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Closeup of Chickpea Burger with lettuce, tomato and onion rings between two buns.
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BBQ Chickpea Veggie Burgers Recipe

A flavorful veggie burger recipe that can be grilled or pan fried. Delicious, texture rich and with that BBQ flavor we all crave! Pile all your favorite toppings on, we're making vegetarian and vegan chickpea burgers y'all!
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See recipe notes below if making gluten free burgers.
This recipe makes 6, 1/2 C (133g) patties or for smaller portions, 9, 1/3 C (85g) patties.
*Note that there is some overlap with prep and cook time, so the hands on recipe time is about 45 minutes.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Chickpea Burgers, Chickpea Veggie Burger recipe, Vegan Chickpea Burgers
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Rest time 1 hour
Servings 6 , 1/2 C (133g) Patties
Calories 309kcal
Author Traci York

Ingredients

For the Patties:

  • 1 C (110g) Walnuts
  • 1 tsp Vegetable Oil like olive oil
  • 1/2 C (60g) Red Onion small dice
  • 3 C (265g) Cauliflower Florets in medium chunks, about 1/2 a medium head to yield about 2 C 'riced' cauliflower
  • 2 C (439g) Cooked Chickpeas one can, drained, rinsed & patted dry
  • 3/4 C (75g) Rolled Oats
  • 1/4 C (30g) Chickpea Flour aka Garbanzo Bean Flour (or sub whole wheat flour)*
  • 2 Tbs each, Prepared Yellow Mustard and Ketchup
  • 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
  • 2 tsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3 tsp Smoky Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Granules or garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • A few shakes of Tabasco optional
  • Vegetable Oil for frying or grilling, I like olive or coconut

Share With (optional):

Instructions

To Make the Patties:

  • In a medium saute pan, add the walnuts and toast on medium-low for about 6-7 minutes until toasty and fragrant, tossing occasionally so that they toast evenly. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
    Wipe out the pan, and add 1 tsp vegetable oil. Once shimmering, saute the onions on medium-low for about 5-6 minutes, or until just soft. Transfer the onions to the bowl with the walnuts. Set aside.
  • To the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the S blade, add the cauliflower chunks and pulse until it looks like short grain rice - or in small bits like couscous (don't over process as it can turn mushy). You'll need about 2 C (265g) 'riced' cauliflower. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • To the work bowl of the food processor, add the chickpeas, walnuts and onions. Pulse until crumbly. Some small chunks are good! Transfer to the large mixing bowl with the cauliflower.
  • To the work bowl of the food processor, add the oats, chickpea flour, mustard, ketchup, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic, salt and Tabasco if using. Process until a the mixture is thick, crumbly and a bit pasty. Transfer to the large mixing bowl with all the other ingredients.
  • Using your hands, mix thoroughly squeezing and pushing the mixture together. Be patient here, it takes a few minutes. The mixture should hold together when squeezed in a fist.

To Portion:

  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and make room in the fridge for the pan.
    Use a 1/2 cup (133g) scoop for 6 patties OR 1/3 cup (85g) scoop for 9 patties to portion the patties. Roll each into a ball. Using the back of a metal measuring cup with a small piece of parchment under it, press each ball into a patty using gentle pressure to about 1/4"- 1/2" (.6 – 1.2 cm) thick. Place the patties on the parchment lined sheet pan and transfer to the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least one hour so the flavors can marry and to hydrate the flour/oats.
    *I've fried these patties without resting for an hour in the fridge, and they were okay, although a little more tender.
    To Freeze (optional): at this point the raw patties can be frozen. Slide the pan in the freezer for one hour then stack the patties between parchment squares and into a freezer bag for longer storage.

To Cook:

  • Preheat the oven to 200F (95C) and line a sheet-pan with parchment paper. Place the pan in the oven. This will keep the patties warm after they’re cooked.
  • In the Skillet: Add two to three Tbs of oil to a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Heat until shimmering. Add three patties. Be sure to give them plenty of room. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes on each side, adjusting the heat as needed and being careful when flipping a patty. Slide the patty on the parchment lined sheet pan in the oven. Sprinkle with sea salt. Finish cooking the remaining patties adding more oil as needed.
    OR
    On the Gas Grill: Clean grill and oil with vegetable oil (like canola or olive oil). Heat a gas grill on highest setting. Brush both sides of the veggie burger with oil and gently transfer to the grilling grates or a grill pan (use a grill pan if the grates of your grill are thin). Cook for about 5 - 6 minutes on each side, taking care when flipping the patties. Adjust heat as needed so that the burgers don't burn. Add cheese if desired just a few minutes prior to removing them from the grill or pan. Cook those final few minutes with lid on to melt the cheese.
    To keep warm, transfer the patties to the preheated oven.
  • Just before serving, brush or drizzle warm BBQ sauce on the patties. Share with your favorite condiments.

To Store:

  • After cooking the patties, store in the fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three weeks.
    When freezing the patties, freeze first on a parchment lined sheet pan. Once frozen, stack patties between parchment squares and place in a freezer bag.Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat at 400F (200C) for about 15 minutes.

Notes

*Flour: I tested both chickpea flour and whole wheat flour in this recipe. I prefer chickpea because it holds things together more effectively. The patties were a wee bit more tender with whole wheat flour. 
Gluten Free: To make these patties gluten free, use gluten free rolled oats, Worcestershire sauce and chickpea flour. 
New to Homemade Veggie Burgers? It has been my experience that homemade egg-free veggie burgers have a tenderness and squeeze-out factor. When preparing the burgers, handle them carefully after forming the patties. There will be a bit of squeeze-out when biting into the burger. I usually end up with a fork in my hand to finish off a veggie burger. To me, these are acceptable characteristics of homemade veggie burgers.
Recipe adapted from my Grillable Black Bean Burgers. Hero shots inspired by People Magazine. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1, 1/2 C patty | Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg