Vegan Chickpea Patties

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Vegan Chickpea Patties | Easy and nutritious, these vegan chickpea burgers combine the heartiness of chickpeas with an array of aromatic spices, resulting in a delightful patty that’s as satisfying as it is wholesome. Perfect for a casual weeknight dinner or a laid-back weekend barbecue, these burgers will level up your plant-based burger life!

Chickpea burgers on buns with sauce, pickles, and arugula.

Can I use canned chickpeas or do I need to cook them from scratch?

Canned chickpeas work perfectly fine for this recipe. Just make sure to drain and rinse them well before using.

Can I make the burger patties ahead of time?

Yes, you can make these burgers and refrigerate either a bowl of the mixture or the formed patties for a few hours or overnights.

Can I bake these burgers instead of frying them?

Yes, you can bake veggie burgers. When baking homemade veggie burgers I usually bake them at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.

Ingredients

This is a brief overview of the ingredients used in this recipe followed by substitution ideas. Read the recipe card for measurements.

Chickpeas: Cooked or canned, chickpeas are the star of the show. Chickpeas lend a hearty texture and plant-based protein.
Tahini: adds extra flavor and helps with binding.
Shallot: The Shallot gives a subtle bite in flavor.
Rice: Using leftover cooked rice is a good trick when making veggie burgers because the sticky texture of the rice can help bind together the patty mixture. I’ve used brown rice here.
Ground cumin and coriander: Infuses earthy warmth and depth of flavor.
Fresh parsley: Brightens the flavors with a burst of freshness.
Lemon juice: Balances the richness and enhances the overall taste.
Salt and pepper: To season and harmonize the ingredients.
Toppings: I like a nice soft bun for these patties. Anything with a crusty outside will make everything squish out when you take a bite. For toppings in these photos I went with my Vegan Burgers Sauce, sliced pickles, arugula, and some store-bought caramelized onion. You can make your own onions and choose any toppings you prefer.

A jar of caramelized onions on a wooden platter.

Substitutions

Parsley: Try a different herb like cilantro or basil.
Spices: Use a few teaspoons of your favorite spices instead.
Chickpea flour: If you don’t have chickpea flour try oat flour or all-purpose flour instead.

Chickpea patty mixture divided into clumps in a large bowl.

Formed chickpea patties sit on a parchment paper line wooden board.

Instructions

Prep Tips

These patties are fried in a cast iron skillet. You can use a non-stick skillet or bake them at 400°F (200°C) for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.
Finely dice the shallot, and chop the parsley.

Start by mashing the chickpeas almost all the way. Leave some whole for texture. You can do this with a fork, potato masher, or by pulsing a few times in a food processor.

Chickpeas in a bowl covered in parsley, rice, and chickpea flour to make chickpea patties.

In a large bowl with the chickpeas add all of the other ingredients.

Mix everything together using a silicone spatula or something similar. The mixture shouldn’t be overly wet or crumbly. It should stick together when you form it together.

Hands squish together chickpea patty mixture into a ball.

Divide the mixture into 6 to make burger patties. Divide into 9 or 10 to make chickpea sliders. Press a portion together in a ball in your hands.

A hand holds a flat formed chickpea patty.

Form the balls into patties.

Hands hold up a sideways formed chickpea patty.

Refrigerate the patties for at least half an hour.

A hand places chickpea patties into a cast iron pan.

Heat a cast iron pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the patties.

A hand helps a spatula flip a chickpea patty in a cast iron pan.

Cook the patties for about 4-5 minutes on each side.

A hand adds a chickpea patty to a bottom bun.

Spread burger sauce on the bottom burger bun and add the patty.

A hand adds a top bun to a topped burger.

Add any other topping like caramelized onions, pickles, tomato, cheese, or vegan cheese, and a green like arugula. Add the top bun and serve.

How to Serve Chickpea Patties

I like to serve these chickpea patties on a nice soft bun so that when you bite down the insides don’t squish out. I like a lot of sauce, and in these photos I used my Vegan Burger Sauce. I added pickles to add some tang and balance out the savory onions and slightly bitter, peppery arugula.

Tips for Making Vegan Chickpea Patties

No bun no problem: Don’t want to eat a bun on this particular day? Skip it! Try these patties lettuce wrapped or simply served on top of a salad.
Chill out: Refrigerate these patties for at least 30 minutes before frying! This really does help the ingredients solidify and helps the patties stay together better.
Get Spicy: Try adding some spice into the patty mixture like red pepper flakes or chopped Roasted Jalapenos. Add some spice on top by dolloping on some Chipotle Lime Sauce.
Texture: Leave some texture in the patties by mashing only most of the chickpeas. Mashing the chickpeas helps the patties stick together but leaving some whole gives the patty some texture and keeps it from being too soft.
Handle Carefully: At the end of the day these are still patties made with beans, rice, and chickpea flour so handle them carefully. Refrigerating them after forming and before cooking helps them stay together but flipping them carefully is still important.

What to serve with chickpea burgers

Try these homemade veggie patties on a bun with either my plant-based Burger Sauce recipe for a real takeout burger experience, or try spicing it up a bit with my Chipotle Lime Sauce.

For a weeknight meal serve these with my Microwave Mashed Potatoes. For more of a BBQ vibe serve these burgers with a Charred Corn Potato Salad.

Just because this recipe is for vegan chickpea burgers doesn’t mean you need to serve it on a bun. Try these patties in a wrap or pita!

Try a lettuce wrapped burger, or serve these patties on top of a salad. Try making smaller patties for salads. Skip the black beans in my Loaded Potato Bowl and add a Chickpea Patty instead.

Storage

Fridge: These chickpea burger patties can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Freezer: Freeze cooked patties for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before gently reheating in a pan, microwave, oven, or air fryer.

FAQ

Are these burgers gluten-free?

These chickpea burger patties are gluten-free if you use chickpea flour.

Can I grill these burgers instead of cooking them on the stovetop?

I don’t recommend grilling this recipe on a BBQ with grates, but cooking these on a Blackstone grill will work perfectly.

Can I use a different type of bean instead of chickpeas?

Yes, you can experiment with different types of beans such as white kidney beans or black beans. The texture of these beans is a bit softer than chickpeas so you may need extra rice and flour to make a thick mixture.