Hearty Veggie Burger Flavor (Printable)

A flavorful burger featuring a plant-based patty with chickpeas, veggies, and spices for a hearty meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Veggie Patties

01 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 medium carrot, grated
03 - 1 small zucchini, grated and excess water squeezed out
04 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1 egg or 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 tbsp water (for vegan option)
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)

→ Assembling

14 - 4 whole wheat burger buns
15 - 4 lettuce leaves
16 - 1 large tomato, sliced
17 - 4 slices cheddar cheese or vegan cheese
18 - 1 red onion, sliced into rings
19 - 4 tbsp mayonnaise or vegan mayo
20 - 2 tbsp ketchup
21 - 2 tbsp yellow mustard
22 - 8 to 12 pickle slices

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, mash chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth while retaining some texture.
02 - Add grated carrot, grated zucchini, red onion, garlic, rolled oats, parsley, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the mashed chickpeas and mix thoroughly.
03 - Incorporate the egg or flaxseed mixture and stir well. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so oats can absorb moisture.
04 - Shape the mixture into four evenly sized patties using your hands.
05 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook each patty 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and heated through.
06 - While patties cook, lightly toast the burger buns to enhance texture.
07 - Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun. Layer with lettuce, cooked patty, cheese, tomato slices, onion rings, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Finish with the top bun half.
08 - Serve burgers immediately to enjoy optimal flavor and texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The patties hold together beautifully and actually taste savory and complex, not like a desperate attempt to replace meat.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under 45 minutes, and most of that is just chopping.
  • Once you taste how good they are, you'll stop thinking of them as the vegetarian option and start making them just because.
02 -
  • Squeeze every drop of water from that grated zucchini or your patties will be dense and wet—I learned this the hard way on attempt number three.
  • The rest-and-absorb step is real; those 5 minutes of waiting let the oats soak up moisture so your patties hold together instead of crumbling the moment you flip them.
03 -
  • Shape your patties slightly thicker than you think necessary—they shrink a bit as they cook, and a thicker patty is easier to flip without it breaking apart.
  • If you want to meal-prep, shape the patties and freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for up to three months; cook from frozen, just add a couple of extra minutes per side.
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