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    Home » Stove Top Recipes

    Masala Chickpea Burgers

    Published: May 23, 2022 · Modified: Jul 4, 2022 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 10 Comments

    175 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Satisfy your burger cravings in the best way with these healthy, easy, and utterly delicious Masala Chickpea Burgers! The bright, savory spices of chana masala bring bold flavors and a touch of heat to these super satisfying veggie burgers. Stuff a toasted bun with the sizzling-hot chickpea patty, fresh toppings, and spicy sriracha mayo for perfection in every bite!

    Masala chickpea burger served on a brioche bun d with onion, tomato and lettuce and spicy mayo
    Jump to:
    • Texture is Everything
    • So Simple, Healthy, and Satisfying!
    • Pantry Friendly
    • Ingredients & Substitutions
    • How to bind the Chickpea Burgers
    • How to Make Chickpea Burgers
    • Serving Masala Chickpea Burgers
    • Storing
    • More Indian Spiced Burger Recipes You’ll Love
    • Recipe

    Texture is Everything

    Whether you use a food processor or mash the canned chickpeas by hand, very little prep is required for this recipe. The trick to achieving the perfect “burger” is to mash the chickpeas enough to bind the ingredients together while leaving enough texture to sink your teeth. I love these Veggie Chickpea Burgers because they are firm enough to pan-fry. That sear gets the edges nicely crisped while the inside stays tender.

    Masala chickpea burger served on a brioche bun topped with onion, tomato and lettuce

    So Simple, Healthy, and Satisfying!

    These awesome Chickpea Burgers are full of plant-based protein. They’re filling and delicious without leaving you stuffed. The only oil in this recipe is the small amount used to pan-fry the veggie burgers and toast the buns. Making your own veggie burgers means you know exactly what goes into them–simple clean ingredients, vibrant spices, and aromatics. There are no extra hidden calories or preservatives!

    Pantry Friendly

    At my house, we love a meal that we can pull off super quickly on a weeknight that fits into our busy schedules. BUT that meal has to be nutritious, satisfying, and so good that we would serve it whether we’re crunched for time or not. These Chickpea Masala Burgers rely on simple pantry items we have plenty of such as canned chickpeas, oats, and ground spices. As for the fresh ingredients: carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, chilies, lettuce, and tomato–these are kitchen staples we always have on hand.

    *Tip: Check out my easy methods for prepping and storing fresh ginger, garlic, and green chilies in the freezer. Take out as much as you need at a time and use in your recipes as you would the fresh versions. Such a time-saver and always comes in handy!

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    veggie Masala chickpea burger served on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion
    • Chickpeas - Canned chickpeas are convenient, but you can also cook dried chickpeas, drain the water and use them in this recipe.
    • Rolled Oats - Old-fashioned rolled oats help bind the burgers and you can substitute them with quick oats. Chickpeas and Oats are loaded with fiber and complex carbs that help prevent blood sugar spikes and are excellent sources of B-Vitamins! 
    • Carrots, red onion, and cilantro - These veggies and herbs make the burgers colorful while adding nutrition and fiber.
    • Ginger, Garlic & Green Chillies - Fresh ginger paste, garlic paste, and green chilies add lots of flavor and spice to the burger patties. Substitute Indian green chilies with serrano or jalapenos. For a less spicy burger, you can leave out green chilies.
    • Spices - Cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and red chili powder add that perfect chana masala-like flavors to the burgers. I like to use mild Kashmiri red chili powder in this recipe to add a hue of red to the patties, if you are using spicier chili you may want to reduce it.
    ingredients to make masala chickpea burgers

    How to bind the Chickpea Burgers

    This Veggie Burger recipe is Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free. No eggs or breadcrumbs are needed to bind the ingredients. The mashed chickpeas and oats hold everything together. Just make sure to pat dry the chickpeas really well so there is no excess moisture.

    How to Make Chickpea Burgers

    • Add chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, cilantro, dry spices, and rolled oats to the food processor bowl. Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes so the mixture is evenly processed. Add the grated carrots into the bowl
    photos one through four showing how to make the chickpea patty mixture
    • Mix well and then using a spatula divide the burger mixture into 4 parts and form into ¾ inch thick patties. 
    photos five and six showing uncooked veggie burger patties
    • Place a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add oil. Place the burger patties in the pan and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Drizzle more oil over the burgers and carefully flip each patty. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes as both sides get crispy and golden brown in color.
    photos seven and eight showing how to cook homemade

    Serving Masala Chickpea Burgers

    We love to serve these Indian spiced chickpea burgers on warm toasty brioche buns with sriracha mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions. Here are some more Topping Tips, choose from these favorites to build your burger or add your own: pickles, mustard, ketchup, or Green Chutney for a spicy kick! Serve the burgers topped with your favorite salad or wrapped in lettuce leaves for a low-carb meal idea.

    We love to add a side of healthy air-fried masala fries, sweet potato fries, or potato wedges. Serve with a chilled and refreshing homemade ginger lemonade or Aam Panna and complete the meal with homemade brownies or a bowl of melon salad.

    masala chickpea burger served with chips

    Storing

    Cooked vegan chickpea burgers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for 1-2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat them in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    These Chickpea Veggie Burgers reheat nicely making them a great meal prep recipe. So go ahead and make extra! They are perfect on top of salads, stuffed into wraps, and packed into school lunches.

    More Indian Spiced Burger Recipes You’ll Love

    • Masala Chicken Burgers
    • Spicy Salmon Burgers
    • Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

    Recipe

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    veggie chana burger served with sriracha mayo
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    4.73 from 11 votes

    Veggie Chickpea Burgers with Indian Spices

    Satisfy your burger cravings in the best way with these healthy, easy, and utterly delicious Masala Chickpea Burgers!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: American, Indian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 312kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Equipment

    • Non Stick Frying Pan
    • Food Processor
    • Silicone spatula

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup carrot peeled and grated
    • 1 15 oz canned chickpeas rinsed, drained, and dried well with paper towels
    • ½ small red onion rough chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger rough chopped
    • 2 green chilies or ½ jalapeno
    • ½ cup cilantro chopped
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala
    • ½ cup rolled oats
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    To serve

    • 4 burger buns Brioche Buns work really well
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • lettuce rinsed, patted dry, and leaves separated
    • 1 tomato thinly sliced
    • red onion thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons sriracha

    Instructions

    • Place the chopping blade inside the food processor bowl. Add chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, cilantro, dry spices, and rolled oats to the food processor bowl. Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes or until all the mixture is evenly processed. Carefully remove the chopping blade.
    • Add the grated carrots into the bowl and mix well. Using a spatula divide the burger mixture into 4 parts and form into ¾ inch thick patties.
    • Place a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add half of the oil. Once the oil is hot, place the four burger patties in the pan and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes side.
    • Pour the remaining oil over the burgers and carefully flip each patty with a silicone spatula. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes as both sides get crispy and golden brown in color. Remove the Burgers from the skillet and place them on a platter.
    • Wipe down the skillet and heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Place 4 bun halves with the middle side on the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes as the buns get a bit toasty and warm.
    • Make the Sriracha Mayo by combining the mayonnaise with sriracha.
    • Place the bottom side of the burger on a platter. Spread 1 tablespoon of sriracha mayonnaise over it. Place the chickpea burger on the bun along with a slice of onion, tomato, and lettuce. Put the top lid of the bun over it and enjoy.

    Video

    Notes

    • The mashed chickpeas and oats hold everything together. Make sure to pat dry the chickpeas really well so there is no excess moisture.
    • Refrigerating uncooked patties for 20 minutes can firm them up a bit more and will be easy to cook 
    • Use a silicone spatula to carefully flip the patties, as they will be delicate 
    • Cooked burger patties can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for 1-2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat them in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1106mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3160IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    1. Katie says

      July 06, 2022 at 7:58 pm

      Oh my goodness! This was so easy and oh, so flavourful! You have to make this! I'll definitely make these again. I may try cooking it up kind of like a hash and then using it as a tortilla wrap filling. Thanks for a delish recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 06, 2022 at 10:01 pm

        You are most welcome! Thank you for your feedback

        Reply
    2. Mindy T. says

      July 07, 2022 at 2:57 am

      Delicious! Really easy to prepare, very satisfying, and quite tasty! Definitely putting this one on rotation. 4 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 07, 2022 at 8:27 am

        Thank you, Mindy!

        Reply
    3. Chris Clark says

      September 26, 2022 at 1:18 pm

      What a great meal this was! The meal prep was super easy, the spices I already had and the taste was superb!
      I loved the fact that I threw everything in the food processor minus the carrot and fried the patty up. I will be making triple batches of these to freeze ahead of time. I did not make the sauce since I prefer mustard. The patty was enough by itself.
      Thank you - you rocked this recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 26, 2022 at 9:24 pm

        Thank you SO much!

        Reply
    4. Tania says

      October 03, 2022 at 6:06 am

      Hi, can you tell me please the chickpea amount in grams?5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 03, 2022 at 5:02 pm

        250 grams of canned chickpeas after draining out all the water

        Reply
        • Tania says

          October 05, 2022 at 12:04 pm

          Thank you Archana. Your recipe is awesome and the burgers turned out very well and tasty. Even my kids loved it.

          Reply
          • Archana says

            October 05, 2022 at 9:43 pm

            Thank you, Tania!

            Reply

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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

    Learn More About Me!

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