Veggie Chickpea Patties

These easy and quick veggie chickpea patties are amazing for burgers or served as finger food or appetizers with a side sauce. Make them ahead and use in sandwiches for healthy lunches. So versatile! Their flavor is amazing and they are made completely egg-free, dairy-free and easy to make gluten-free.

These veggie chickpea patties have been a huge success in our house. They are inspired by my vegan chickpea burgers, but the recipe is a little simpler and perfect for quick meals.

We enjoy veggie patties of all kinds, from classic vegan zucchini fritters to herbed hash browns to high-protein veggie tofu bites, they make for great finger food that kids and grown-ups love!

These chickpea patties are egg-free, dairy-free (no cheese) and ridiculously easy to make, they can be made ahead of time during the weekend and quickly reheated for weeknight dinners or lunches. Packed with nutrient-dense carrots + canned chickpeas and simply flavored with onion, garlic and spices. You probably already have everything you need to make them!

Hope you give this recipe a try! 🧡

❤️ What's to love about this recipe

• Simple recipe that's really easy to make.
• Healthy, high-in-fiber and filled with plant-based protein.
• Easy to customize! Make burger patties, croquette size patties or turn them into mini patties that are easier to grab for tiny hands.
• Tasty savory flavor that can easily be personalized with your favorite spices.
• Deliciously tender in the middle and surrounded with crispy edges.
• Vegan and easy-to-make gluten-free.
• Great for dinner, lunch, appetizer or a quick filling snack!

🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)

• Canned chickpeas: you can use homemade cooked chickpeas if you prefer. In that case, use about 1 + ¾ cups of cooked chickpeas to make this recipe.
• Onion: I tried both yellow and red onion and they both work well, although we preferred the more pronounced flavor from the regular yellow onion. Feel free to use shallots instead or even a generous handful of chopped chives would do it.
• Carrots: for flavor, but also add valuable nutrients and a nice color.
• Breadcrumbs: I used regular fine breadcrumbs or feel free to use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. I haven't tried using flour or panko breadcrumbs yet, but it might work too!
• Garlic: fresh garlic is best or use about ¼-1/2 teaspoon of dry garlic powder.
• Nutritional yeast: deepens the flavor and also contributes to the final texture.
• Spices: I used dried basil, oregano and paprika. BUT, there is so much room for customization, so use your favorite spices such as smoked paprika, dried parsley, curry powder or chili powder.

⭐️ Full list of ingredients (+ quantities) down below in the recipe card!

🍽 How to make vegan chickpea patties

Step 1: Add all ingredients (except for the water) in a food processor and process until MOSTLY combined. Then, use a spatula to stir in the food processor and process/pulse once more.

Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons of water and pulse a few more times. Check on the texture by pressing the mixture in between your fingers to see if it holds well together. If it needs more moisture, then add one extra tablespoon and pulse again. Repeat until desired consistency. I usually add a total of 4 tablespoons of water.

Step 3: Shape the mixture into 6-7 patties or 4 larger ones for serving as burgers (aim for a thickness of about ¾ inch).

Step 4: Warm up a large non-stick pan with a little oil, then cook the patties on medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side. Just check by lifting them after a few minutes to see if they are browned enough before flipping. This should take about 10 minutes. You might have to cook them in batches!

⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!

💡 Helpful tips

• Even though the food processor will crush the ingredients nicely, I still prefer to roughly chop the produce first by hand. This will help measure what you need, but also, you won't have to process as much to crush the ingredients which will result in patties with a better texture.
• Make sure to drain well the chickpeas before transferring to the food processor. It is important not to add too much water initially so they are not too soft at the end, plus, you will want to add water a few tablespoons at a time to better control the stickiness of the patties.

🍴 Serving suggestions

These can be served as chickpea fritters topped with a vegan yogurt sauce such as this homemade dairy-free tzatziki. Also would be great topped with a green goddess dressing, especially if you have extra fresh herbs from the garden. You can also use them just the same way you use falafel (try them in this falafel buddha bowl!)

To make burgers using this recipe, then simply make 4 larger patties and layer them with your favorite burger fixings such as vegan cashew mayo, ketchup, sliced onion, lettuce, etc.

As seen in the pictures, my favorite way to serve them actually is alongside a hearty marinara sauce. The patties have a great Italian flavor, which goes well with a tomato-based sauce. You can also serve them with tomato Pomodoro penne pasta for a fun Italian meal that's more filling!

❗️ Storing tips

These are great for meal prep! Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You could even make the mixture ahead, shape it in patties, store them uncooked (and well-covered so they don't dry out) and simply pan-fry when ready to eat.

You can also make more and freeze the extra. Simply thaw them in the fridge overnight or for 1-2 hours at room temperature before reheating them.

Reheat using the stove for a crispier result, but we also reheated them using the microwave in a pinch and it worked out well.

❓ FAQs