Making veggie burgers at home just got much easier with this spicy vegan chickpea burger recipe. This dietitian-created recipe is calling your name if you want to start making burgers from scratch instead of always using store-bought ones.
This spicy vegan chickpea burger hides a serving of vegetables, helping you hit the 2 ½ cup daily goal recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. You can eat them immediately after cooking or freeze them for later.
Ingredients You Need
Many from-scratch veggie burger recipes can be challenging to perfect, but this burger has excellent ingredients that maintain their form, offer solid structure, and are flavorful.
Chickpeas: Packed with protein and fiber, chickpeas are the base for this spicy bean burger. This recipe uses canned chickpeas, but if you have dried ones, those can work too. For the best results, make sure to presoak them. Food52’s guide on how to cook dried chickpeas may be helpful.
Carrots: The carrots in this recipe provide sweetness and structure for the patty, elevating the flavor. They also boost the burger's essential vitamins and minerals, like beta-carotene, which supports eye health.
Bell Pepper: Bell pepper adds a texture element that blends really well with the chickpeas and carrots. They can also provide vitamin C, help absorb iron (found in chickpeas), and support healthy hair and skin.
Hot Sauce: There are so many hot sauces to choose from these days. Hot sauce can add a spicy, tangy, or vinegary kick to this spicy veggie burger, making the flavor much more satisfying. The hot sauce used in this recipe is good ole’ Franks. However, if you’re watching your sodium, you’ll want to choose a low-sodium hot sauce.
Rolled Oats: This spicy vegan chickpea burger uses rolled oats to boost the fiber and help hold the burger together. Additionally, rolled oats absorb liquids normally lost from the veggies to help keep the burgers juicy and flavorful! For more protein, use Bob’s Red Mill Protein Oats.
Spices: The best way to enhance flavor in the recipe is to include spices. In this burger, oregano, salt, and garlic all contribute to the flavor, along with the hot sauce. When selecting salt, choose iodized salt. Iodine is an essential micronutrient that helps regulate the thyroid. Without adequate iodine, your body may struggle to maintain weight, energy levels, and other bodily functions. If you use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, one clove is approximately ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder.
How to make spicy vegan chickpea burgers
Now it’s time to get cooking. Here is the overview of how you make these burgers. Please note that a complete recipe card with exact directions is listed below.
Step 1
Blend canned chickpeas (or cooked chickpeas, if using dry) with oats in a food processor or high powered blender, and set aside.
Step 2
Using a non-stick frying pan, cook carrots and bell peppers on medium heat until soft. Use a teaspoon of cooking oil here if you need to prevent them from sticking.
Step 3
Add garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute before adding all other spices, salt, and hot sauce.
Step 4
Add the vegetables and spices to the oat mixture, and form six patties.
Step 5
Cook the spicy vegan burgers on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway and enjoy with your favorite toppings and sides.
Recipe
Spicy Vegan Chickpea Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas drained, and rinsed
- 2 large carrots diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ teaspoon iodized salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil optional
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse together the chickpeas and oats, then set aside
- Add carrots and bell peppers to a non-stick frying pan and cook until soft, roughly about 5 minutes. Optional- To prevent sticking, add a teaspoon of avocado oil to the pan.
- Once the veggies soften up, add garlic and cook for one minute before adding hot sauce and spices to the pan.
- To the pan, add the chickpea oat mixture to the vegetables and combine. Once cool enough to handle. Form six burgers
- Once burgers are formed, cook on a medium heat skillet for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve on a whole wheat bun with your favorite toppings and sides.
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Frequently Asked Questions
You've got questions, I've got answers. And if I don't have the answer here leave a comment and I'll get ya one!
Can I use another type of bean?
Any white bean should work. This recipe was only tested using chickpeas. The biggest change with swapping beans will be minor texture and flavor differences.
What if I don’t have a food processor?
You can use a high-powered blender as an alternative. If you do not have either, you can use a potato masher or fork to mix and blend the ingredients by hand.
Can these burgers be frozen?
Yes! You can keep these burgers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month for the best quality. They're perfect for weekdays when you’re short on time and energy! Serve with a side of sweet potato fries or a nice side salad.
Can I use other herbs in this spicy vegan burger?
Although we added the recommended seasonings for the perfect spicy vegan burger, of course there are other variations out there. Some recommendations are: Spicy Italian( basil, oregano, garlic, onion powder, red pepper) or Taco Seasoning (cumin, paprika, coriander, Mexican oregano, onion powder.
Overall, this recipe is great for meal prep, grilling on a summer night, or cooking on the stove during colder months. If you try this recipe, leave a review below!
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