This Chickpea Burger is so delicious and easy to make, no one will miss the meat! You can have these burgers ready in less than 30 minutes, making them a perfect weeknight meal. Keep the toppings classic, or branch out with bbq sauce and sautéed onions or even guacamole and pickled jalapeños!
These chickpea burgers are so incredibly tasty and simple to make. They highly exceeded my expectations! Chickpeas are by far my favorite bean, and you can tell by some of the recipes I have created featuring them: Biscuit Topped Chickpea Pot Pie, Chickpea Curry, Vegan Tuna Sandwich, Easy Vegan Meatballs and even Chickpea Blondies!
I thought it was time for a plant based burger featuring chickpeas as well. I think you will LOVE these burgers! They are bursting with flavor and made easy in one bowl with very little prep time needed.
Ingredients you need
- Chickpeas – I used canned (drained and rinsed), but you can use beans made from scratch. You will need 1 1/2 cups.
- Chopped red onion – Adds a lot of flavor. May omit if necessary.
- Garlic
- Ground cumin
- Salt
- Tahini – Or you can even just use peanut butter! This helps the burgers stay together since there is no flax egg or other egg substitute.
- Breadcrumbs – Check the ingredients to make sure they are vegan, and use gluten free if needed. You can even make your own breadcrumbs if needed. Rolled oats or quick oats also work quite well.
- Cilantro – If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, use parsley instead.
How to make them
It’s so easy, you won’t believe it! This is the kind of recipe I find myself making over and over again.
- Mash the chickpeas in a bowl. I use a potato mashed because it works so well, but you can just use a fork. Or even a food processor!
- Add the chopped red onion, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini, breadcrumbs and cilantro.
- Mix well to combine.
- Form into burger shapes about 3-4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. I don’t like to shape them too thick or I find the texture isn’t as good once cooked.
Now you can either pan fry or bake the burgers. I prefer pan frying here, but baking works as well. Pan fry in a little oil (or none if you have a quality non-stick pan) for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for 3-4 more minutes until golden brown.
To bake: Place on a baking sheet that is greased with oil or lined with parchment paper and bake for 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for 15 more minutes.
Serve immediately with toppings of choice.
Toppings for chickpea burger
- Simple: I kept it simple this time with vegan mayo, arugula, sliced tomatoes and red onion.
- BBQ Burger: BBQ sauce, sautéed onions, lettuce and tomatoes.
- Mediterranean: Hummus, red onion, lettuce and tomatoes. Maybe even Tzatziki sauce.
- Mexican: Guacamole and pickled jalapeños.
- Ranch Burger: Vegan ranch, lettuce and tomatoes.
- Classic American: Vegan Cheese, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.
Want more delicious plant based burgers?
More 30 minute-or-less vegan meals you’ll love
- Vegan Alfredo
- Tofu Tacos
- 10 Minute Skillet BBQ Tempeh
- The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Peanut Tofu with Coconut Rice
- Vegan Quesadillas
Chickpea Burger
Ingredients
- 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup chopped small red onion (about 1/2 small red onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (may also use parsley)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas. Use a potato masher or fork to mash them until no whole beans remain.
- Add the chopped red onion, garlic, cumin, salt, tahini, breadcrumbs and cilantro to the chickpeas, and stir with a large spoon until well combined.
- Form into burger shapes, about 3-4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
- In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup of oil over medium heat. Carefully place the patties on the pan, and fry for about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Alternatively, you could bake the burgers at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for 15 more minutes.
- Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
- Serve immediately on buns with toppings of choice. I went with vegan mayo, arugula, tomatoes and red onion slices. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free - Use either gluten free breadcrumbs or gluten free certified rolled oats. Almond flour may work as well.
- You can substitute another bean if desired, such as kidney, black, pinto or white beans.
- These burgers are good with a variety of toppings, such as BBQ sauce, sautéed onions, lettuce and tomatoes, or hummus, red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, or guacamole and pickled jalapeños.
- Leftovers - Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer.
One word: WOW! These chickpea burgers were soooo good!! Incredibly moist and full of flavor!! This will definitely be on repeat in our household. Thank you so much Nora, you ROCK!!
You’re so welcome, Nida! I’m thrilled you loved the burgers, and thanks for your terrific feedback and review!
These sound amazing! Can the burgers be frozen prior to baking or pan frying? If so, what changes are needed?
Thanks! Love your recipes!
You could freeze the burgers once mixed and not cooked. They might fall apart more easily when cooking, so just handle them gently and carefully. Thank you so much!
I agree with all the rave comments, these are really good. Tasty and easy to make. I sweated the onion and garlic lightly before adding to the mixture, as I prefer a more subtle onion taste.
Some of my burgers were also just a liiittle bit crumbly on the edges but I think it’s just a matter of adjusting the moisture (very slightly), and if you handle them very carefully whilst on the frying pan it’s absolutely fine. I’ve saved the recipe and will definitely be making these again!
These are so great! If you are looking for new ways to use chickpeas this is the way to go. I had cooked up a bunch of them and was not sure what I was going to do with them yet when I happened upon this recipe. The cool thing about this recipe is that it is so customizable! I tossed in a ton of extra vegetables that I needed to use up (chopped up semi-fine, adding more tahini to help) and then I made small patties and we ate them on top of rice with a tahini sauce and pickled onions. These are amazing and Nora, like usual, thank you!
Hi Jen. What a delicious way to serve your burgers! Thanks for your amazing feedback, ideas, and review! Happy cooking!
Can I use ground flax and water instead of tahini or nut/seed butters (I don’t have tahini and I have a nut allergy)? If so, how much?
That should work just fine! I’d say 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Enjoy!
Thanks!
these are so tasty! no matter what i do though, the burgers always fall apart. I’ve followed the recipe 100% and also have reduced the breads crumbs & added in more tahini and/or PB and they never stay together. any tips?
I’m so happy you love the flavor! If they’re falling apart, I would recommend mashing the chickpeas really, really well and increasing the breadcrumbs by 1 teaspoon at a time until they come together. Also, don’t make the patties too big or else they’re more likely to crumble. I hope this helps!
Easy and delicious! Made these for dinner tonight, they came together quickly and were so good!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback! I’m so glad you are loving the chickpea burger recipe!
So goooddd
Thank you!
I stumbled across your page a few days ago and this is the 3rd recipe I have made from your site this week, and they each have been sooo good!!! I love how easy and short the ingredients are. Can’t wait to check out more recipes on your page! Thank you!!
Welcome to Nora Cooks! I’m glad you are loving the recipes you’ve made! Enjoy your journey through my recipes, and let me know how they go for you! Happy cooking!
This is SO GOOD!!! Every recipe Ive tried from this site has been great so far, so I’m investing in the ebooks. Lots of flavor but not 2 hours of prep work! Love it!!!
Thanks, Mary! I love how easy these burgers are.
This is my favourite burger of all time! After trying your Veggie burger and Sweet Potato and Black bean burgers – I could not form patties and they fell apart on me and ended up a “deconstructed meat loaf” although delicious. These chickpea burgers are amazing. I amped up the flavour a bit with fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika and doubled the recipe – they disappeared in 5 minutes ? and we got to use the chickpea liquid to make awesome whipped cream to go with our strawberries ?
I’m sorry to hear the sweet potato ones fell apart on you but I’m glad you love the chickpea burgers, thanks! They are one of my favorites as well!
Hi Nora! These sound amazingly delicious! However, I’ve used cumin so much it’s starting to get boring lol. What can I substitute cumin with? Thank you!
You could try chili powder instead, or even curry powder for a different twist. Hope that helps and you enjoy the chickpea burgers!
I love your recipe so much! I used flax meal instead of breadcrumbs and I think it made mine way too dry. Is there anything I can add to the mixture? I have re-crumbled it all up.
Hmm I’m not sure, maybe just a bit of water or vegetable broth? Flax can really bind things so I wouldn’t recommend subbing it for the breadcrumbs. You could use rolled oats, they would work better.
My husband hated these but I thought they were really good=4 stars. Easy prep and I had everything on hand which is a plus. We didn’t eat on buns. Love your quick, easy and healthy recipes Nora.
Thanks Kathy! One of my favorite burgers and so easy to make.
Can I pre-make the patties and store them in the fridge or freezer for later?
Sure! I wouldn’t store them for more than 2 days without making them though.
Wow! I totally underestimated chickpeas in a burger. This recipe is great, definitely a good alternative to black bean burgers or frozen alternative meat burgers you buy from the store.
Hi Abby. I’m glad you like them! Thank you!
These are so flavorful. I followed the recipe exactly (with parsley) and they came out great! So fast, too! I also just bought the ebook and I LOVE the format!
Hi Stacey. I’m so glad you love the burger! Thank you for purchasing my ebook. I’m glad you love it! Happy cooking!
What burger bun do you use that is gluten free
I don’t have to eat gluten free so I don’t, but I know there are several options out there now.
Great burger
OMG these were so delicious! Loved how they got a bit crispy on the edges. Will definitely make again!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for the comment!
Question: how many will one recipe make?
I got 4 burger patties out of the recipe. Feel free to double it.
Can you use cashew or almond butter in place of the tahini or peanut butter?
Yes, that would also be fine to use!
I made these the other day and they were delicious! I used a regular white onion instead of red, and did a flax egg in place of the tahini.(I’m not a big fan of tahini). I also don’t like the taste of cilantro, (oh my goodness, there’s so many things!), and didn’t have any parley, so I just left that part out entirely. They were amazing though! I baked them, and they were perfectly crispy-ish on the outside, and not mushy at all in the middle! I will definitely be making these again. And as usual, the pictures were absolutely gorgeous! I’m always like, “How does she do that?!” Thanks for a great recipe and blog!
You’re so welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Thank You Nora,
I subscribe to Nora Cooks I Love all of your recipes
Thanks!