Chickpea BurgerSummer grilling season will be here in no time! These hearty veggie burgers will hold up to the grill and satisfy even manly appetites. Load them up with heirloom tomato slices, artisan pickles, butter lettuce, and high-quality condiments. Shown on Udi’s gluten-free hamburger buns (which include egg whites).

I confess that there was some reverse-engineering happening here, as I frequently get the veggie burger at The Station Tavern. Their veggie burgers are gluten-free and vegan and so yummy. This is inspired by their burger. See notes below to adapt this for The Migraine Relief Plan. It’s still super yummy! If you have tested coconut aminos and they aren’t a trigger for you, sub those for the tamari/Bragg’s.

Suitable for:
vegan, gluten-free, reduced-sugar diets

Not for:
low-sodium or migraine diets (see substitutions for migraine diet)

Chickpea Burger

Veggie burgers

Easy recipe for tasty, hearty veggie burgers made from chickpeas.
4 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 8 burgers

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ounces mushrooms cremini
  • 1/2 onions red, small (omit for migraine diet)
  • 2 onions (green) scallions, spring onions (use entire bunch for migraine diet)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp cumin (dried)
  • 3 tbsp flax seeds (ground) (18 g)
  • 2 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos (or tamari) (omit for migraine diet, add 1 extra tbsp olive oil)
  • 30 ounces chickpeas cooked or canned, no-salt-added if possible
  • 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley (fresh) (20 g)
  • 2 tsp onion powder (omit for migraine diet)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (use 1 tablespoon for migraine diet)

Instructions
 

  • Clean the mushrooms using a damp kitchen or paper towel. (Do not wash the mushrooms; like sponges, they soak up water and will make your burgers too wet.)
  • Peel the onion and cut into chunks.
  • Pulse the mushrooms with the onion and scallions in the food processor until finely chopped. (Or, if cutting by hand, finely slice the mushrooms and dice the onion and scallions finely.)
  • Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saute pan or cast-iron frying pan until it shimmers but doesn't smoke. Swirl the pan to coat evenly with the oil. Saute the mushrooms and onion with the red pepper flakes and cumin for about 7-8 minutes until golden. Remove from the heat.
  • Put the ground flax seeds in a large bowl with the Bragg's or tamari and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas very well. They need to be very dry or the mixture will not hold together well.
  • In the same food processor (no need to clean it), put half the chickpeas and pulse until fairly smooth. Add to the large bowl with the flax seed mixture and stir well.
  • Pulse the other half of the chickpeas with the parsley until roughly chopped. (If you do not have a food processor, you can use a fork or a potato masher to smash the chickpeas, and chop the parsley by hand.)
  • Add the mushroom-onion mixture along with the onion and garlic powders to the large bowl. Stir, mashing well, until the mixture is a thick paste that can be formed into patties. It should feel very firm. If not, pan fry or bake these, don't put them on the grill.
  • Using egg rings if desired, shape the patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone sheet. Refrigerate until ready to grill. While these do hold up well to grilling they are not as sturdy as meat-based burgers so be careful when turning them.
  • Grill or pan fry for 8 minutes per side. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and firm.

Notes

If you do not have flax meal, substitute one egg and some breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed) to get the mixture to hold together. Freeze extra patties on a baking sheet lined with silicone or waxed paper, then peel off and put in a freezer-safe container.
Per burger:
  • 128 calories
  • 4 g fat
  • 0 g saturated fat
  • 1 g monounsaturated fat
  • 1 g polyunsaturated fat
  • 0 g trans fat
  • 0 g cholesterol
  • 350 mg sodium (110 mg sodium with Bragg's/tamari omitted)
  • 106 mg potassium
  • 17 g carbohydrate
  • 5 g fiber
  • 1 g sugars
  • 6 g protein
  • 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus