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Vegan Za'atar Chickpea Burger Recipe with Caramelized Onions
5 from 15 votes

Vegan Za'atar Chickpea Burger Recipe with Caramelized Onions

This recipe creates vegan chickpea burgers seasoned with za'atar and mixed with cauliflower, sundried tomatoes, and fresh herbs for a flavorful blend. The patties include flax eggs for binding and are cooked either by pan-frying or baking after a brief chilling. Caramelized onions with spices add a sweet and smoky topping, complemented by a tahini dill dressing and fresh vegetables. These burgers offer a good balance of texture, combining smooth pureed chickpeas with chopped ingredients and gentle crispness from cooking.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 5 - 6 servings
Calories: 209 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Vegan

Ingredients

Patties:
  • 3/4 cup cauliflower 1-1.5 inch size, florets
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 15 oz chickpeas or 1.5 cups cooked, aka garbanzo beans, canned
  • 1.5 tsp zaatar spice blend or garam masala or Cajun spice
  • 1 Tbsp sundried tomato
  • 1/4 cup cilantro or parsley or greens of choice, packed chopped
  • 1/3 tsp salt
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger minced
  • 2 flax eggs 2 tbsp flax seed meal mixed with 5 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cup onion red, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • black pepper a generous dash
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil or tahini
  • flour , oat, chickpea for Glutenfree or wheat or breadcrumbs if needed
Caramelized onions:
  • 1 red onion thinly sliced, medium
  • 2 tsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika sweet
Toppings:
  • tahini dill dressing
  • tomato
  • lettuce
  • greens

Instructions

Patties:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F ( 205c) if baking.
  2. In a food processor, add cauliflower and coriander seeds and process to a coarse mixture.
  3. Add the chickpeas, zaatar, sun dried tomato, cilantro, salt, garlic, ginger, flax eggs and pulse a few times (5 second pulses) so most of the chickpeas disintegrate. There should be almost no whole chickpeas and half of them should be pureed.
  4. Add the onion, pepper flakes, oil. Mix and mash. Taste and adjust salt and spice.
  5. Add flour or breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Add another flax egg if the mixture is too dry.
  6. Shape into patties by packing a 1/3 cup of the mixture into a 3 inch cookie cutter or by hand. Freeze the patties for 10 minutes before pan frying. Make thinner patties to panfry. (The the patties stick too much to the skillet, dust in flour before panfrying)
  7. Pan fry with a little oil for 3 to 4 minutes each side. Or Brush oil on top and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 5 minutes.
  8. The key to less crumbly patty here is blending up the chickpeas well. With large the pieces, the patty can get crumbly. Overblended chickpeas get a mashed bean texture so you want the texture somehweee in between. Serve with spicy or plain caramelized onions, hummus, mayo or ranch, and other toppings of choice.
Caramelized Onions:
  1. In a pan heat oil on medium heat. Add the onions, salt and sugar and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally,  until onions are translucent.
  2. Add the cayenne and paprika, mix and cook for another few minutes until golden.

Notes

  • Pulse chickpeas and other ingredients well to avoid crumbly patties; aim for mostly pureed texture with some small pieces for bite.
  • Freeze patties for 10 minutes before cooking to help them hold together, especially when pan-frying.
  • Adjust spices before cooking, noting that baking or frying will deepen the flavors.
  • Substitute garam masala for za'atar if preferred for a different aromatic profile.
  • Serve with tahini dill dressing, caramelized onions, or other preferred toppings like hummus or walnuts for variation.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1burger patty Calories 209kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 30g (10%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 290mg (12%) Potassium 419mg (9%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 247IU (5%) Vitamin C 12mg (13%) Calcium 67mg (7%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5 - 6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 209

% Daily Value*

Serving 1burger patty
Calories 209kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 30g 10%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 290mg 12%
Potassium 419mg 9%
Fiber 9g 36%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 247IU 5%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 67mg 7%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.