Chickpea Burgers

My favorite 20-minute vegan dinner that requires minimal dishes, easy clean-up, and is totally kid-approved! My chickpea burgers come together with a can of chickpeas, store-bought broccoli slaw, oats, peanut butter, and some pantry items for flavoring.

If I lost you at 'peanut butter,' please, let me gain your confidence back in this recipe. I make this recipe at least twice a month for dinner. It's so easy to throw all ingredients together in the food processor, and then sauté in the pan. My kids love them plain, and the flavor combination is so good! Plus, they're naturally gluten-free!

It may sound strange to you to combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and broccoli, but if you think about a Thai peanut sauce, you'll see that savory peanut butter loves acidic ingredients. Also, most Thai curry bowls with this peanut sauce usually have broccoli, so we're really not that far off! If you're wise and already love peanut butter as a savory meal flavoring, make my Chickpea Bowls with Peanut Sauce next.

The Ingredients

Commit these pantry staples to your house, and you can make these flavorful patties anytime you need them. They're a great thing to make for gluten-free people, since they rely on oats instead of flour. If you're having vegan guests, they will love these flavorful vegan chickpea burgers, too!

If you're looking for a chicken sandwich, not a chickpea sandwich, you have to try this best fried chicken sandwich recipe for me.

• Rolled Oats. We're looking for regular old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick or instant oats.
• Chickpeas. One can of chickpeas that has been drained and rinsed, or 1 ¾ cup of my instant pot chickpeas.
• Soy Sauce. I always cook with low sodium soy sauce, but any type is fine. If you're strictly gluten-free, use tamari sauce instead.
• Lime Juice. While I always says freshly squeezed lime juice is better, please know that I keep a bottle of lime juice in the fridge just for this recipe. The lime juice brightens up the peanut butter and brings so much acidity and flavor to this recipe.
• Ginger. If fresh ginger isn't a staple ingredient for you, let me help with that. Buy a 'hand' of ginger, break it into finger-shapes, and then use the back of a spoon to peel it. Place this in a freezer-safe bag or jar, and you will have fresh ginger ready to go, anytime you need them! Use a microplane to zest or grate the ginger when you need it!
• Peanut Butter. Yes, really, we're adding peanut butter to chickpea burgers with oats! Trust me, it just works, and is reminiscent of Thai peanut sauce! Use a no-stir peanut butter, but preferably a 'natural' one that doesn't have too much added sugar.
• Cilantro. Entirely optional, but if you love cilantro, it's great here! You can always use fresh parsley if you have strong feelings about cilantro.
• Broccoli Slaw. Bagged broccoli slaw typically comes with carrot and red cabbage pieces. You can find this in the bagged salad mix section of your grocery store. I use part of the bag for this recipe, and then I save the rest for hiding in meatballs for my kids or serving with a tangy creamy dressing as a side salad.
• Oil. Any neutral oil that you use for sautéing is fine here: olive oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil or even avocado oil.
• Burger Toppings: buns (use gluten-free if you're cooking for gluten-free people), vegan mayonnaise, sliced tomatoes, red onion and lettuce leaves.

How to Make Chickpea Burgers

These vegan bean burgers come together by plopping everything in the food processor, blending, and then shaping into patties. They should have a quick rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes before frying to help them hold their shape while cooking.

I love to serve these burgers with plenty of vegan mayo, a crisp lettuce leaf, sliced red onion and tomatoes. They're just so hearty and satisfying!

If you're a true chickpea lover, make my Baked Falafel while you have the food processor on the counter.