Spicy Chickpea Veggie Burgers
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
A complete list of ingredients with amounts and full instructions is located in the printable recipe card below. This section covers ingredient and substitution considerations.
- 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.
Chickpea Veggie Burgers
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 burgers
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These easy to make veggie burgers are bursting with flavour and make an excellent alternative to store-bought versions. Try them on the BBQ for a delicious meal perfect for a summer afternoon.
Ingredients
- 1 19 oz can (2 cups) chickpeas, drained, well-rinsed and mashed
- 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 (15 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) Sriracha sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 g) peanut butter
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (100 g) quick oats (gluten-free if needed)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
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.
Notes
Cooked burgers can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days or frozen in a container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Leftovers can be enjoyed cold or reheated in a pan on the stovetop or in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 350 F until heated through.
Please review the post above the recipe for FAQs, tips and substitutions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
Keywords: chickpea burgers, chickpea veggie burgers, best veggie burgers
Originally published May 23, 2013.
This looks amazing! I was looking for a vegan burger to make for a guest coming this weekend. However, he is also diabetic and watches his carbs pretty strictly – to reduce the carbs do you thinks that almond flour or quinoa might sub for the oats?
Thank you!
Hmm, I’m not sure. I haven’t tried anything but oats in this recipe. You could maybe use almond flour but may have to adjust the other ingredients to get the right consistency. I’m worried they might be dry. Quinoa flakes might be a good substitute but the nutrition is very close to oats so that wouldn’t help much! Some combination of quinoa and ground flax might also work but I’d have to test it out. Let me know if you try them!
Delicious but moist and mushy in middle … I don’t measure everything so next time would squeeze the zucchini. I could smell the balsamic vinegar in the raw mix but didn’t taste it in the cooked burger. Again YUMM!
Will definitely make again
★★★★★
I just made these sans the siracha for my family and I’m happy to report they were a HUGE hit! My daughters LOVED them! Next time I’m going to double the recipe so there will be some leftover! 🙂
★★★★★
So glad to hear they were a hit!! Thanks for the review.
It didn’t hold together and didn’t have the taste or texture of a burger. I didn’t get the need for red wine vinegar and it almost ruined it for me. Sorry, but not to my liking.
★★
I made these burgers for dinner and then wondered how well they would dehydrate for camping. So I crumbled 2 burgers and dehydrated them, then rehydrated a portion with boiling water and presto! A very yummy, nutritious protein to go in my homemade backpacking meals. So I made another batch (double) and dehydrated some and froze some.
That’s so interesting! What a great idea. Thanks for that!
Far better than any vegan burger I’ve had at a restaurant!! The flavour is amazing. I left out the cilantro, sriracha, and also replaced oats with Japanese breadcrumbs. This will be in our family’s rotation from now on; it even turned my husband who usually doesn’t like chickpeas at all. My toddler enjoyed it too. Thank you for posting this recipe!!
★★★★★
Could these be made without the siracha to be kid/mother in law who can’t handle spice friendly?
Yes, you can leave it out or replace with tomato paste or ketchup. Thanks.
This is a delicious and simple recipe! And it does not crumble.
★★★★★
This is the best vegan burger I have ever tasted, restaurants included. I must have messed up the recipe because mine were very crumbly. Still a redo and even my omnivores like them!
★★★★
Nice simple recipe, rich taste, really nice consistency; not mushy at all. Halved the siracha, tripled the onion, omitted the zucchini, my wife and her niece loved them. Baked in the oven as per the recipe. Came out perfect
These are the best-tasting burgers! I substituted flat-leaf parsley for the cilantro. What a great recipe.
★★★★★
Absolutely fantastic! Really tasty, thank you Deryn
★★★★★
→ Follow this tip: Veggie burgers should always be “meaty” (in the non-meatless sense, of course), not mushy. Add things like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or vinegar for flavor, but be judicious about it; the mixture should feel moist but never soggy.
I made Deryn’s recipe and enjoyed them. Mix made FOUR bun size (which is what I wanted) veggie patties. I cooked them in the bit of oil in skillet on top of stove per recipe about 5-7 minutes each side on medium setting- electric stove. The inside of these came out a bit “mushy” texture. Hence, next time to make the mix less “wet” I would add 1/2 of the red wine vinegar and half the peanut butter called for. Very delicious ingredient combinations and flavor tastes.
Dee…I create recipes, cook and bake professionally for a vegan shop. I would NOT reduce vinegar (acidity adds sharpness ..removing it will have the burgers taste flat. (Like ketchup without vinegar)
Advising that readers reduce peanut butter reduces an important flavor component).
IF burgers are too wet for you, reduce or squeeze the moisture out of the grated zucchini instead.
★★★★★
Hello Deryn:
One of the best veggie burgers we ever had was from an outdoor vendor at Camden Market in London, England.
I made your recipe tonight and my adult daughter and I really enjoyed them. I made them straight from the recipe. I made FOUR burgers from the total mix and cooked in skillet on top of electric stove burner. So much flavor – I would use a bit less peanut butter maybe half as much or next time use Sunflower butter. We ate them with Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato on lightly toasted buns and very delicious. We will make them again for sure and share this recipe. I also hope to get the final cooked burger to be a bit less “Mushy” context on the inside next time I make them.
★★★★
Can you leave out the oil. I do not use oil.
I never had so I can’t guarantee results but I believe some readers have with success. Let me know if you try it!
Delish!! My whole family loved these. I had to use GF breadcrumbs because we had no oats and although they were a little crumbly the breadcrumbs added a little crunch which was yum.
★★★★★
Glad to hear it, Isabelle! Thanks for the review!
Delicious!
★★★★★
Can we use regular vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar?
Yep. Enjoy.
Yes, made them a lot and never add oil. If I need the moisture, I add water.
Excellent recipe! Easy to make and they came out just as was described- flavorful and delicious! I’d make these again and again!
★★★★★
So glad you loved them!
Is the peanut butter for protein or a sticky factor to hold the ingredients together? We have a nut allergy in the house. Thanks!
You can use sunflower seed butter or tahini. Thanks!