Chickpea Veggie Burgers

These veggie burgers are super tasty and a great source of plant-based protein. Any type of beans should work in place of chickpeas if preferred and the seasonings can easily be tweaked to your preference. This recipe makes about 8 burgers. We like to double the recipe when we make it and freeze half the burgers for easy dinners. We usually bake the burgers, but you can also fry them up in a little oil.


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 14 - 19 oz

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)

1 tsp vinegar

1-2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup rolled oats

optional:
1/2 tsp each - turmeric, paprika, thyme, oregano

1 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill or basil)


METHOD:

1 - Add carrots, bell pepper and garlic to food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2 - Strain chickpeas and rinse well with cold water. Optional: reserve brine to use as an egg substitute (aquafaba), or to make homemade vegan mayo.

3 - Add chickpeas to food processor. Add everything else except the oats. Pulse until well combined, scraping down sides as necessary.

4 - Transfer mixture to a bowl. Stir in the oats. Cover and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.

5 - If baking - heat oven to 400° F. Using your hands, form burger patties and place on parchment lined baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping burgers half way through. If frying - fry in a little coconut oil on medium heat until both sides are done to your liking. Add sliced vegan cheese for the last few minutes to melt. Serve on buns with condiments.

*If prepping burgers for freezer, separate burgers with a piece of parchment and seal in a freezer bag.

Makes: 8 burgers

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Store leftovers: Fridge - Airtight container or wrapped to seal

Lasts: 4 - 6 days in fridge, up to 1 month in freezer