Chickpea Veggie Burgers
on May 23, 2013, Updated Mar 13, 2025
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These spicy chickpea veggie burgers are easy to make and always a big hit it. Bonus: they don’t fall apart!
If you’re looking for the best homemade veggie burgers, you’re in luck!
These chickpea burgers have been a reader favourite since 2013. They have the most amazing flavour and most importantly, they don’t fall apart.
The patties are great for building a classic burger but they’re also perfect for a healthy snack or adding to salads and wraps. You can even make them as sliders or nuggets for a party appetizer.
The recipe is easy to make with everyday ingredients you probably already have on hand and they make a great veggie option for BBQ’s and summer get-togethers. From vegans to vegetarians and even meat-lovers, these are always a hit.
Enjoy these delicious veggie burgers any night of the week for a meatless meal the whole family will love.
Recipe Features
- Vegan and can be made gluten-free and nut-free.
- Can be grilled, pan-fried or baked.
- Hundreds of 5-star reviews so you can make these chickpea burgers with confidence!
- Super easy to make with simple ingredients.
- The patties hold together through cooking and eating.
- Make the burgers in advance and stored in fridge or freezer.
- No raw eggs to deal with.
- Enjoy these healthy homemade veggie burgers as an alternative to store-bought veggie burgers.
Ingredient Notes
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- Chickpeas: The recipe uses 1 19 oz can, or 2 cups of cooked chickpeas. Rinse and drain well if you’re using canned chickpeas.
- Red Onion: Red onion adds the best flavour to the patties. The next best option is shallots, followed by white or yellow onion, or green onion (scallion).
- Zucchini: You’ll need 1 small zucchini or about 1 cup lightly packed. You do not need to drain or peel it.
- Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, you can substitute fresh basil or parsley.
- Red Wine Vinegar: I like red wine vinegar best in these but you can substitute balsamic vinegar, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Sriracha: Adds a bit of heat to the patties. They aren’t overly spicy but you can omit this if you’re sensitive to spice. Chili garlic paste or sambal oelek would work as a substitute, otherwise, you can use any hot sauce you enjoy such as Frank’s or buffalo sauce.
- Peanut Butter: Substitute almond butter for a peanut-free recipe. For a nut-free recipe, you can use tahini or sunflower seed butter. I prefer the flavour of sunflower seed butter over tahini in these.
- Spices: You’ll need cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Note it’s a full 2 teaspoons of black pepper which adds quite a quick so considering starting with 1 tsp and adjusting to your preference.
- Oats: Quick oats are used because they’re finer than rolled oats so they help the burgers hold together better. You can also use instant oats. If you only have rolled oats, those work too but I’d suggest letting the raw mixture sit for at least 10 minutes so they have more time to absorb moisture. Note the burgers are naturally gluten-free but be sure to use gluten-free certified oats if needed. Do not use steel cut oats.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the chickpeas. You can either mash them in a bowl with a fork or pulse them a few times in a food processor.
You just want to break them down a bit and create texture, not pulverize them or turn them into a paste.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. I’d suggest doing this in a bowl and using your hands, though you can use a food processor if you like.
Just be sure you don’t over mix it. It should have some texture to it and not be totally smooth.
Step 3: Form 6-8 patties using your hands. You can do 6 large burgers, stretch it to 8 smaller patties or even make 12-16 slider or nugget-sized patties.
Step 4: Cook the patties on a BBQ or grill, in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop.
- Pan-Frying: Heat oil or use a little cooking spray in a large skillet or cast-iron pan. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes per side until browned and firm.
- Oven Baked: Preheat oven to 400 F then cook the patties for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- BBQ/Grill: Heat the BBQ then cook the patties for 10-15 minutes, flipping occasionally until browned and crispy.
Serving
- Low-Carb Option: Wrap in lettuce with mustard, onion, tomato and any other burger toppings you enjoy.
- Classic Burger: Stack on a toasted bun and top with ketchup, mustard, onion, lettuce, tomato and any other burger toppings you enjoy.
- Try quick pickled red onion or roasted red peppers for toppings.
- Wraps: Try a patty in a wrap with spinach, avocado and any sauce you enjoy.
- Appetizer Option: For a party appetizer, use the mixture to make nugget-sized patties and serve with honey mustard, sweet chili sauce or plum sauce for dipping. This also works to make sliders.
- This homemade cashew spicy mayo, vegan tzatziki, cheese sauce or chipotle sauce make a yummy sauce for your burger.
- Burgers are always delicious served with a side of fries!
FAQs
The peanut butter acts as a binding agent and adds moisture and flavour. If you can’t use peanut butter, you can substitute it with almond butter to make the recipe peanut-free.
If you have a nut-allergy, use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead for a nut-free recipe.
You can but quick oats are used because they’re finer than rolled oats so they absorb more moisture and help with binding the burgers.
If you’re using rolled oats or old fashioned oats you can either pulse them in a food processor a few times to break them down before use, or let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes before forming the patties to allow the oats to absorb moisture.
You can but I prefer the texture with oil. If you omit it consider adding an addition tablespoon of nut or seed butter to account for the moisture.
Some readers have used aquafaba (chickpea cooking liquid) to replace the oil, so that’s an option as well.
Making Ahead & Storing
- Fridge: Cooked patties can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Cooked patties can be frozen in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw briefly at room temperature or in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat your burgers in a pan or in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 350 F until heated through. They can be reheated in the microwave but get a bit soggy. You can also enjoy them cold.
- Make in Advance: Raw patties can be prepared 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge in a sealed container or covered on a plate until you’re ready to cook them.
More Recipes to Try!
Hand-Held
Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps
Hand-Held
Mushroom Veggie Burger
Hand-Held
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
Chickpea Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 19 oz can chickpeas, drained, well-rinsed and mashed, 2 cups
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced, 50 g, approx. 1/3 cup
- 1 small zucchini, grated, 100 g, approx. 1 cup lightly packed
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro, 15 g
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 45 mL
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce, 15 mL
- 2 tbsp peanut butter, 30 g
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup quick oats, 100 g
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 30 ml
Instructions
- After draining and rinsing the chickpeas, place them in a bowl and mash them with a fork or pulse a few times with an immersion blender.
- Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and use your hands to mix very well.
- Use your hands to shape the mixture into into 6-8 patties.
- Cook on the BBQ at 400 F for approximately 10 minutes per side or heat 1-2 tsp oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat and cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side until browned and firm. The patties can also be oven-baked at 400 F for 20-30 minutes, flipping half-way through.
- Serve on a toasted bun with your favourite burger toppings like lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup and mustard.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published May 23, 2013.
I have a farm and many of customers to do eat meat sometimes I leave with produce so said what ca be done with this. I tried the burger one week and it was a hit. I add more vegetables and it does affect the recipe. This burger does not breakup but I still add flax egg.
That’s great! Glad everyone liked them! 🙂
These have to be the best EVER veggie/vegan burgers …. a hit with all the family and friends meat eaters included. Love them x
Awesome, Vicky!! So glad you guys liked them.
My boyfriend and I made these the other day and we’re totally obsessed with how delicious they were. I’m a true convert and would never be able to eat frozen patties the same way again! Thanks for the recipe.
Yay, so happy to hear that!! So glad you guys enjoyed them.
BEST BURGER EVER! Wow! So glad I found this recipe. My 10 yo vegan son is hooked on these and proclaimed it the best vegan burger he’s ever had. Ate them rolled in a sundried tomato wrap for dinner then asked for it again next morning for breakfast! And why not? They’re so incredibly healthy. Thank you so much for sharing this!
You are so welcome, Jaclyn. Thank you for that beautiful comment! So happy you guys enjoyed it.
This is hands down my favorite veggie burger. So quick and easy, and the flavors are great. It’s rare for me to not tweak a reciope, but this one is perfect as is.
Hi Deryn – We love your recipes. When I first saw peanut butter, I was a little skeptical. I did not have a zucchini, so I used a 1/2 cup of grated carrot and 1/2 cup of mushrooms finely chopped. I also didn’t have any cilantro and wanted something green, plus I like heat so I added a jalapeño. I sautéed the onion, mushrooms and jalapeño for a few minutes prior to mixing. I also added a chia egg because of the extra ingredients I introduced, I wanted to make sure it held together. I have to say the combo of the peanut butter and the sriracha were excellent. I have made many different veggie burger recipes, but this one is a keeper.
That’s awesome, Doug. Love your subs and the sautéing first for extra flavour! So happy you enjoyed them.
I guess my actual question is – how long will this mixture stay fresh in the fridge? Hah.
Could you make the mixture and keep that in the fridge and then form patties/grill the burgers as needed over the next 2-3 Days? So they are fresh and hot and not frozen? TIA!
Yes, I think that would be just fine. I wouldn’t go any longer than 3 days though. I would probably form the patties first then store them in the fridge to cook as needed. Thanks. 🙂
Great thank you so much!
You’re welcome. Enjoy!
Your recipe looks delish. What can I substitute in place of the zucchini?
I don’t really have a good sub for zucchini in this recipe and I haven’t tried anything else. Grated carrot would probably be the closest thing though. Hope you enjoy!
I have subbed carrot and works beautifully. I also leave out the oil. This is the best vegan recipe for patties I have ever found. They are so easy to cook and so delicious hot or cold.
Thank you so much for adding your feedback!! Really appreciate it. I’ve made them without oil too..I should add that to the notes 🙂 Thanks again 🙂
Have you tried freezing them raw?
I haven’t tried but I think that would be ok! I know lots of people have froze them cooked with success though.