Begin making these veggie burgers by first cooking the bulgur that will make these chickpeas nice and thick along with helping them bind together. For this recipe, I add the dry bulgur with 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl and allow it to cook for approximately 3-minutes. Once it's cooked, set it to the side to cool and allow it to thicken up.
What I love the most about bulgur is that it has a crumbly, ground beef texture–that can be used in dishes like tacos, lasagna, and spaghetti–and it soaks up the flavors of whatever spices you happen to be cooking with.
Next, toast the sesame seeds in a dry non-stick skillet until they begin to pop and become brown and fragrant. Once done, set aside in a medium bowl.
In a blender or food processor, chop the chickpeas slightly. I use a low-profile 64 oz canister on my Vitamix blender to get a nice consistency.
Remove the chickpeas and add them to the bowl with the toasted sesame seeds.
Place the veggies--garlic, carrots, onions, and celery--into your blender or food processer. Pulse to dice the vegetables, and be careful not to over-process. You want to retain some of the chunkiness.
Transfer veggies to the bowl with chopped chickpeas and toasted sesame seeds. Now, the cooked bulgur should be added, along with all the other ingredients.
Mix all of the ingredients well. I find that using my hands to knead everything works best.
Form into patties and place on a baking sheet. I like to line my pans with parchment paper sheets to keep them from sticking and to make clean up a breeze.
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until nice and browned. They should be slightly crunchy on the outside.
Served on a whole grain bun with fresh spinach leaves, onion, and Low-Fat Eggless Mayo, these chickpea veggie burgers make a great meal. For side dishes try corn on the cob, baked potato, or fresh garden salad.
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Notes
Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.BUNS: For an oil-free bun, try the Ezekiel brand in the freezer section of many grocery stores or make your own with this recipe from This Healthy Kitchen.Your chickpea burger questions answered:
Q: How do you bind chickpea burgers? The binder for these veggie burgers is flour, and I also add bulgur to help thicken them up as well.
Q: Is gluten-free flour okay to use? Yes, gluten-free flour should work fine as a binder.
Q: Can I use canned chickpeas? Yes. Canned beans work well, or make your own chickpeas from dry.
Q: What other kinds of veggie burgers are there? We love black bean burgers, mushroom burgers, and even lentil burgers. I’ll link my favorites above.