There's a new vegan hero burger in town, and it's made with chickpeas. If you're looking for a delicious and satisfying alternative to the traditional burger, here you go. This chickpea burger recipe is easy to make, healthy, and filling - plus, they're perfect for any occasion. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or simply looking for a quick and easy dinner option, these burgers will surely hit the spot. So give them a try today!
Barbecue season is in the air and it can be hard to find grill-friendly vegan recipes other than grilled veggies or 'impossible burgers'!
These chickpea burgers were inspired by our vegan tuna salad sandwich also made with chickpeas. They make a great main dish and go perfectly with a nice fresh salad. You could even add this easy, tangy, dairy-free ranch dressing.
Homemade veggie burgers can be made with different grains like black beans and beets, but we love chickpea burgers above all. Best of all, chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. This is one of our favorite vegan Summer recipes.
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💚 Why you will love them
- Bursting with Flavor
- Protein-Packed Chickpeas
- Easy, Quick Prep
- Totally Vegan
- Grill-Ready Goodness
🧾 Ingredients
- Cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans): Chickpeas are the main ingredient and provide a nutty, slightly sweet flavor and a meaty texture to the burger patty.
- Ground cumin: Cumin adds a warm, earthy flavor to the burgers and enhances the other spices and ingredients.
- Green onions: add a fresh, slightly sweet, and pungent flavor to the dish, and provide a mild crunch.
- Fresh garlic: adds an intense, savory flavor to the dish and helps to enhance the other spices and ingredients.
- BBQ sauce: adds a tangy, slightly sweet flavor to the dish and helps to bind the ingredients together.
- Rolled oats: act as a binder in the burger patty and provide a slightly nutty flavor and chewy texture.
- Celery: adds a fresh, slightly bitter flavor and a crunchy texture to the burger patty.
- Coriander adds a bright, slightly citrusy flavor to the dish and complements the other spices.
- Smoked paprika adds a smoky, slightly sweet flavor to the dish and enhances the other spices and ingredients.
- Salt is used to season the dish and bring out the natural flavors of the other ingredients.
Substitutions
| Original Ingredient | Suggested Substitution |
|---|---|
| Green onion | White onion, yellow onion, red onion |
| Celery | Chopped fennel, radish, jicama |
| Bun | Gluten-free buns |
| BBQ sauce | Buffalo sauce, liquid smoke |
| Rolled oats | Quick oats, steel-cut oats, all-purpose flour, almond flour, chickpea flour |
| Gluten-free | Use gluten-free oats, gluten-free buns |
🍽 Equipment
You could use a food processor to make these delicious vegan chickpea patties, but I find the mix loses its texture. We prefer simply using a potato masher (affiliate link) or even a fork, leaving some texture in our veggie burgers.
🔪 Instructions
Making these vegan chickpea patties is a breeze. Start by draining the chickpea liquid from the can.
- Step 1: Star by mashing the cooked chickpeas with a potato masher or a fork in a mixing bowl
- Step 2: Then mince the garlic and chop the green onions and celery.
Cooking the veggies before combining them to form the burger mixture, reduces the crunchiness of the celery, and sautéing the onions and garlic enhances the burger's flavor.
- Step 3: Add all the chopped veggies, minced garlic, seasonings, and spices into the bowl with the chickpeas
- Step 4: Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands or a food processor on a low speed.
- Step 5: Form small balls with your hands, of about 4 ounces each, and form patties on the tray
- Step 6: Take the chickpea burgers to the freezer for a minimum of thirty minutes inside a freezer-safe plastic bag
- Step 7: Oil the rack to prevent the burgers from sticking and cook for 5 minutes
- Step 8: Brush with a little olive oil, turn the patties, and cook for another 5 minutes
♨️ Cooking methods
- Air-fryer - cook the chickpea patties for 7 minutes on each side at 400 º F (200 ºC)
- Pan-frying: Preheat the frying pan or skillet with a tiny bit of olive oil, and grill each veggie on medium heat for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Grill - the best option to make chickpea burgers tasty. Grill them in a preheated grill to 450 ºF. (230 ºC). Spray olive oil on each side before putting them on the grill, and cook each side for 5 minutes. If you do not have a grill with temperature control, simply set the grill on, and as soon as the temperature is moderately high, put the lightly oiled vegan chickpea burgers on the rack, turning them halfway after 5 minutes.
- Oven-baked - similar to the grill, preheat the oven to 450 ºF. (230 ºC). Spray a rimmed baking dish with oil, or keep it oil-free by putting it on a parchment-lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn them halfway after 5 minutes.
💡 Expert tip
Don't overcook the burgers; they will become crumbly! Remember that the chickpeas are already cooked, and the rest of the ingredients are safe-to-eat vegetables and seasonings, so there's no harm in undercooking the patties.
Just sear the outside for a couple of minutes, but they should still be soft inside for best results.
👨🏻🍳 Add-ins and favorite toppings
Pick your favorite toppings and assemble your veggie burgers.
- Organic Vegan mayo - like Vegenaise Follow your heart
- Yellow Mustard - like Heinz
- Dijonnaise - I just love having this 2 in 1 dressing on burgers.
- Organic ketchup - Portland's ketchup is great!
- Vegan BBQ sauce - we like Sweet Baby Ray's or this fantastic vegan burger sauce by Cindy from Vegan Fun Kitchen.
- Organic sliced pickles - Woodstocks' pickles are great
- Vegan cheddar cheese - we like Trader Joe's
- Avocado slices
- Sprouts
- Lettuce
- Red onion rings
- Sliced tomato
📖 Variations
This chickpea burger recipe is very versatile, so you can easily adjust it to your liking; some suggestions follow:
Herby - add chopped fresh cilantro or fresh parsley into the vegan burgers mix. You can also make these chickpea fritters with Italian seasoning.
Deluxe - add guacamole, red peppers hummus, our green creamy vegan sauce for everything, or caramelized onions.
Spicy - add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper into the patties' mix.
Kid-friendly - add crushed potato chips.
You can make similar burgers with other legumes. These pinto bean burgers are delicious and full of flavor!
❓ FAQ
Yes, there are many vegan BBQ sauces on the market. Look for brands that do not contain honey or other animal products. You can also make your own vegan BBQ sauce by combining ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and onion powder.
It can be. Vegan mayonnaise is typically made with healthy oils, like avocado oil or grapeseed oil, and it's low in sugar and salt. However, some vegan mayonnaises are made with processed ingredients, like soybean oil or canola oil, which are not as healthy as the other oils mentioned. So, when choosing a vegan mayo, read the ingredients list to ensure you're getting a healthy product.
Yes, when using gluten-free buns.
Absolutely, they're versatile! Here's how:
Thaw Slightly: If time permits, let the burgers thaw for about 10-15 minutes at room temperature. This helps them cook more evenly.
Preheat Pan: Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. A splash of oil can be added to prevent sticking and add a bit of crispiness to the burgers.
Cook Burgers: Place the burgers in the pan. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. If they were completely frozen, they might need a couple of extra minutes. You’re aiming for a golden-brown crust on each side and a warm center.
Check for Doneness: The burgers should be heated through to the middle. If you have a cooking thermometer, the internal temperature should reach about 165°F (75°C).
🥡 Storage
This veggie burger recipe works wonders for meal prep; we always purposefully make twice the quantity to freeze the uncooked patties in a freezer bag or an air-tight container and have an easy weeknight meal. Store for up to 2 months.
If you have leftover cooked patties, store them in the fridge and then have them pan-fried, adding a half tablespoon of water to rehydrate them.
🥪 More vegan sandwich recipes
Vegan Egg salad sandwich made with protein-rich tofu and cauliflower.
Vegan "Tuna" Sandwich is a delicious meal-prepping option for lunch boxes.
Treat your family to a delicious street food classic, a fantastic falafel wrap.
Another burger recipe that we love making when out of chickpeas is this chicken fried tofu burger, they are super crunchy and remind me of the time when we used to eat bread chicken fillet sandwiches.
If you try our vegan chickpea recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
🎥 Video
📋 Recipe
Chickpea Burger Recipe (Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounce chickpeas organic canned, drained (454 g). Lightly mashed, not pureed.
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 3 pieces green onions small, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 4 tablespoons oats gluten-free organic rolled, or regular oats, chickpea flour
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon paprika smoked
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Optional
- 2 tablespoons vegan BBQ sauce
Directions
- Finely chop the green onions and celery, mince the garlic, add to a skillet, and stir-fry until just before they begin to brown, then remove from heat.
- Drain the can of chickpeas and add them to a medium bowl and coarsely mash with a potato masher or a fork.
- Add the vegetables to abowl: If you prefer a softer texture, stir-fry the celery, green onions, and garlic first. Then, add the rolled oats, ground cumin, paprika, coriander powder, flour, and BBQ sauce (if using). Mix everything together until you have a thick burger batter.Note: Cooking the veggies reduces the crunchiness of the celery, and sautéing the onions and garlic enhances the burger's flavor.*
- Divide the mixture onto a tray into 3 even balls (4 ounces each) and place them on a tray with lined parchment paper.
- Adjust moisture. If the mixture is too sticky, add more rolled oats or chickpea flour so that it easily forms patties with your hands, then flatten them with the palm of your hands or use a piece of parchment paper, place on top of each patty, and press down to flatten it into a burger shape. Then even out the borders with your fingers.
- Place the baking tray with the burgers into the freezer, so they firm up for 30 minutes. (You can skip this step if you feel your patties are firm enough or in a hurry).
- Add some non-stick spray into the skillet and heat up until hot.
- Add the burgers to the skillet and 5 minutes on each side until they look browned and crispy.
Alternative method:
- Place the burgers on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake in the air fryer or the oven at 400 °F (200 °C) for 20 minutes.
- Serve on your favorite hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato slices, vegan cheddar cheese, or sliced avocado. Add your choice of seasonings, such as ketchup, mustard, or vegan mayo.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.
As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.
As the creative force behind OPBW, Natasha is a dedicated stay-at-home mom and passionate home chef. She infuses every recipe and personal care tip with love and practicality. Balancing family life with culinary adventures, she crafts wholesome, family-friendly dishes and effective, natural beauty solutions that are both approachable and inspiring. Her hands-on experience and personal touch make OPBW a go-to resource for delicious meals and self-care ideas that fit seamlessly into everyday life.
Katie Jacques
This chickpea burger is the perfect vegan burger! Full of flavor and so incredibly easy to make!
Holly
Very good burgers! These were easy to make and so much more flavorful than store-bought veggie patties.
kevin
I'm not sure what I did wrong, I substituted finely the green onion with chopped white onion, and left out the celery because I didn't have any, other than that I did everything else as written. Neither myself or my Wife liked them.
Gus
Hi Kevin, thanks for taking the time to do a review. Substituting green onion for white onions is OK. Leaving the celery out was the problem. Celery has a very particular texture, that helps consolidate the rest of the ingredients. That´s why it is often used on the egg, tuna, and chicken salads and their veganized versions. I recommend yous subbing with vegetables with similar textures as radishes, fennel, or even jicama.
Michelle Barnett
I’ve missed a true veggie burger. It’s a completely different experience. I’m excited to try this. I love you both for all your vegan adventures!
Gus
Hi Michelle! Thanks for your lovely message! I hope you enjoy this veggie burger! Let us know when you try it, and we hope to keep writing exciting content and recipes for you! 🙂
Gina Abernathy
A delicious and satisfying chickpea burger.
Tayler
We had these for dinner last night and they were delicious! You wouldn’t even know they were vegan!
Gus
Hey Tayler, thanks for your review! I am glad you guys enjoy our chickpea burgers!
Kelley
This chickpea burger looks mouthwatering! Love all of the flavors you added!
Katherine
I love the perfect seasonings in this burger! So easy, too.
Jen Vinuya
One of the best vegan recipes I've tried! Thanks for the recipe!
Gus
Hi Jen, thanks for stopping by and leaving a review! We are thrilled that you liked our vegan burgers recipe!