Vegan Chickpea and Oat Burgers

These vegan chickpea and oat burgers are unbelievably tasty with such an amazing texture. They are so easy to prepare and make for a perfect plant-based dinner that's super filling and satisfying. And you won't miss the meat at all!

Oh hello there, a-ma-zing chickpea burgers.

I am so very excited to introduce you to your new favorite-to-be veggie burger recipe. Tender, savory, extra flavorful, healthy and that does-not-fall-apart veggie burger.

In the summer, I feel like we eat both veggie burgers and veggie sushi at least once a week. I'll definitively make my own sushi, but will usually keep some store-bought no-meat patties in the freezer for these quick dinners when I just don't feel like cooking.

The problem is that even the healthiest store-bought veggie burger patties I can find are packed with way too much sodium.

And don't you feel like homemade plant-based burgers always end up either too dry or a big messy falling apart chaos in your plate? I get so annoyed when this happens. Well, no disastrous burgers in here.

The combination of crushed chickpeas with rolled oats and shredded zucchini acts like glue that stays moist to create a super tender, yet crispy on the outside, delicious patty. Plus a little soy sauce with garlic and nutritional yeast for flavor and whoa, these burgers will be a hit!

So, with only a minimum hands-on prep time, you can make these whole foods vegan burger patties that are protein-rich, fiber-rich and filled with nutrients. They can be prepped ahead of time too, so you just have to reheat when it's time to eat.

Easy veggie burger patties that hold well

You will have to crush the chickpeas in the food processor and combine them with the rest of the ingredients in the same bowl.

But then the trick is to let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes. This will allow the rolled oats to soak up some of the water or moisture to soften and also create a sticky effect that will help the ingredients hold well together. They won't fall apart when cooking or when eating. Don't skip that step!

Also, once the patties are golden brown in the pan, you will add a small amount of veggie broth (or water) to the pan. This will soften the patties a little more and avoid ending up with dry-ish burgers that crumble and fall apart when eating.

Ingredients you'll need and variations to the recipe

• Canned chickpeas: (psst... keep the juice from the can to make a bagatelle!)
• Rolled oats: the thicker old-fashioned kind works better than quick-cooking oats.
• Flour: I used white whole wheat flour from king Arthur, but any kind will work. Choose a gluten-free flour if needed.
• Zucchini: shredded zucchini add volume, moisture and texture to the veggie patties.
• Chia seeds: combining chia seeds with a little water creates a gel that closely mimics the binding effect from eggs.
• Sunflower seeds: they add such a nice crunch! You can swap for pumpkin seeds too.
• For flavor: Soy sauce (tamari for a gluten-free recipe), nutritional yeast, garlic and fresh cilantro (can also use fresh parsley).

You can vary the flavor profile of these burgers by adding more spices like ground cumin, chili powder, paprika or dried herbs.

How to make the easiest vegan chickpea and oat burgers

• First, add the canned chickpeas and garlic clove to a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Then transfer to a medium size bowl.

• To the crushed chickpeas, add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. I like using my hands to squeeze the mixture and make sure everything is as uniform as possible. Then, let the mixture rest for 20-30 minutes. The texture will become smoother with a nice sticky consistency.

• Then, form the patties using your hands. I like to make 7 patties, but 6 to 8 patties will work. You could even make up to 12 smaller patties if you want to serve them to top salads or buddha bowls.

• Then, roast the patties in a large pan. I like to use a small amount of oil that I spread using a brush, so it keeps the added oil to a very minimum. It will help brown the patties. Roast for about 5-7 minutes on each side on medium-high heat.

• When both sides are nicely golden brown, then finish up by adding an extra ¼ cup of water or veggie broth to the pan. The liquid will evaporate and be absorbed quickly, so just flip the patties once or twice while there is liquid to ensure both sides are in contact with some of it. The patties should be done once there is no liquid anymore.

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Watch how to make them

Tips when making these vegan chickpea and oat burgers

• Don't press with a spatula on the patties when cooking them to make sure they don't break up.
• The patties might shrink a tiny bit while cooking, so make sure to shape them at least the size of your bun before cooking.
• Do not skip on letting the mixture rest before forming your patties! This allows the oats to do its magic binding effect.

Serving suggestions

Classic American-style burgers are great with these veggie patties. Serve with roasted potatoes or on a hot day, they are amazing with a watermelon feta salad or a green salad.

They also make amazing buddha bowl toppings. Simply make the patties smaller while aiming for the same thickness (so they cook the same). They also make for great salad garnishes to boost the protein content of your meal.

Also, fill pita bread using these plant-based chickpea patties and top with kalamata olives and vegan tzatziki, harissa dressing or hummus for a fun Mediterranean twist.

Burgers toppings

As featured in the pictures, I like to serve them with pickled onions, tomatoes, lettuce and a quick mayo sauce. I make the mayo sauce by combining vegan mayo + ketchup + chopped dill pickles + dried dill weeds.

These burgers also go great with caramelized mushrooms and onions!

If you love smoky flavor, then be sure to add some smoked paprika or chipotle powder to the patty mixture and top with a chipotle mayo sauce.

Other great ideas include: sliced pickles, avocados or vegan avocado crema, roasted red pepper and sliced cucumber or jalapeño.

How to make these vegan chickpea and oat burgers gluten-free

To make this recipe gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free tamari sauce and use a 1:1 gluten-free flour. Also, make sure to use rolled oats that are certified gluten-free (and the obvious gluten-free bun, too).

Storage

Store any leftover cooked patties in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. Reheat them in the microwave or even better, roast for a few minutes in a pan or until warmed up so they get crispier.

You can also store the uncooked patties in the fridge until ready to eat and cook them just the same way (they will dry up a bit, so be sure to add the extra ¼ cup of water/veggie broth after they are golden brown). Perfect for meal prep!

Other chickpea recipes you might like

• Broccoli hummus
• Chickpea and vegetables curry stew
• Falafel buddha bowl
• Vegan chickpea gyros
• Orange quinoa salad with chickpeas
• Creamy dill chickpea salad
• Vegan tray bake
• Chickpea patties
• Sautéed chickpeas
• Mediterranean chickpea quinoa bowl
• Vegan buffalo chickpea quesadilla
• Chocolate covered chickpeas

Other sandwich recipes you might like

• Vegan Buffalo 'Chicken' Sandwich
• Vegan beet and carrot pickle sandwich
• Marinated smoky tofu sandwich
• Vegan jackfruit burger patties
• Chickpea avocado sandwich
• Tofu scramble breakfast sandwich
• Balsamic marinated tofu wraps
• Oyster mushroom burgers

I hope you enjoy these vegan chickpea burgers as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

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*THANKS TO MY SISTER SONIA WHO HELPED DEVELOP AND TEST THIS RECIPE*

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