Try Zesty Chickpea Burgers For a Flavorful Vegetarian Dinner

These Zesty Chickpea Burgers are a delicious vegetarian (or vegan) alternative to traditional beef burgers.

If you want to make these vegan instead of vegetarian you need to swap out the egg for something that will hold the other ingredients together. Since we are using chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), I thought aquafaba was the perfect choice.

What is aquafaba? Bean water. I have no idea who the genius was that discovered this, but that liquid you drain off of the canned garbanzo beans can be used as a substitute for eggs in baking and as a binding agent. For binding you need to whip it a little until frothy first, or so I have read. I did not experiment so maybe you don't actually need this step, but I wasn't chancing it.

[click_to_tweet tweet="These Zesty Chickpea Burgers are a spicy meatless alternative to traditional beef burgers. Quick and easy vegetarian meal perfect for weeknights or weekend cookouts. #vegan #vegetarian #weeknightmeal " quote="These Zesty Chickpea Burgers are a spicy meatless alternative to traditional beef burgers. Quick and easy vegetarian meal perfect for weeknights or weekend cookouts. " theme="style2"]

Zesty Chickpea Burgers

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

 

• 16 ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed (reserve liquid for vegan preparation))
• ½ cup pecans
• 3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 1 large egg (or 2 tablespoons frothy aquafaba for vegan)
• 1 clove garlic (large)
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• ½ cup green onion (chopped)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 5-6 dashes hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco, Frank's, Crystal) (more or less to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

Instructions

 

• Toast pecans in a cast iron skillet heated to medium until just beginning to turn brown, 2-3 minutes. WATCH CAREFULLY and do not let them burn - blech!
• In a blender or food processor combine pecans, cooked chickpeas, 3 tablespoons oil, egg, and minced garlic.
• Transfer to a bowl, and then stir in the bread crumbs, chopped onions and cilantro, lemon zest Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. 
• Form mixture into four (or six) burger patties.
• Brush remaining oil on both sides of each burger patty.
• Cook the patties in the cast iron skillet over medium high heat until toasty and heated through out, about 3 minutes a side.
• Serve on buns with your favorite burger toppings.

Notes

VEGAN preparation: Reserve the liquid from the beans and whip it in a small bowl until frothy but not whipped and use instead of the egg as a binder. 

PLEASE LINK UP TO THREE FOOD POSTS TO THE TASTY TUESDAYS' LINKY PARTY!

• PLEASE follow the hosts of this party through one of their social media listed below. They will visit your post and pin it. Just pick one (or more) of the options below and please follow them.

**Tammy from Creative K Kids (Blog)**
Pinterest/Facebook/Google+/Twitter/Instagram

**Audrey from That Recipe (Blog)**
Pinterest/Facebook/Google+/Twitter/Instagram

**Lisa from Blogghetti (Blog)**
Pinterest/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram

• Please link up to three food-related posts that have never been linked up here before. Posts containing alcohol also will not be pinned.
• Place this button or a link to this post somewhere on your site--either on the actual post or on your sidebar or on your party page.

<div align="center"><a href="https://creativekkids.com/category/tasty-tuesdays/" title="Creative K Kids"><img src="https://creativekkids.com/tasty tuesdays.jpg" alt="Creative K Kids" /></a></div>

• As a thank-you for linking up, we will pin your recipe to the Tasty Tuesdays at Creative K Kids Pinterest board. Please follow the board to see all the great food recipes!
• Creative K Kids is not responsible for stolen images or the mis-use by others who have found your image through CreativeKKids.com.
• By linking up, you agree to let any of the hosts or co-hosts use your pictures and links if they decide to feature your post. Your photo may also be used for promotion on any of their social media outlets.
• If you would like to receive an email reminding you to link up to this party, please click HERE and add your email address to the list! I will only send you an email about linking up to this party.