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    Home / Recipes / Sandwiches

    Chickpea Burger

    Published: Mar 16, 2023 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    All veggie burgers are not created alike, and this chickpea burger is a champion among contenders. In a world dominated by beans and fake meat burgers, this chickpea burger recipe is in a league of its own.

    Chickpea burger recipe on the counter.

    I love veggie burgers but enjoy unique recipes rather than always eating a typical black bean burger. So instead, I created a chickpea burger recipe with incredible flavor, texture, and crunch. Tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside, this chickpea burger recipe can be baked or air fried.

    Jump to:
    • Chickpea Burger Ingredients
    • Chickpea Burger Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make Chickpea Burgers
    • Recipe Variations
    • Cooking Options
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • Try These Vegan Sandwich Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    One of my biggest pet peeves is a veggie burger that falls apart or crumbles as soon as it's cut or bitten.

    My second veggie burger annoyance is a soggy, wet burger that tastes gummy!

    Therefore, I experimented until I developed a recipe to withstand the crumble test with a firm, delicate inside.

    Holding a chickpea burger cut in half.

    Chickpea Burger Ingredients

    Chickpea burger recipe ingredients on the counter: chickpeas, vital wheat gluten, aquafaba, bread crumbs, vegetable broth, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
    • Chickpeas: Chickpeas are used as the base of this burger. I used canned chickpeas.
    • Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth supplies flavor and moisture for the chickpea burger mixture.
    • Soy Sauce: The soy sauce provides an umami flavor to the mixture.
    • Vital Wheat Gluten: The vital wheat gluten binds the mixture and gives it elasticity. However, there is a gluten-free option below in the substitutions.
    • Breadcrumbs: Plain breadcrumbs are used in the chickpea mixture to create texture.
    • Poultry Seasoning: All poultry seasoning is vegan despite the word poultry in the name. The main spices are sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, nutmeg, and onion powder.
    • Salt/Pepper: Salt and pepper bring out the natural flavors in the veggie burger mixture.
    • Aquafaba: Aquafaba is the liquid inside the can of chickpeas and is used as a binder instead of oil in the recipe.
    • Breadcrumb Mixture: The second mixture combines breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and garlic salt.

    Chickpea Burger Ingredient Substitutions

    • Instead of chickpeas, choose a hearty white bean like lima beans (butter beans) or Great Northern beans.
    • Water mixed with Yondu substitutes for vegetable broth in this chickpea burger recipe.
    • Tamari or liquid amnios substitute soy sauce in recipes and is also gluten-free.
    • Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, or plain pea protein powder replaces vital wheat gluten.
    • Make breadcrumbs by toasting bread and crumbling it in a food processor, or purchase breadcrumbs.
    • For the best poultry seasoning substitute, swap 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning for 2 teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon of either dried thyme or marjoram. You can swap in any number of dried or fresh herbs you have on hand, plus mix and match spices. A basic blend of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme will do the trick.
    • Try Flax and chia eggs: 1 tablespoon ground flax or chia mixed with 4 tablespoon water instead of aquafaba.
    • You can purchase seasoned breadcrumbs instead of making the breadcrumb mixture.

    How to Make Chickpea Burgers

    Mashed chickpeas in a food processor bowl on the table.

    First, mash the chickpeas in a food processor by pulsing the chickpeas. Do not over-pulse. Instead, the chickpea mixture appears chunky rather than a paste.

    Or, mash the chickpeas using a fork if you don't have a food processor.

    I added all the chickpea burgers into a bowl on the counter with a fork in the bowl.

    Transfer the mashed chickpeas and all the other ingredients into a large bowl. Then, using a fork, combine the ingredients except for the breadcrumb mixture. The breadcrumb mixture is used later to provide a crunchy exterior for the chickpea burger.

    Chickpea burger mixture in a bowl on the table.

    Once mixed, use a burger press to form the burger patties. Or, use your hands to make similar-sized burgers.

    For a firmer textured chickpea mixture, refrigerate until ready to form the burger patties, or form the burger patties and refrigerate until ready to cook.

    Forming chickpea burgers using a burger press.

    Recipe Variations

    Formed chickpea patties on an air fryer pan.
    • Make the burgers into sliders instead of full-sized burgers. For sliders, reduce the cooking time by one-half.
    • To flavor the burger before dredging in the breadcrumbs, dip both sides of the chickpea burger patty in your favorite sauce and dredge into the breadcrumb mixture. This time I used buffalo sauce.
    A chickpea burger patty dipped in buffalo sauce in a bowl on the table.
    • Another idea is to dip teh burger patty in barbeque sauce. However, the burger is moist enough to dredge in the breadcrumbs without sauce.
    A chickpea burger dredged in breadcrumbs in a bowl.

    Cooking Options

    Holding a chickpea burger with tomato, lettuce, red onion, and secret sauce.

    I chose to air fry the burgers for this chickpea burger recipe because it was raining outside. But the oven or a grill offer other cooking options.

    Air Frying

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
    • Place the chickpea burger patties in the air fryer in a single layer.
    • Cook for 15 minutes, flipping half way through.
    • If using a vented air fryer oven, such as a Cuisinart Air Fryer, skip flipping the burgers over.

    Oven

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
    • Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Place burger patties in a single layer on the baking sheet.
    • Cook for 30 minutes, flipping the patties over halfway through cooking.

    Grilling

    • Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
    • Place burgers on the grill.
    • Cover the grill and cook for 10 minutes; flip the burgers over and cook for 10 more minutes.
    Burger cut in half on a plate on the table.

    Recipe FAQs

    Are chickpeas healthy protein?

    Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are a nutritious source of plant-based protein and a healthy food to always have on hand.

    Are chickpeas as healthy as vegetables?

    Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are very healthy food. They are part of the legume family, which is a vegetable and protein food. Chickpeas are loaded with fiber needed for a healthy heart and gut.

    What do vegans use as a binder instead of an egg?

    Aquafaba acts as a binding agent and is excellent in cookies and other baked goods. It's simply the liquid that comes from canned beans, with chickpeas being the most commonly and successfully used. To use aquafaba as an egg replacement in vegan recipes, use about three tablespoons of liquid to equal one egg.

    Tips

    • Do not over-pulse or mash the chickpeas.
    • If you don't have a food processor, mash chickpeas with a fork.
    • Hearty white beans replace chickpeas in this recipe.
    • The breadcrumb mixture outside coating provides a crunchy exterior. Skip this step if you don't want a crunchy exterior.
    • Prepare this chickpeas burger recipe plain, or add a flavor by dipping the burger patty in a flavored sauce before adding teh exterior breadcrumbs.
    • Serve chickpea burgers with secret sauce, tomatoes, red onions, lettuce, and your favorite bun.
    • Or, serve the chickpea burger in between lettuce leaves and skip the bun.
    • Another way to enjoy this chickpea burger recipe is to add it to a pita, on top of a salad, or chopped up inside tacos.
    • Remember, the thickness of the burger is important in terms of cooking time. Thinner burgers cook quickly, especially in the air fryer.
    • Freeze patties uncooked for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before cooking unless grilling.
    • Frozen patties grill well but require 5-10 more cooking time.

    If you are looking for a great veggie burger, try this chickpea burger recipe! You will love it.

    Try These Vegan Sandwich Recipes

    • Chickpea Fritters
    • Tofu Banh Mi
    • Chickpea Egg Salad
    • Buffalo Chickpea Wrap

    If you love this chickpea burger recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

    📖 Recipe

    Chickpea Burger

    Kathy Carmichael
    All veggie burgers are not created alike, and this chickpea burger is a champion among contenders. In a world dominated by beans and fake meat burgers, this chickpeas burger recipe is in a league of its own.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Course Entrees, Sandwiches
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 207 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 15 ounce can Chickpeas, drained reserve aquafaba
    • ⅓ cup vegetable broth
    • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 Tablespoon aquafaba
    • ½ cup vital wheat gluten or see substitutions for a gluten-free option
    • ⅓ cup breadcrumbs or use gluten-free breadcrumbs
    • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

    Breadcrumb Mixture

    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • 2 Tablespoons Nutritional yeast
    • 2 teaspoons garlic salt

    Toppings

    • 4 buns of choice
    • 4 Romaine lettuce leaves
    • 4 slices tomato
    • 4 slices red onion
    • 4 Tablespoons secret sauce or sub mustard and ketchup

    Instructions
     

    • Mash chickpeas in a food processor by pulsing. Do not over-pulse/mash.
    • Transfer mashed chickpeas into a large bowl.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients except for the breadcrumb mixture.
    • Stir to combine. Place chickpea mixture into the refrigerator and form patties later if food prepping in advance.
    • Mix 1 cup of breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and garlic salt in a bowl and set aside.
    • Form burger patties using a burger press or with your hands.
    • Then, dip each patty in a flavored sauce or press the plain patties into the breadcrumb mixture to coat the burger patties.

    Air Fryer

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
    • Place the chickpea burger patties in the air fryer in a single layer.
    • Cook for 15 minutes, flipping half way through.

    Oven

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
    • Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Place burger patties in a single layer on the baking sheet.
    • Cook for 30 minutes, flipping the patties over halfway through cooking.

    Grill

    • Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
    • Place burgers on the grill.
    • Cover the grill and cook for 10 minutes; flip the burgers over and cook for 10 more minutes.

    Burger Toppings (optional)

    • Add lettuce, onion, tomato, and secret sauce if desired.

    Notes

      • Do not over-pulse or mash the chickpeas.
      • If you don't have a food processor, mash chickpeas with a fork.
      • Hearty white beans replace chickpeas in this recipe.
      • The breadcrumb mixture outside coating provides a crunchy exterior. Skip this step if you don't want a crunchy exterior.
      • Prepare this chickpeas burger recipe plain, or add a flavor by dipping the burger patty in a flavored sauce before adding the exterior breadcrumbs.
      • Serve chickpea burgers with secret sauce, tomatoes, red onions, lettuce, and your favorite bun.
      • Or, serve the chickpea burger between lettuce leaves and skip the bun.
      • Another way to enjoy this chickpea burger recipe is to add it to a pita, on top of a salad, or chopped up inside tacos.
      • Freeze patties uncooked for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before cooking unless grilling.
      • Frozen patties grill well but require 10 more minutes of cooking time.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4gCalories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 17gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 303mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 3mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    1. Shellie

      March 18, 2023 at 6:00 pm

      5 Stars - This recipe is great and so easy to make. I love what the vital wheat gluten brings to the burger. Thanks Kathy.

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        March 19, 2023 at 7:25 am

        Hi Shellie, I'm so glad you enjoyed the burger. Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it.

        Reply
    2. Shellie

      March 18, 2023 at 4:57 pm

      These are in the oven now. Smells very good. I didn't have breadcrumbs so I used panko instead. Hope that works. 🤞

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        March 19, 2023 at 7:26 am

        That will work. I hope you love the recipe.

        Reply
    3. Beverly Ellis

      March 16, 2023 at 6:26 am

      Kathy I can't wait to try these burgers but can you tell me what type bun you use or where you purchase them at? All the ones I check have oil or egg and trying to be whole foods plant based its hard to find a good tasting bun.

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        March 16, 2023 at 6:48 am

        Hi Beverly, you need to shop in the bakery section of your grocery store and stay out of the bread aisle. We have a bakery in Arizona called Noble bread, and 90% of their bread is vegan and oil-free. This is a pretzel bun. However, I buy oil-free buns and bread at Frys (Kroger) in the bakery section often.

        Reply

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