Spicy Chickpea Vegan Burgers

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Spicy chickpea burgers are a healthy, vegan burger that gives you an easy meal to serve to your family even when you are super tired. Ready in minutes, you can make these after a long day or really any time you want or need to get a hearty meal on the table quickly. Packed with fiber and protein, these vegan burgers are filling and a great healthy choice for you and your family, no matter how many picky eaters you have.

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What is Chickpea Burger?

Chickpea burgers are what they sound like, a burger made with chickpeas instead of meat or other ingredients. They are the perfect solution for vegans, vegetarians, and others who want a great tasting hot sandwich.

These vegan burgers come together very quickly, which makes them a great weeknight dinner or a tasty treat that you can make even when you are really tired. We love to pair them with great sides, like fries, tater tots, or even salads and soups.

When you make chickpea burgers, you will be happy to know that you are serving your family a lot of protein and fiber with each patty. They are also full of flavor that you can further tweak with sauces or dips, so you can really please everyone, even picky eaters!

Ingredients to make the best vegan burger

For the best vegan burger or spicy chickpea burger, you will want to use the following ingredients and then pair the burger with your favorite sides:

Chickpeas - We use canned, drained, and well-rinsed chickpeas for ease.
Red onion - You could use a white or yellow onion if you prefer.
Fresh cilantro - Cilantro adds a fresh flavor to the burgers.
Hot sauce or sriracha sauce
Peanut butter - This helps the vegan burgers stick together, but you can omit if you are allergic.
Spices - We use cumin powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Quick oats - These help to hold the burgers together. We do not recommend using other oats because they do not absorb the extra liquid as much as the quick oats.
Cooking spray - This is to help prevent sticking and when using the air fryer to help to crisp up the outside. You could also use oil in a spritzer bottle instead if you prefer.

To serve, you’ll want to have:

Brioche Buns or other buns
Lettuce leaves - rinsed and patted dry
Thinly sliced tomato
Red, white, or yellow onion thinly sliced
Burger sauces or dips
Fries, tater tots, or other sides

How to make chickpea burger

When you want to make the best vegan burger, you will want to follow these easy steps and instructions:

First, add the chickpeas, onion, cilantro, dry spices, and rolled oats to a food processor and then pulse for 1 to 2 minutes or until all the mixture is evenly processed.

Once you have a mostly smooth batter, carefully remove the chopping blade.
Next, shape the mixture into four patties that are about ¾ of inch thick.

When using an air fryer, first spray or brush the patties with oil. Next, cook at 375 F for about 4 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
If you are using a skillet, first heat the skillet over medium-high heat and then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the burger patties and then cook, turning once, until the patties are golden brown on both sides or about 6 minutes.

Once cooked, here is how you assemble the burgers:

First, place lettuce on the Brioche bun and then place the spicy chickpea burger on top of the lettuce.
Next, spread the burger sauce over the patty and then place the sliced tomato, onion, and bun topper last.
Enjoy this burger with a side of tater tots, fries, crispy avocado fries, homemade brioche burger buns, or your favorite sides!

Pro tips and tricks

When you make these spicy chickpea burgers, make sure to try these tips and tricks for even tastier results:

Try one of our different sauces, like our Chick Fil A Sauce, Spicy Mustard Aioli Sauce, Pretzel Cheese Sauce, or any of our other sauces and chutneys for a unique flavor!
You can process the chickpeas and other ingredients a bit more for a smoother burger or leave the ingredients a bit chunkier. Either way makes for a great burger! Just make sure they are mixed enough to stick together and form patties.
For added flavor, you could toast the bun with garlic butter or add additional veggies or toppings.

FAQs

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about vegan burgers that we thought we’d shed some light on.

How to serve

Chickpea burgers pair well with classic burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and sliced cheese.

You can also serve them with friends, tater tots, sweet potato fries, and any number of other side dishes that you love.

Can I use canned chickpeas or do I need to cook them from scratch?

For ease, when we make chickpea burgers, we use canned. If you prefer, you can certainly use cooked dried chickpeas.

How do I make the chickpea burger patty hold together without using eggs?

Chickpeas, when pulverized, have a natural starchiness which helps them stick together. We also add quick oats to help soak up extra moisture and help the burgers stick together.

Can I make the chickpea burger patty in advance and freeze it for later use?

Yes, these freeze well. Before freezing, make sure to wrap each in plastic wrap and then place the patties in an airtight container. They should be good for about 6 months. Thaw them before cooking them as directed above.

Can I substitute other beans or legumes for chickpeas in the recipe?

Chickpeas work really well for vegan burgers because the starch helps hold the patties together. You should be able to use other beans, like black beans or white beans, as a sub for chickpeas.

What kind of spices and seasonings should I use to flavor the chickpea burger patty?

When we make chickpea burger patties, we make them spicy using a variety of seasonings, like cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and hot sauce. We do caution against adding too much hot sauce because too much can make the patties a bit less firm.

Try these sauces with the vegan burger

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Let us know what you think

If you make this delicious recipe, let us know how it went! When you make this, be sure to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @dbellyrulesdmind or Facebook @thebellyrulesthemind!

Spicy Homemade Vegan Burger

Packed with fiber and protein, these vegan burgers are filling and a great healthy choice for you and your family, no matter how many picky eaters you have.

Ingredients

1 19 oz can (2 cups) chickpeas, drained, well-rinsed
1/2 red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Hot sauce or sriracha sauce
2 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon Cumin powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick oats
Cooking spray

To serve

6 Brioche Buns (from other recipe) work well
few lettuces rinsed, patted dry, and leaves separated
1 tomato thinly sliced
red onion thinly sliced

Instructions

First, add the chickpeas, onion, cilantro, dry spices, and rolled oats to a food processor and then pulse for 1 to 2 minutes or until all the mixture is evenly processed.
Once you have a mostly smooth batter, carefully remove the chopping blade.
Next, shape the mixture into four patties that are about ¾ of inch thick.
When using an air fryer, first spray or brush the patties with oil. Next, cook at 375 F for about 4 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp.
If you are using a skillet, first heat the skillet over medium-high heat and then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the burger patties and then cook, turning once, until the patties are golden brown on both sides or about 6 minutes.

Once cooked, here is how you assemble the burgers:

First, place lettuce on the Brioche bun and then place the spicy chickpea burger on top of the lettuce.
Next, spread the burger sauce over the patty and then place the sliced tomato, onion, and bun topper last.
Enjoy this burger with a side of tater tots, fries, crispy avocado fries, homemade brioche burger buns, or your favorite sides!

About Soniya

Hello, I am Soniya, the cofounder of The Belly Rules The Mind. Originally from Mumbai, India, I am settled in Virginia US with my husband.

I am a mother of 2 energetic boys, referred to as R2 (15-year-old) and R3 (10-year-old) on the blog. In case you are wondering who is R1, well that is my husband.

My hubby and I were born in Mumbai, India, where we were spoiled by the wealth of food choices available to us. We could enjoy everything from yummy street food to multi-cuisine restaurants and we became very picky about what we like and what we don't. Come join us on our journey to have "The Belly Rule The Mind"

What is Chickpea Burger?

Ingredients to make the best vegan burger

How to make chickpea burger

Pro tips and tricks