Vegetarian Chickpea Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

These vegetarian Middle Eastern chickpea burgers are made with fresh herbs and topped with Tzatziki, a creamy cucumber-dill yogurt sauce.

Kids can be picky eaters. They love one thing one week and hate it the next. My kids don’t always prefer meat and frequently choose vegetables, beans and seafood over steak and chicken. Since it’s burger season, I knew just the solution: Hearty and satisfying vegetarian chickpea burgers.

These burgers are made with flavorful herbs and topped with my cucumber dill Greek Tzatziki sauce — and they were a home run with my kids! If you’ve never made vegetarian burgers at home before, I urge you to give it a try. Unlike store-bought varieties filled with artificial ingredients and fillers, homemade vegetarian burgers boast simple, fresh ingredients you may already have on hand, like canned beans, bread crumbs and spices.

Luckily, everything you need for these beauties can be found at your local grocery store. I promise you will want to add these vegetarian chickpea burgers with Tzatziki sauce to your repertoire. They are easy, affordable and way more delicious than anything you’ll find in the freezer aisle.

How to Make Vegetarian Chickpea Burgers

First, place canned chickpeas (be sure to drain and rinse), lemon juice and scallions in a high-speed food processor. Chickpeas are super high in protein and work as an excellent meat replacement in vegetarian recipes.

Second, chop the parsley. Bunch the leaves together, remove the stems and rock-chop the parsley with an up and down motion. You do this by keeping the blade still while you push the leaves forward.

Third, add salt, smoked paprika and cumin to boost the flavor. You can also add cayenne as an optional step (if you want to bolster the spiciness!)

Fourth, add egg to the mixture. The egg serves as a natural binder and is another added protein for these burgers.

Fifth, pulse the mixture on high until it’s smooth and the fresh ingredients are evenly incorporated. (Psst: It’s fine if it’s slightly chunky — a little bit of texture is a fantastic thing!)

Then, remove the mixture from the food processor and place it into a medium bowl. Slowly stir in the breadcrumbs a few tablespoons at a time.

Continue to add breadcrumbs until the mixture is dry enough to form patties with your hands.

To make this process easier, divide the bowl mixture into quarters with your hands to create four patties. This is one of my favorite parts of the process — it’s fun and therapeutic!

Afterward, place the chickpea patties on a platter and drizzle them with a little olive oil. Flip them once to make sure the patties are lightly oiled on both sides.

Lastly, it’s time to cook the patties. Heat a non-stick griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat and brown the patties until they are golden brown. This takes about 4-5 minutes per side.

Create the Greek Tzatziki Sauce

While the patties are cooking, you can make my famous tzatziki sauce. First, add diced cucumber, fresh dill and plain Greek yogurt in a separate bowl.

Next, grate two cloves of garlic and add lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Stir all of the ingredients together and add more dill, lemon, garlic or salt/pepper if you wish. Be sure to see my tzatziki sauce recipe for a more detailed guide.

Finally, to serve the vegetarian chickpea burgers, place one patty in between each hamburger bun and top with tzatziki sauce. You can also add other preferred condiments.

Frequently Asked Questions

While you’re here, you may also want to explore these recipes:

• Lebanese Chickpea Salad
• 20 Easy Recipes Made with Chickpeas
• Greek Turkey Burgers with Creamy Tzatziki Sauce
• Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce
• Greek Lamb Chops with Tzatziki Sauce
• Vegetarian Burrito Bowls with Honey Chipotle Vinaigrette

No forks required.