Chickpea Burger Patties

Making bean burgers might be the most fun way to use up small quantities of veggies you have left after making salads or other dishes. It’s completely customizable, extremely flavorful and nutrition packed with all the vegetables, and the bean base makes it a good source of vegetarian protein. You can even make a larger batch and freeze some for later - I like to cook them, wrap individually in plastic wrap, then keep them in airtight container in freezer. Making burger patties yourself gives you the advantage of using just the ingredients and quantities you think are good for you, skipping the non-essential fats, sugars, and flavor enhancers that some processed foods might have.

 

This version uses chickpeas, but any other beans could be used instead. The vegetables added to it can also be varied based on what you have or what you like. I love adding beets to burgers, and this time I also had some mini peppers, basil, and green onion on hand. I used an egg for binding, however you could eliminate that if needed by using a paste of flaxseed powder and water, or crumbling up a slice or two of bread moistened with water. Oats help with binding, too, and also add texture to the burgers. To enhance the flavor, you could add any spices/herbs of your choice, maybe even a spoonful of ketchup or pesto. Keep it as simple as you’d like, or go crazy with the add-ins - it will be delicious either way!

Ingredients: (~5-6 patties)

1 can of chickpeas - drained and rinsed

1/2 med onion (~1/4 cup finely chopped)

2-3 mini sweet peppers - chopped (~ 1/4 cup)

1 medium red beet - cooked and finely chopped

2 large basil leaves - finely chopped

1-2 sprigs of green onion (chopped)

1/2 tsp oregano

1 Tbsp honey mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

1 clove of garlic - minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

1-2 Tbsp flaxseed powder

Salt to taste

Paprika to taste

1/3 cup oats

1 egg - beaten

Oil/butter

 

Mash the chickpeas leaving them somewhat coarse (or pulse in a food processor). Add the remaining ingredients except for oil/butter and mix well until everything comes together.

 

Heat a pan on medium-low, and coat it with a very thin layer of oil/butter. Form a ½ inch thick patty with the chickpea mixture and gently place it in the pan. Cover and cook until the bottom is browned. Flip the burger and cook uncovered until the other side is browned.

 

If you like you could add a slice of cheese on top after flipping the burger once. It will get nice and melty while the other side cooks. The chickpea burger patties are great to snack on with ketchup for dipping, or can be chopped up and used in salads. But if you go the more traditional way and make a burger, you surely won’t miss the meat!

 

~Gayatri

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