These easy vegan chickpea patties are like a quick falafel burger without the deep-frying. The patties come together quickly and easily in a food processor then you can either bake, pan-fry or air fry until golden brown and delicious.
Chickpea patties are a satisfying salad topper for a light lunch. Or can add them to pita pocket along with lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes for a fresh dinner. There's a hint of heat from Aleppo pepper and a balance of spices from cumin and coriander. These veggie patties and our Tahini Yogurt Sauce are a match made in heaven! Or try them with our Butternut Squash and Feta Salad for a hearty fall treat.
While they are not super crispy like fried falafels, they have a bit of crunch and a super creamy interior, making them perfect for a chickpea burger.
Ingredients that Matter
Most of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry, but if not you'll find them at your local grocery store:
- Chickpeas. We use two cans of garbanzo beans (preferably low or no-salt added). Reserve about ¼ cup of liquid from the can as you'll use that to make a vegan egg with flax seeds. Drain the rest of the canned chickpeas then give them a rinse.
- Flax Seeds. To keep this recipe vegan, we make a vegan egg with ground flax seeds stirred into water. But instead of using water, we use the reserved liquid from the canned garbanzo beans, called aquafaba (a protein packed liquid that you can actually whip into vegan whipped cream!). Flax seeds are also loaded with nutrients and good fats!
- Vegetables. We like to add some vegetables to our patties. One grated carrot along with some chopped red bell pepper and yellow onion give the patties a good veggie chickpea burger flavor and add lots of fiber.
- Spices. You can flavor these patties any way you'd like, but we love the combination of cumin, coriander and garlic powder. Plus, we add a bit of fruity heat from Aleppo pepper. Can't find Aleppo? Try a pinch of cayenne instead.
- Breadcrumbs. To hold the patties together, we use panko breadcrumbs. Swap in old fashioned rolled oats (or oat flour) if you want a simple gluten-free substittue. We use one cup of panko, but you may need to add a touch more if the mixture isn't holding together (simply squeeze a small amount in your hands; it should form a tight ball).
- Aromatics. One garlic clove and a big handful of fresh parsley add bright flavor to these patties.
How to Make Chickpea Patties
We let the food processor do most of the work. Note, if you don't have a food process, you can achieve similar results with a potato masher or even a fork. The goal is to combine all the ingredients into a smooth but slightly coarse mixture that holds together well when pressed into a ball.
- Start by adding two cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas to the base of a food processor.
- Pulse the chickpeas until finely chopped. Scrape down the edges of the bowl as needed. The chickpeas should not be smooth at this point.
- Add the carrot, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, flax egg, spices, salt and breadcrumbs.
- Pulse until well combined, scraping down the edges of the bowl as needed. The mixture should hold together easily when a small amount is formed into a ball. Adjust with more breadcrumbs or water as needed.
- Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon (about 3 tablespoons per portion) to portion the chickpea mixture.
- Use your hands to form the patties into discs about 3-inches wide and ½-inch thick. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least 10 minutes.
Adam's Pro Tip
Many of the ingredients are pre-chopped, grated or sliced before adding to the food processor. We do this to ensure all ingredients are evenly mixed as the blade of the food processor may not chop everything equally. We don't want to bite into a big chunk of carrot.
How to Cook Garbanzo Bean Burgers
We tested three methods for cooking these patties, and the results were quite surprising.
- The most consistent and easiest method to cook the chickpea patties is to bake them. Spray both sides of each patty with cooking spray or brush with olive oil then place on a baking sheet and bake in a 425°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. The patties will hold their shape well and while they won't be super crispy, they will have a satisfying exterior and creamy interior.
- We also tried air frying the garbanzo bean fritters, and that worked well! Preheat an air fryer to 375°F, spray both sides of the patties or brush with olive oil then air fry for 12-15 minutes (flipping halfway through cooking), until golden brown on both sides. The exterior will be quite crispy but the insides won't be quite as creamy as when baked.
- Pan frying the patties works well, too, though it tends to make a mess and if you add too much oil the patties can actually get soft. If you like the idea of a chickpea croquette or fritter, try heating a few tablespoons of oil in a medium nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Then cook for about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Note that there will be some splatter and they may feel soft. Simply let them rest at room temperature for a few minutes and they'll firm up nicely.
Substitutions
If you are looking for some simple substitutions based on your dietary restrictions or even flavor preferences, consider these tweaks:
- Gluten-Free - Make this recipe gluten-free by swapping in a gluten-free breadcrumbs. All other ingredients are GF. You could also use a GF old fashioned rolled oats in place of the breadcrumbs.
- Dairy-Free - This recipe is naturally dairy-free. If you want a dairy-free sauce that goes well with this recipe, try our Miso-Tahini Dressing or even our Vietnamese Peanut Sauce.
- Simple Seasoning - You can simplify the seasoning blend by swapping in chili powder of your choice.
How to Serve Chickpea Patties
These chickpea patties are quite versatile and feel at home on top of a salad, in pita bread, on a grain bowl, or served with pickles. For our taste, we love them topped with a simple creamy lemon and herb yogurt sauce and some fresh vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
Be sure to serve with a side of more of the yogurt sauce.
To make the yogurt sauce, stir together ½ cup of plain yogurt with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of Aleppo pepper.
For non-vegan sauces, try our Easy Sour Cream and Chive Dip, Horseradish Aioli, or our Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce.
Storage
This recipe makes enough to serve 4 for dinner or 6 for lunch. Have leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or transfer to a freezer safe zip-top bag, label and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake in a 425°F oven or air fry at 375°F until warm.
FAQ
Yes, chickpeas are packed with protein, fibers, minerals and nutrients. Plus, you can easily bake or air fry the chickpea burgers for a lower fat variation.
To keep the recipe vegan, try mixing some of the canned garbanzo bean liquid with ground flaxseeds to make a protein-dense flax egg. Use that, along with GF rolled oats or GF panko breadcrumbs to bind the burgers.
If your patties are crumbly, it's likely too dry. Add more vegetables like grated carrots, peppers or onions, or try adding a touch of olive oil to keep the mixture moist.
Serve With These Sides
Serve these vegan chickpea patties with these healthy sides.
More Dinner Ideas
Looking for other dinner recipes like this? Try these:
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Recipe
Chickpea Patties (Easy and Vegan)
- Total Time: 50 min.
- Yield: About 12 1x
Description
These easy and vegan chickpea patties are like a quick falafel burgers without the deep-frying. The patties come together quickly and easily in a food processor then you can either bake, pan-fry or air fry until golden brown and delicious.
Ingredients
Chickpea Patties
- 2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas (reserve ¼ cup of the liquid from the cans), drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp. flax seed, ground
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free rolled oats), plus more as needed
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup lightly packed fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¾ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. table salt, plus more as desired
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. Aleppo pepper, plus more for serving
- Cooking spray
- Cucumbers and tomatoes for serving
Lemon and Herb Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup lightly packed fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. table salt
- 1 pinch Aleppo pepper
Instructions
For the Chickpea Patties
- Preheat oven to 425°F and place a rack in the middle position.
- Stir together reserve ¼ cup aquafaba (chickpea liquid) with ground flax seeds in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place drained and rinsed chickpeas in the base of a food processor (see note) and pulse until finely chopped, about 15 pulses, scraping down the edges as needed.
- Add flax seed mixture, breadcrumbs, carrot, onion, bell pepper, parsley, garlic, cumin, salt, coriander, garlic powder and Aleppo pepper and pulse until finely chopped and well combined. use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to form patties, about 3 tablespoons of the mixture each, and flatten to a 3-inch wide by ½-inch thick disc. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- When ready to bake, spray both sides of the patties with cooking spray then bake until well browned on both sides, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. (See Notes for alternative cooking methods) Remove from oven and sprinkle with more salt, if desired.
For the Lemon and Herb Yogurt Sauce
- While the patties bake, stir together yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, salt and Aleppo pepper in a medium bowl.
- Serve patties with the yogurt sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes and a pinch of Aleppo pepper.
Notes
- If you don't have a food processor you can use a potato masher or fork to make the patties.
- If the patties don't hold together when forming a ball, add more water or breadcrumbs as needed.
Alternative Cooking Methods:
- We also tried air frying the chickpea fritters, and that worked well! Preheat an air fryer to 375°F, spray both sides of the patties then air fry for 12-15 minutes (flipping halfway through cooking), until golden brown on both sides. The exterior will be quite crispy but the insides won't be quite as creamy as when baked.
- Pan frying the patties works well, too, though it tends to make a mess and if you add too much oil the patties can actually get soft. If you like the idea of a chickpea fritter, try heating about 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Then cook for about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Note that there will be some splatter and they may feel soft. Simply let them rest at room temperature for a few minutes and they'll firm up nicely.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Vegetarian
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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