As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Crispy chickpea quinoa patties are loaded with plant-based protein and fiber, contain hidden veggies, are super adaptable, and can be pan-fried, baked, or air fried until golden & crisp! A gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan appetizer, side, or main that’s ready in about 20 minutes!

completed Quinoa Chickpea Patties on a white surface alongside a burger

Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

Fiber and Protein-Dense Chickpea Quinoa Patties

These quinoa and chickpea burgers (along with quinoa tater tots and Mediterranean quinoa salad) are must-tries the next time you have leftover quinoa in your fridge. Combining simple, inexpensive, unprocessed ingredients, these chickpea patties are quick to prepare and loaded with nourishing nutrients, protein, fiber, and antioxidants.

Once cooked (in one of three ways with minimal oil!), they’re tender and slightly chewy in the middle while wonderfully crispy outside for super satisfying vegan chickpea burgers even meat eaters will enjoy.

Even better, chickpea quinoa burgers are super forgiving and adaptable. This time around, I’ve made them with a warming Indian-inspired seasoning. However, enjoy playing with your favorite/ available vegetables, herbs, and seasonings.

You can also adapt the size and shape, whether you want to make little vegan nuggets, fritters, small patties, or veggie burgers. Either way, they’re meal prep friendly, freeze and reheat well, and are super portable, too – perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and cookouts!

Want to try more protein-dense vegan patties? Check out our recipes for mega lentil burger patties, kichari lentil patties, and black bean bulgur patties.

The Ingredients

ingredients for Easy Quinoa Chickpea Patties measured out on a white surface

The Chickpea Quinoa Patties

  • Chickpeas: Use homecooked or canned chickpeas (regular or reduced sodium).

Other pulses will work wonderfully, too. For example, delicious white bean, kidney bean, green/brown lentils, or black bean quinoa burgers.

  • Cooked quinoa: White or tri-color quinoa work best for quinoa cakes. Cook it with your preferred method – stovetop, Instant Pot, etc.
  • Flax egg: Combining ground flax meal (or chia seeds) with water makes a simple vegan binding egg replacement in these vegan chickpea patties.
  • Vegetables: This chickpea veggie burger recipe is a great way to sneak in veggies. We used kale (or spinach), onion, and carrot. Read the next section for more options.
  • Seasonings: For a simple but highly complementary seasoning blend, we used pantry-friendly curry powder, cumin, cayenne pepper (optional for extra heat), sea salt, and black pepper.

For Quinoa Chickpea Burgers

  • Burger buns: Use regular or gluten-free.
  • Toppings: i.e., lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, pickles, vegan mayo, hot sauce, etc.

Optional Add-ins and Recipe Variations:

  • Fresh herbs: Like parsley, cilantro, mint, etc. Choose them based on the seasonings.
  • Vegan cheese: Add some vegan shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or parmesan.
  • Other seasonings: Experiment with different seasoning blends like Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, za’atar, etc. For a milder seasoning, try combining onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast (optional), and a pinch of cayenne (optional for heat) in this chickpea patty recipe.
  • Other vegetables: There are plenty of veggies to choose from to add extra texture, color, and flavor to the chickpea burger recipe, including:
    • Zucchini (shredded and excess liquid squeezed out)
    • Broccoli/cauliflower (blanched and finely shredded)
    • Corn/peas (canned or frozen)
    • Bell pepper (any color)
    • Mushrooms (sauteed and finely chopped – cremini, button, chestnut, etc.)
    • Brussels sprouts (shredded)
  • A crust: i.e., with breadcrumbs or sesame seeds to create extra crunch.
  • Other mixins: Sun-dried tomatoes, chili, chopped olives, pine nuts, lemon zest, etc.

How to Make Quinoa Chickpea Patties

  • 1) First, combine the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl, mix thoroughly, and set aside in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
bowl of flaxseed and water measured out on a white surface
  • 2) Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables by finely mincing or shredding them OR roughly chopping then pulsing them in a food processor into a shredded consistency.
  • 3) In a large bowl, combine all the quinoa chickpea patties ingredients and mix well until it forms a patty dough you can shape.

Depending on the vegetables, you may need to make adjustments. If the mixture is too wet, add flour (regular, gluten-free, oat, almond, or chickpea flour). If it’s too dry/crumbly, add water – a teaspoon at a time. Mashing some chickpeas is another easy method for easier binding and more tender texture.

  • 4) Divide the mixture into ¼ cup scoops, forming them by hand into patties (you should be able to make 6-8 of these easy chickpea patties).

Alternatively, make smaller quinoa chickpea fritters/nuggets. Wet your hands to make the shaping process easier.

  • 5) Heat a swirl of cooking oil (or spray) in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a single layer of the quinoa patties and cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining patties.
  • 6) To assemble a veggie burger, load a chickpea quinoa veggie burger onto a bun with lettuce, sliced tomato, avocado, a drizzle of hot sauce and/or vegan mayo, etc. Enjoy!

FAQs

Could I bake or air fry the quinoa chickpea burgers?

Spray or brush the chickpea patties lightly with a little oil and then air fry at 375F/190C for 10-15 minutes, flipping once halfway, or bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.
You will need to adjust the cooking time slightly based on their size.

Could I replace the quinoa?

Couscous or millet may also work.

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

  • To enhance the flavor: Sauté the vegetables first until lightly caramelized and tender.
  • Shred the veggies finely: Pulsing them in a food processor (or using a shredding disk) works wonderfully to get the job done in seconds. Alternatively, finely mince them by hand.
  • Adjust the size: Make veggie quinoa fritters, nuggets, small patties, or burgers from this one versatile recipe.
  • Adjust the dough if needed: If it’s too dry/crumbly, add a teaspoon of water (or liquid from the chickpea can) at a time. If it’s too wet, add breadcrumbs/ flour (regular, gluten-free, chickpea, almond, or oat flour).
  • Pack the mixture tightly: When shaping the garbanzo bean burgers, squeeze firmly to pack the dough so it doesn’t fall apart while cooking. Wetting your hands can also help with the shaping process.
  • Experiment with flavors: This recipe is super forgiving. Play around with the seasonings, herbs, and vegetables used to create dozens of delicious vegan quinoa burger recipe variations.
completed Quinoa Chickpea Patties on a white surface

What to Serve with Vegan Chickpea Burgers?

You can use this recipe to prepare quinoa chickpea burger patties, smaller patties, or bite-sized fritters ready to enjoy warm or at room temperature:

Storage Instructions

Once cooked, allow the chickpea quinoa patties to cool, and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Alternatively, spread them across a parchment-lined baking tray to flash freeze, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container/Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating or bake straight from frozen.

Reheat the chickpea quinoa burgers in a skillet with a small amount of oil or in an oven/air fryer for just a few minutes until they’re warmed. Avoid the microwave if you want any crispness.

More Vegan Chickpea Recipes

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

completed Quinoa Chickpea burger plated on a white surface

Easy Quinoa Chickpea Patties

4.91 from 98 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Total: 16 minutes
Servings: 3
Crispy chickpea quinoa patties are loaded with plant-based protein and fiber, contain hidden veggies, are super adaptable, and can be pan-fried, baked, or air fried until golden & crisp! A gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan appetizer, side, or main that's ready in about 20 minutes!

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal
  • 1 ½ tablespoons of warm water
  • 1 cup of cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup of cooked chickpeas
  • 1 cup of finely processed (chopped) veggies (I used kale, onions & carrots)
  • ¼ cup of all-purpose flour (or flour of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon of curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon of cumin
  • ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Buns (optional)
  • Burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, avocado, hot sauce, etc. (optional)

Instructions 

  • Add the flaxseed meal to a small bowl. Add water and mix well. Set in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • In a larger bowl, combine all the ingredients to form the veggie burger mixture, including your flaxseed meal mixture. If it’s too dry (depending on which veggies you’re using, you can add a TINY dash of water. You don’t want it to be too wet. If it is too wet and you cannot easily form patties, add a little bit of flour until you are happy with your mixture. Using a ¼ cup scoop, add your mixture and form your veggie burger patties into 6 to 8 burgers.
  • In a skillet heated over medium heat, add a drop of cooking oil/spray and cook veggie burgers until each side is golden brown. It should be around 3 minutes per side.
  • Optionally, place the finished veggie burger on your favorite toasted bun and load on the toppings (lettuce, tomato, avocado, hot sauce, etc.).

Video

Notes

  • To enhance the flavor: Sauté the vegetables first until lightly caramelized and tender.
  • Shred the veggies finely: Pulsing them in a food processor (or using a shredding disk) works wonderfully to get the job done in seconds. Alternatively, finely mince them by hand.
  • Adjust the size: Make veggie quinoa fritters, nuggets, small patties, or burgers from this one versatile recipe.
  • Pack the mixture tightly: When shaping the garbanzo bean burgers, squeeze firmly to pack the dough so it doesn’t fall apart while cooking. Wetting your hands can also help with the shaping process.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 10gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 270mgPotassium: 384mgFiber: 8gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3242IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 4mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Author: Lauren Bossi
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Method: Stovetop
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Lauren Bossi

My name is Lauren Bossi; I run Track & Field at the University of Hartford in CT. I’ve got a passion for running and plant-based eats. When I’m not wandering around the aisles of the grocery store I enjoy cooking, baking, photography, pun-writing and tag-saling.

More about Lauren Bossi

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I adore this recipe. I have made different versions of it, using diced onion and minced garlic as part of the standard base. I began making the recipe as is, then with taco seasoning to crumble over salads, nachos, or to make tacos, teriyaki style to use in wraps or on top of stir fry, and my latest version included pepper, salt, onion, and garlic seasonings with the addition of smoked paprika and hickory liquid smoke. So good. I like the fact that you can choose how many whole garbanzo beans to mash, or leave whole, varying the texture, and which veggies or added fillings to use, which customizes the outcome. Every version has been so good, and they freeze well. I tend to bypass bread and just create a “burger salad” with greens, veggies, black olives, sliced avocado, and burger sauce. This recipe is versatile, and it seems you just cannot go wrong, no matter how you serve it. I prefer larger patties, so I make them measuring 1/3 cup – 6 bugers in total, per batch. I bake them in a counter-top convection oven at 350 degrees, 12 minutes on each side. Perfection.

    Thank you for this incredible recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    These chickpea patties have the best texture and taste! They’re going to replace my prepackaged quinoa veggie burgers – they’re THAT good!