Vegan Chickpea Burgers | Kara Lydon

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)

Cast iron pan

How to Make Vegan Chickpea Burgers

1. Make the flax “egg”.  Stir flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water and let sit until thickens, at least 5 minutes.
2. 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.
3. Combine all ingredients. Add garlic, shallot, carrot, quinoa. oats, hemp, miso, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper, and mix together until combined.
4. Refrigerate ingredients. Press burger mixture together to form into a round. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
5. Form patties. Form mixture into six burger patties.
6. 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.
7. Assemble your burgers! Serve with buns, vegan aioli, and desired toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and avocado.

Expert Tips

1. 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. 
2. 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

Instant Pot Baked Beans 

Air Fryer Frozen French Fries

Kohlrabi Fries

Caprese Pasta Salad with Pesto

No Mayo Coleslaw

For more veggie burger inspiration, check out my other recipes below!

Mushroom Black Bean Burger

Spicy Hummus Black Bean Veggie Burger

Buffalo Chickpea Veggie Burgers

If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!

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