These chickpea harissa veggie burgers have a wonderful hearty texture, and their spicy, smoky flavour from harissa, cumin, and paprika makes them bolder and more exciting than any veggie burger you can buy in the freezer section.
Ingredients for Chickpea Harissa Veggie Burgers
Burgers
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup Homemade Harissa, or store-bought
1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (see note below), divided
1 cup cooked short-grain brown rice*
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¹⁄³ cup panko bread crumbs
Creamy cilantro sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
½ garlic clove, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
½ teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving
6 whole-grain hamburger buns, toasted
Thinly sliced red onion
Arugula
Pickles
Directions for Chickpea Harissa Veggie Burgers
In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside.
Make the creamy cilantro sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the mayo, garlic, cilantro, and lime zest and juice and season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to use.
Make the burgers: Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the walnuts, cumin, paprika, pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine and remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture cool slightly, then place the mixture in a food processor along with the harissa and half of the chickpeas. Pulse until everything is well combined but still chunky. Do not puree.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the remaining chickpeas, the brown rice, and the lime juice. Use a potato masher and mash until everything is well combined. Stir in the panko and the flaxseed mixture. Form the mixture into 6 patties.
Heat a grill to high or preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle the burgers with olive oil. Spray the grill grates with nonstick cooking spray or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grill the burgers for 5 minutes per side, or until dark char marks form, turning gently. If using the oven, bake the burgers on the baking sheet for 9 minutes per side.
Serve the burgers on the hamburger buns. Slather with the creamy cilantro sauce and assemble with red onion, arugula, and pickles, as desired.
*It’s very important that your brown rice is freshly made and sticky so that the burgers will be cohesive. Because long-grain rice isn’t as sticky, be sure to use short-grain rice.
For chickpeas: 1 cup dry + pot of water. Place in a pot and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1½ to 2 hours, or until tender.
Excerpted from Love and Lemons Every Day: More than 100 Bright, Plant-Forward Recipes for Every Meal by Jeanine Donofrio. Copyright © 2019 Jeanine Donofrio. Photographs © 2019 by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
