion, diced ((or use white or yellow onion)); 2-3 cloves garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon cumin; ½ teaspoon coriander; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper

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This Chickpea Burger Recipe is so delicious and easy to make, you won’t miss the meat! Prepare Chickpea Burgers any night of the week in under 30 minutes. Made with chickpeas, red onion, bread crumbs, garlic and spices, these burgers are tasty, bold in flavor and perfect for lunch or dinner.

If you’re a burger fanatic, then you’ll enjoy this easy Chickpea Burger Recipe. I can’t get enough Vegan Black Bean Burgers, but did you know that chickpeas make delicious burgers too? If you’re like me, a burger always sounds like a good idea. They are great for lunch and dinner, and you can vary the toppings using anything you have leftover in the fridge.

This Chickpea Burger Recipe is kid approved and bold in flavor. You only need 7 ingredients to prepare the burgers, most of which you probably already have in your pantry. They are great for 30 Minute Vegan Meals and Weekly Meal Prep because they take no time to prepare and last up to 7 days in the fridge. I also love this recipe because it’s high in protein, making it a healthy post-workout burger.

Make this quick and easy plant-based burger recipe in one bowl and in one pan. It’s as easy as mixing all of the ingredients together before pan-frying or baking in the oven. The chickpeas give the burger a meaty texture and the seasonings pack a bold flavor, making this burger everything but boring.

Why I love this recipe

Quick and easy: you only need 7 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry
Versatile: vegan chickpea burger recipe makes for a delicious dish for lunch, cookouts and dinner
Storage: the burgers stores quite well in the fridge for up to 7 days. Did I hear meal prep?
Vegan: you don’t need meat or eggs for this recipe
Family treat: this recipe sticks to your healthy lifestyle but feels like you’re having a naughty meal
Adjustable serving size: easily double or triple the recipe by keeping the same ingredient ratio

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas (15 ounces) but you can use 1 1/2 cups of dry chickpeas as well.
Red onion: any onion will do but diced red onion is my preferred
Bread crumbs: plain bread crumbs help bind the mixture together. Alternatively, use oats.
Olive Oil or Nut Butter: either or works. This adds a little fat to the mixture which is also acts as a binding agent. You can also use tahini or make a flax egg with 1 tbsp ground flax seed with 3 tbsp of water.
Garlic: 2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic.
Spices: I use salt, pepper, dried oregano, cumin and coriander.

How to make this Chickpea Burger Recipe

Time needed: 25 minutes.

Step by step instructions for preparing this vegan chickpea burger recipe

Prepare chickpeas
Drain and rinse a 15 ounce can of chickpeas and add to a large mixing bowl.

Use a potato masher or large fork and mash the chickpeas until they break down. Alternatively, you can mash chickpeas in the food processor.
Combine mixture
To the mashed chickpeas, add in the bread crumbs, diced red onion, olive oil or nut butter, cumin, coriander, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

Combine the mixture until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Form into burger patties
Use your hands to form the mixture into burger patties. Each patty should be 1/2″ thick and 4 inches wide. Thicker patties by get dried out.
Cook the chickpea burgers
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Cook each burger for 3-4 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The burgers are done when golden brown.

Remove from heat and let cool for 4-5 minutes before serving.
Serve:
Remove from heat and let cool for 4-5 minutes before serving.

Serve on buns or bread with your favorite vegan toppings of choice.

Storage, Meal Prep and Reheating

Refrigerator: store the Chickpea Burgers in the fridge for up to a week. To store, either wrap each burger in aluminum foil, plastic wrap or place in a covered container.
Meal Prep: this recipe works well for meal prep since it lasts for up to 7 days in the fridge. Separate each burger and place into individual air-tight containers.
Freezer: you can freeze these vegan chickpea burgers! Simply place in a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You may want to wrap each burger individually or separate with a piece of parchment paper so they don’t stick together. To reheat, allow the burger to thaw on the counter for 15 minutes then place in the oven at 350F for 10-12 minutes.
Reheating: to reheat the burgers, simply pan-fry on each side for 4-5 minutes until completely reheated. Alternatively, place in the oven at 350F for 10-12 minutes flipping half way through. For a quick and easy option, pop the burgers into a microwave for 2-3 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to flip.

Serving Suggestions for Chickpea Burger

This Chickpea Burger Recipe is so versatile that it tastes great with any pairing. Here are some of my serving recommendations for when you’re making this dish.

Toppings: sliced tomatoes, pickles, sauerkraut, sliced onion, cabbage slaw, banana peppers, mustard, ketchup, vegan mayo, sweet dill relish, romaine lettuce, spicy chipotle mayo, sliced vegan cheese, tempeh bacon, etc.
Make it a classic summer meal with Classic Vegan Potato Salad or Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad.
Keep it healthy: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, Lentil Salad with Ginger Dressing, Greek Lentil Salad, Mediterranean Chopped Summer Salad, Vegan Kale Caesar Salad or Pan Roasted Broccoli.
Mix it up: Oil-Free Truffle French Fries, Skillet Potatoes + Veggies or Easy One-Pot Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil

Commonly Asked Questions

Why is my Chickpea Burger crumbling or falling a part?

Since this is a vegan recipe, we use olive oil to help bind the burger mixture together. If your mixture is crumbling or falling a part, you may need to use more olive oil (fats) to help keep everything together. Alternatively, try adding 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter such as almond or peanut butter into the mixture. You won’t taste the flavor of the butter and this should help with the binding.

Can I bake the chickpea burgers instead of pan frying them?

Absolutely. Place the burgers into a 400F oven and place them on the middle rack. Cook for 5-7 minutes and flip. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes until the tops of the burgers are slightly crispy.

Can I use other beans to make this recipe?

Yes! Substitute with black beans, pinto beans, white beans, etc. Black beans are better to work with and have more of a bite to them which I like for the texture.

What do I do if my burger mixture is too wet or moist?

There is no rhyme or reason as to why your mixture if super moist, even after you drained all of the liquid. the beans could have been holding onto extra water. You want the consistency of the mixture to be moist enough so that you can form a patty and it will hold together, but not too watery where it’s like refried beans. Add more bread crumbs to help soak up extra moisture. Alternatively, microwave the mixture in increments of 30 seconds to help evaporate any liquid left over.

If you try this Vegan Chickpea Burger Recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make. Cheers.