Welcome to recipe #1 of Oat Week – Father’s Day Edition! This post is sponsored by my wonderful friends over at Bob’s Red Mill – we’re using their Gluten Free Oat Flour for these Italian-Style Chickpea Burgers!
…with caramelized onion, roasted red pepper hummus, and basil out to WAZOO!
GUYS. I made us veggie burgers! Just in time for Father’s Day.
My dad has always been a huge fan of food. Coming from an Italian family with a grandmother who would bake him fresh bread, whip up a meat-laden feast on the spot, and grow all the fruits and veggies you could think of, it’s not much of a surprise.
What is a surprise is that he got into cooking only a few years ago. A few years ago, he had never cracked an egg. Now? He owns a smoker, cooks extravagant brunches, snacks, and dinners on the daily, and talks about food almost as much as me.
Foodie family right here.
So while I’m definitely the odd-ball out with my gluten free, almost vegan, rabbit food diet, it doesn’t stop my dad from branching out and trying new plant-based delights a la his daughter.
He loves these Fudge-Dipped Almond Cookies, which are gluten free, refined sugar-free, and full of good-for-you ingredients. He went crazy for this Pesto Hummus. Heck, I even got him to eat quinoa. QUINOA.
So while our eating styles couldn’t be more different, I know there are a few plant-centric dishes I just know he’s gonna love.
Like this. This beautiful burger right here.
Like baking, making homemade veggie/bean burgers from scratch always intimidated me. All of the bean burgers I’ve ever had have been sort of …forgettable? Boring? Completely mushy? All of the above I think. I’ve just never had any luck with them.
But THESE!! They’re filled with the ingredients and flavors of my ancestors! And they’re so.dang.good.
The base is made up of chickpeas and cashews. Theoretically, you can use any bean and any nut here, I just haven’t tried it so I can’t guarantee the results. BUT. These two ingredients create such an addictive and chewy texture. They’re definitely dense, but in the best way possible. It’s a veggie burger that makes you feel like you’re eating something substantial, rather than a flimsy, flavorless hockey puck.
Speaking of flavor…garlic, onion, basil, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, olive oil…the gang’s all here! These are the flavors I grew up with, so throwing them in a burger gets me all happy and nostalgic. I have a slight total addiction to balsamic vinegar, so I absolutely LOVED it in here. Not to mention that its sugar content gives these burgers the BEST crispy crust on the outside once they’re cooked!
Our binder? A flax egg and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oat Flour. I adore using this oat flour here because it’s light and perfectly ground. It doesn’t take away from the flavors or textures of the other ingredients, but it holds everything together so well as you pan-fry the patties. Definitely don’t leave it out!
And a burger is only as good as its toppings, right?! I chose caramelized onion (because I’m convinced it’s one of the very best foods on the planet), some roasted red pepper hummus, and some fresh basil. And the buns? I used the lid of a jar of peanut butter to cut circles out of my favorite sandwich bread, then toasted it up with some olive oil and voila! Something lighter than a big ol’ hamburger bun for summer.
AND they take less than 30 minutes to make. YEP. These are a total necessity this summer. Veg-heads and meat eaters alike will FREAK over these Italian-Style Chickpea Burgers – enjoy, friends!
PrintItalian-Style Chickpea Burgers
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 7-8 burgers
Ingredients
- THE BURGERS:
- 1 Tbsp. ground flax
- 3/4 cup diced sweet white onion
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
- 1 small handful basil, roughly chopped
- 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- salt + pepper
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oat Flour
- THE CARAMLIZED ONION:
- 1 large sweet white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- salt + pepper
- THE TOPPINGS:
- gluten free buns or bread cut into circles
- roasted red pepper hummus or my Pesto Hummus
- fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- For the burgers: Add flax and 3 Tbsp. water to a small bowl. Mix and set aside to gel, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add onion and garlic to a small saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add chickpeas to a food processor, and pulse until broken into small pieces. It should look like rice/riced cauliflower. Add it the same large bowl.
- Add cashews to the food processor, and pulse until broken into small pieces. Add it to the large bowl same bowl.
- Add Italian Seasoning, basil, olive oil, balsamic, a healthy dose of salt and pepper, and the flax-water mixture, and mix to combine. Add oat flour and mix until combined. The mixture will be slightly tacky, but easily shaped into a patty with wet hands. If it’s too wet, add more oat flour 1 Tbsp. at a time. Shape into 7-8 patties, wetting your hands slightly between forming each patty.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and cook each patty until browned. Flip, and cook until browned.
- For the caramelized onion: Add sliced onion and olive oil to a small skillet. Heat over medium-low heat until dark and caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Stir only occasionally.
- To assemble: Spread hummus on both the top and bottom buns. Top with a patty, caramelized onion, and basil. Devour.
A very special thank you goes to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post and for supplying me with some of their delicious gluten free products that I love for this recipe! All opinions are my own.
Okay so this is already the best week ever, because OATS! Italian style is the only way to do it! ;) Love these burgers!!
Seriously though!! Oat week is the BEST week :)
I have been LOVING chickpeas lately. Seriously will throw them on anything- brown rice, quinoa, a salad, or even have them plain. This sounds so good though and relatively easy!!
Same. Here!! I just love them in salads so much – I was thrilled when they worked so well in these burgers!
CARAMELIZED ONIONS–yes! Glad your dad can get on board with some veggie-based dishes, and thanks for reminding me about Father’s Day! Totally forgot…. best daughter ever.
Caramelized onions are my FAV. They’re not horribly photogenic, but they sure do taste delicious.
…and you’re welcome for the reminder ;)
Caramelized onions, chickpeas and oats… I definitely have to try these burgers. My dad does’nt eat meat anymore. I guess he will love this recipe. I am going to check your pesto hummus. Thanks!
Great idea! Let me know if you decide to make this or that pesto hummus (which is easily in my top 5 favorite recipes of ALL TIME!!)!
This burger is EVERYTHING! It literally has all my favorite things in it— so, yeah, this is totally getting added to the list too :)
haha thank you so much, Liz!! Let me know if you try ’em :)
Ooooh that last bite shot though!!!! These sound so yummy, girl!
haha thank you, Lucia!! :)
We definitely need to try these when you and Mark are in town!
They’re on the list! :)
YESSSSSSSS please! I cannot get enough of chickpeas at the moment! <3
Same! I don’t know what it is about this time of year…I’m absolutely crazy for chickpeas at the moment!
I agree with you, all the vege burgers I’ve made myself have been less than average. Keen to give these a try!
I hope you do, Megan! I was delightfully surprised once I tried them :)
girl these sound dynamite! with all of that basil and those caramelized onions, mhmmm. these are going into the rotation soon!
and i had that same feeling when i got my dad to try (and like!) quinoa :D
These look amazing and I really want to try them!! Can you recommend something to replace the cashews? I’m allergic :(
Hi, Rachel! Thanks so much :) I haven’t tried it, but you might be able to use almonds or sunflower seeds. Let me know if you try it!