These easy-to-make vegan chickpea patties have the flavors of the Mediterranean. Moist vegan chickpea burgers are seasoned with fresh parsley, and spices, served on top of a whole wheat bun, with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and a creamy vegan dill sauce!
I grew up with the flavors of the Mediterranean. So it’s no surprise that I try to incorporate them any chance I get into my healthy recipes!
The other night I was lacking dinner inspiration and motivation. I didn’t have a ton of ingredients in the refrigerator. We were due for a trip to stock up on fresh foods.
That’s when I decided to make my own Mediterranean-inspired meal using a handful of ingredients I had on hand! I love it when I can use pantry ingredients to create super easy recipes! I’m so glad I did, because these chickpea patties, might be my new favorite go-to dinner!
They have fantastic flavor and texture. The creamy vegan dill dressing really gives it a nice amount of moisture. Now, they are one of my most popular recipes with my family! They make for an easy meal prep dinner too!
😋 Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients
- High in plant protein
- Easy to make
- Doesn’t take much time to put together
- Full of Mediterranean flavors
- A delicious vegan burger recipe for anytime of year
🍔 Ingredients and Notes
For the Chickpea Patties
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): You’ll need one 15 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed.
Spices: Oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and 2 cloves of garlic. These spices help create that Mediterranean flavor.
Red onion: Chopped finely. Adds texture and flavor.
Flat Leaf Parsley: Finely chopped. Brings a fresh herbal element to the burgers.
Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs: The breadcrumbs help to bind the ingredients together. I opt for whole wheat to increase the fiber and nutritional value. If you are gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free breadcrumb.
Tahini Sauce: Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini is a thick sauce that is used often in Mediterranean recipes. It helps bind the chickpea patties together without the need for an egg. This makes these burgers vegan and plant-based. It also adds a nice toasty flavor!
Creamy Dill Sauce:
You can make or use a vegan tzatziki sauce, or create a simple dill sauce with dairy-free plain yogurt, chopped dill, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and a touch of fresh lemon juice.
📋 Instructions
Step 1: Place the chickpeas, oregano, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and tahini in a food processor. Blend until the chickpea mixture is chunky. Don’t over blend. You can also use a potato masher to combine chickpeas and spices. Add more salt or pepper to taste.
Step 2: Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in the chopped red onion, chopped parsley, and breadcrumbs.
Step 3: Form into 4 patties, about 3-4 inches wide, and ½ an inch thick.
Step 4: Warm a large pan on medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Place patties in the pan. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown on each side. If you want to keep this oil-free use a large non-stick skillet.
Step 5: To make the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine the dairy-free yogurt, chopped dill, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk together with a fork until combined.
Step 6: Serve on whole wheat buns topped with creamy dill sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Enjoy!
❓ Recipe FAQS
Yes, you can! Wrap each patty individually in saran wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag. Make sure all air has been pushed out of the bag before sealing. Label the bag with the contents and date. Place in the freezer for 2-3 months.
When ready to defrost, remove from the freezer. Transfer to the refrigerator to defrost overnight.
Then heat in the oven at 350 F. for 10 minutes, flipping the vegan chickpea burgers halfway through at the 5-minute mark.
Instead of using whole wheat panko breadcrumbs, use gluten-free breadcrumbs, or ⅓ cup of almond flour. You will also need to use a gluten-free bun, or enjoy a lettuce wrap.
Serve with a small side salad, roasted vegetables, or potato wedges. Add a tablespoon of the dill sauce.
💭 Expert Tips
- Don’t over blend or mash the chickpeas. It’s nice to have a bit of texture.
- Finely chop the onions and parsley before adding to the burgers. This evens out the flavors and textures, so that you don’t get a big bite of onion.
- Use cooking spray or a little bit of olive oil in the pan. If you want to keep this recipe completely oil free, use a non-stick frying pan.
- Be sure the burgers are golden brown on each side. Depending on the heat of your pan this could take more or less time. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.
- I prefer preheating my oven to 350 F, and toasting my buns on a baking sheet while the burgers are cooking on the stove.
🍅 Favorite Toppings for Vegan Burgers
- Crisp Lettuce
- Juicy Tomato
- Red Onion
- Vegan Cheese (instead of dill dressing)
- Slices of red pepper
📖 Substitutions and Variations
No Dill Sauce-If you don’t like dill sauce, or can’t find fresh dill, you can substitute chopped cucumber and use parsley in place of the dill. Or serve with vegan mayo or your favorite mustard.
No Red Onion: You can also use green onion or white onion. Or if you don’t like onion at all, feel free to leave it out.
❄️ Storage
Store: Wrap the burgers in saran wrap, or place them in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
Keep: They will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Reheat: When ready to reheat, remove from plastic, or glass container. Place on a plate, cover with a paper towel, and heat for 30-45 seconds. Or place back in a frying pan, and warm for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until heated through.
🥘 More Weeknight Dinners!
Recipe
Chickpea Patties (Vegan Chickpea Burgers)
Ingredients
Creamy Dill Sauce
- ½ cup dairy-free plain yogurt
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice optional
For Serving
- 6 whole wheat buns
- 6 leaves lettuce
- 6 slices tomato
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas, oregano, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and tahini in a food processor. Blend until chickpeas are chunky. Don't over blend. You can also use a potato masher to combine the chickpeas and spices.
- Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in the chopped red onion, chopped parsley and breadcrumbs.
- Form into patties, about about 3-4 inches wide, and ½ an inch thick.
- Heat a large pan on medium/high. Spray with cooking spray. Place patties in the pan. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown on each side.
Creamy Dill Sauce
- To make the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine the dairy-free yogurt, chopped dill, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk together with a fork until combined.
Serving Instructions
- Serve on whole wheat buns topped with creamy dill sauce sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t over blend or mash the chickpeas.
- Use cooking spray or a little bit of olive oil in the pan. If you want to keep this recipe completely oil free, use a non-stick frying pan.
- Keep an eye on the burgers when cooking so that they don’t burn.
- Toast your buns in the oven while the burgers are cooking.
- Will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Eliza
I made these today for my partner and in-laws and we all loved them! Really flavoursome and my mum in law loved the dill sauce, even though she doesn’t usually like dill! I’d definitely make these again. My mix was a bit crumbly so I added a flax seed “egg” to bind it and that worked a treat. Thank you!
Alison Corey
Thanks for the tip about the flax seed egg! That’s a great way to add more moisture and help them burgers bind together.
Tammy Perkins
OMG! I just made these and they’re are amazing! The dill sauce is delicious. I had to add an additional tablespoon of tahini to hold the patties together but everything else is spot on. Thank you for this recipe!
Eliza Cross
Wow, these chickpea burgers look so fresh and delicious. The creamy dill sauce sounds yummy, too. Can’t wait to make this for my family. Thank you!
Biana
Yum! I love trying different vegan burgers, and I love chickpeas. These burgers look so delicious, a perfect weeknight dinner!
Angela
The perfect combo of flavors! These chickpea burgers are perfection. Love the dill sauce, makes it extra special. Yum!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Chickpeas are one of my favourite ingredients as they are SO versatile and these burgers sound delicious! I love the sound of the dill sauce!
Kristina Tipps
These are so good! They are my go to burgers for my 2 year old because she loves chickpeas and won’t eat burgers with meat.