Backyard BBQ

Herby Chickpea Burgers With Lemon Yogurt Sauce

July  2, 2021
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Ty Mecham. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth. Food Stylist: Drew Aichele.
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • makes 4 sandwiches
Author Notes

These chickpea burgers are packed with fresh herbs and pretty easy to pull together, making them excellent for a meatless weeknight dinner. Just be sure to factor the soaking time into your cooking plan—it’s an essential step. (Canned chickpeas might seem like a good swap, but they’re actually far too soft to make a burger that can stand up to toppings, so stick with dried.) This recipe makes eight patties, enough for four substantial, double-decker burgers, but if you want to go the single-burger route, the extras freeze well for another day.

These vegetarian-friendly burgers are topped with a simple, lemony Greek yogurt sauce, tomato, and lettuce, but something like an olive tapenade could also be nice here. A Sweet Multigrain Sandwich Bun from Arnold®, Brownberry®, or Oroweat® has the right amount of heartiness to make it an excellent match for all this sandwich's bright, fresh ingredients. —Samantha Seneviratne

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is shared in partnership with Arnold®, Brownberry®, and Oroweat®. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 Arnold®, Brownberry®, or Oroweat® Sweet Multigrain Sandwich Buns, toasted
  • Lettuce, for serving
  • Sliced tomato, for serving
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water. Refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. The next day, drain the chickpeas and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor.
  2. In a 10-inch, nonstick skillet, set 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the scallions and garlic until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add this mixture to the food processor with the chickpeas. Add the herbs, tahini, and lemon zest, and blend until a sticky, almost smooth paste forms. Season this mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Add the egg and pulse to combine. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl.
  3. Shape the mixture into 8 equal patties, no more than 1/2-inch thick.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 4 of the patties and cook until golden and set, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and cook until the other side is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 4 patties.
  5. To serve, combine the Greek yogurt with the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Slather the yogurt sauce on a bun and layer 2 burgers with the lettuce and tomato.

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2 Reviews

Kestrel July 2, 2021
I take it back - while felafel-ish, these were DELICIOUS - fresh tasting and a thing all on their own. Loved 'em!
 
Kestrel July 1, 2021
Essentially, felafel.