January 30, 2012 // By : amybites // Tags: , , , ,

I’ve made several iterations of chickpea burgers, but none of them wowed me. The biggest problems in any given recipe tend to be lack of flavor and lack of cohesion—the patties always seem to just crumble and fall apart no matter what. While a crumbled chickpea burger is just as tasty as a sturdy patty, it’s prettier and easier to eat when it sticks together. When I saw a recipe for chickpea burgers on Daily Garnish, I regained hope. Her photos definitely depicted a solid patty of chickpea deliciousness. But would it be flavorful enough? Though Emily’s recipes are always awesome, I’ve been burned in the past!
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I made extra sure to avoid blandness by loading up on spice. Cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes add a nice kick. When I say “spicy” chickpea burgers, that means spicy to me. These have just enough of a zing to hold my interest without upsetting my delicate taste buds. However, if you’re a person who loves spicy food, please feel free to alter the amounts of spices to your liking. Happily, these both flavorful and sturdy enough to flip and plate without falling apart. This one’s definitely a keeper! Plus, they’re vegetarian (and vegan, depending on your bun and choice of toppings).

First, combine your rolled oats and your pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.

Add your grated carrot, parsley, minced garlic, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, salt, oil, and tahini. And, of course, your chickpeas (drained and rinsed). Pulse until well combined, but don’t over-process or you’ll end up with hummus!

With wet hands, form the mixture into four equal patties. Cook over medium heat in a skillet or on a griddle until lightly browned. I used some olive oil spray to ensure they wouldn’t stick, but if you use a nonstick pan, that shouldn’t be a problem. Mine took about 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve atop toasty buns with toppings of your choice.

These are by far the best chickpea burgers I’ve tried. I love the little kick from the spices and the light, fresh flavor. The texture is light but sturdy, with a little crispiness from the crust.

Enjoy!
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Spicy Chickpea Burgers
Adapted from Daily Garnish
Makes 4 patties
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  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/8 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1 can garbanzo beans (or chickpeas), no salt added, rinsed and drained
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1/2 cup parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin

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  1. In food processor, combine rolled oats and pepitas. Process until coarsely ground.
  2. Add carrot, parsley, tahini, olive oil, garlic, salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Process until well-combined, about 30 seconds. Stop once to scrape down sides if needed.
  3. With wet hands, form mixture tightly into four equal patties. In a nonstick skillet or on a nonstick griddle surface, cook patties for 3-5 minutes per side until lightly browned. Serve on whole wheat buns.

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Nutrition Facts
Per patty
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Calories 179
Fat 8.2g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 282.6mg
Carbohydrate 25.5g
Fiber 6.1g
Sugar 1.8g
Protein 7g