Chickpea burgers easy and healthy recipe: I decided to make them to bring something different, tasty, and light to the table. I like to vary dishes often, so we never get bored and always find new ideas, and these burgers were a perfect discovery! They are a vegan alternative to meat, rich in plant proteins, suitable for everyone, including those who simply want to introduce more legumes into their diet. The mixture is really easy to make: I start with already cooked chickpeas, the canned ones, to save time. You can use chickpea flour to bind everything together, but I prefer breadcrumbs, which make the mixture softer and more delicate. Once formed, I recommend letting them rest in the fridge covered with plastic wrap: this way, they will firm up and be easier to cook. You can choose to bake them for a lighter version or cook them in a pan with a little oil: they will be crispy outside and soft inside, but be careful to flip them gently not to break them.
Other ideas to vary our table:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 burgers
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 288.37 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 29.65 (g) of which sugars 3.56 (g)
- Proteins 9.18 (g)
- Fat 14.64 (g) of which saturated 1.80 (g)of which unsaturated 0.33 (g)
- Fibers 6.88 (g)
- Sodium 371.44 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 14 oz cooked chickpeas
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 onion (large or 1 small)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsps soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2.8 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for sautéing)
- as needed breadcrumbs
Tools
- 1 Burger Press
Preparation
You can start with already cooked chickpeas, as I did, using the canned ones: drain them well from the preservation liquid and rinse them under running water. Alternatively, you can cook the dried chickpeas yourself after soaking them for at least 8 hours with a teaspoon of baking soda (which will make them softer). After soaking, rinse them well and boil them until tender.
To make the chickpea burgers even tastier, prepare a quick sauté. Wash and clean the carrot and onion well, then chop them into small pieces. In a pan, pour a little extra virgin olive oil and sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until they are soft and slightly golden.
Once the sauté is ready, move on to preparing the dough. Blend the chickpeas with a food processor until you get a homogeneous mixture. I recommend chopping the chickpeas well but not overdoing it because if there are small pieces left, they give a more interesting texture to the mixture. Then add the sauté, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and breadcrumbs (or chickpea flour if you prefer) and mix well until you get a compact and well-blended dough.
When the dough is homogeneous and easy to handle, shape your burgers. I use a burger press and, to facilitate the process, I place a piece of parchment paper on top and bottom: this way the dough does not stick and the work is faster. With these amounts, you will obtain about 4 medium-sized burgers or 8 smaller ones.
Once formed, dust the burgers gently with a little flour: regular is fine, but you can also use chickpea flour. This step will help create a crispy crust during cooking. At this point, you can cook them immediately or let them rest in the fridge, well covered with plastic wrap: this way they will firm up better and be ready to use when needed.
All that’s left is to cook your chickpea burgers! You can choose your preferred method: in the oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown, or in a pan with a little hot oil. In this case, they will become crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Whatever method you choose, be careful when flipping them: they are delicate and need to be handled with care not to break.
NOTES
These chickpea burgers can also be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge covered with plastic wrap to become more compact and easier to handle during cooking without breaking. You can also freeze them once formed, separating them with parchment paper to have them ready when needed. You can flavor them with spices like paprika, curry, or cumin so that they seem like different burgers each time.
If you liked the recipe or have questions, feel free to comment here or on my social media Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and X.
FAQ
How can I make chickpea burgers more compact?
You can add chickpea flour or breadcrumbs to the mixture. I prefer breadcrumbs because they make the result softer, but if you want a more compact texture, chickpea flour is perfect. Also, letting them rest in the refrigerator before cooking helps to make them more compact.
Can I freeze chickpea burgers?
Yes, you can freeze them once formed. I recommend placing them on a tray separated by parchment paper and, once frozen, store them in a bag or food container. This way, you can cook them directly from the freezer whenever you want.
