A few days ago, I made these delicious vegetarian burgers with pre-cooked chickpeas for dinner. I confess that I have never been a great lover of meat! Apart from the Abruzzese arrosticini (and chicken, which I love in all sauces!), I must admit that I eat it rarely.
Chickpea burgers are a great vegetarian alternative to meatballs (or fish), ideal even for those on a diet.
The canned chickpea meatballs are really tasty and also, very easy and quick to prepare.
I used few simple ingredients: already cooked chickpeas, cornmeal to make them nice and golden, garlic, parsley, egg, and Pecorino cheese.
Legume burgers are a smart example of how you can consume them in a different way than the usual soups and stews!
Let’s see together how to prepare vegetarian burgers with pre-cooked chickpeas.
For a completely vegan version, read to the end of the recipe, where you’ll find more tips and a little gift for you ❤️
Here are some other quick and tantalizing recipes you might be interested in!
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: for 2 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- canned chickpeas (2 cans of 360 g each, drained weight 460 grams)
- 1 oz Pecorino cheese (or grated Parmesan cheese)
- to taste parsley
- 0.67 oz water
- to taste garlic (only if you like it)
- 1 egg (medium whole or just the white)
- Half tsp oregano
- 2.12 oz coarse cornmeal (+ to taste for coating. Or breadcrumbs)
- to taste pepper (only if you like it)
- 0.67 oz olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- Chopper
- Bowl
- Spatula
Steps
Preparing chickpea burgers is easy and quick, especially if you use pre-cooked chickpeas; otherwise, it will take more time.
Rinse the already boiled chickpeas under water and place them in a food processor.
Add two tablespoons of olive oil and 0.67 ounces of water. Start the blender and puree.
Add Pecorino (or Parmesan), oregano, garlic (only if you like it), 1 medium whole egg (or just the white without the yolk).
Also add fresh parsley, pepper, and coarse cornmeal, or breadcrumbs if you prefer.
Blend everything again until you get a compact mixture.
Take a bit of the mixture and form flattened patties using the palm of your hands.
Coat each formed burger in cornmeal (or breadcrumbs) and place them on a plate.
Once the mixture is finished, you can choose to cook the chickpea patties in a pan like I did or in the oven (air fryer).
If you want to cook them in a pan, just grease it with a little oil, place the burgers on top and let them brown for a few minutes.
Then, gently turn them to the other side and continue for a few more minutes.
Chickpea burgers are very delicate, so be careful when turning them.
Once browned, serve on a serving plate accompanied by tomato sauce or Greek yogurt.
For oven/air fryer cooking, arrange the burgers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for about 15 minutes at 338°F (static mode) or for 10 minutes (ventilated mode).
I hope you liked this recipe! Let me know in the comments if you try it!
Article protected by copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All Rights Reserved
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I omit the egg entirely in the mixture?
Yes, of course! For a completely vegan version, you can omit the egg and also the grated Parmesan cheese.
You can add 50 grams of previously boiled potatoes if you want. Or add nothing else and, if necessary, adjust the mixture with an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs or cornmeal.How can I replace the cornmeal?
Instead of cornmeal, you can easily use breadcrumbs (gluten-free for a gluten-free version).
Can I stuff the chickpea burgers with cheese?
Absolutely! To make these chickpea patties more indulgent, you can fill them with the cheese you like best (but avoid mozzarella as it releases liquids during cooking).
I suggest giving the patties a rounder shape to insert some cheese cubes in the center.Can I enrich the mixture with vegetables?
Yes! You can use potatoes, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli, for instance. Of course, I suggest boiling the vegetables first, draining them very well, and then blending them with the rest of the ingredients.
Can I fry the burgers in plenty of oil?
I don’t recommend it, as they might open during cooking because the indicated quantities allow for a very soft mixture, making them delicate. It’s preferable to cook them in a pan or oven with little oil.
In caseHow do I store chickpea burgers?
You can put them in a container with an airtight seal and leave them in the fridge for about two days. I confess they are delicious even cold, so you can enjoy them the next day without even reheating them.
If you prefer, you can freeze them and consume them gradually. With this quantity, I made 13 burgers (the number varies depending on the size of each patty). You can safely store them in the freezer, always in a well-sealed container. Before cooking, let them defrost at room temperature for a few hours (or in the fridge overnight).If I wanted to make a vegan sandwich with these burgers, what can I pair them with?
You can spread the bread with egg-free mayonnaise, with a guacamole sauce based on avocado, or with Greek yogurt. A lettuce leaf, tomato, cucumber, onion, and the chickpea burger are a must.
What can I use instead of oregano?
Curry certainly pairs well with chickpeas, but feel free to use (or not) the spices you prefer.
Can I replace chickpeas with beans?
Absolutely yes! By following all the indicated quantities, you can use beans (preferably cannellini) to make these delicious burgers.
