Description
Falafel-inspired chickpea veggie burgers filled with fresh flavor thanks to a handful of simple ingredients like herbs, garlic, & spices. The use of al dente chickpeas & pistachios give these meatless burgers satisfying, hearty texture. Developed specifically for grilling, these falafel chickpea burgers won’t stick to or fall apart on the grill – perfect for weeknight grilling & backyard BBQs this summer!
Naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, & vegan.
Ingredients
Scale
for the chickpeas:
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Chickpeas (dry), rinsed & picked over to remove any small rocks/pebbles
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 6 cups water
for the falafel burgers:
- 3 cups al dente chickpeas (above)
- 1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
- 1/2 medium red onion, peeled & roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded as desired & roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves & tender stems
- 1 cup packed parsley leaves & tender stems
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Garbanzo Fava Flour
- 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise or mayonnaise
- kosher salt & ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- nonstick cooking spray, for the grill grates
- for serving, as desired: warm pita or toasted burger buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber, sliced onion or pickled red onion, hummus, tahini sauce, etc.
Instructions
- Cook the chickpeas: Add chickpeas, garlic, bay leaves, salt, & water to an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Cover & cook with manual high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure in the pot. The chickpeas should be tender with al dente texture, a little firmer than that of canned chickpeas. Carefully strain off the cooking liquid. Remove & discard garlic & bay leaves. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Chop the pistachios, prep the falafel mixture: Add the pistachios to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl & set aside. T0 the same food processor, add the red onion, jalapeno, garlic, lemon zest, cilantro, parsley, cumin, & coriander, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer to the same mixing bowl as the pistachios. Add the drained & rinsed chickpeas to the same food processor & pulse until roughly chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer to the bowl with the pistachios & onion mixture. Add in the garbanzo fava flour & vegan mayonnaise. Stir until just combined. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="19493,19494,19495,19496"]
- Form the falafel burger patties: Divide the mixture into 4 even portions & shape into 1-inch thick burger patties. I find it’s easiest to roll each portion into a compact ball first, then pressing it into a patty shape. If the edges crack a little as you press it down, simply use your hands to press the edges in toward the center of the burger patty, keeping the mixture really tightly formed. It’s important that your chickpea burger patties are as compact as possible; this will help prevent them from crumbling or falling apart on the grill. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Set in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes while the grill preheats.
- Prep the grill: Prepare your grill for high heat direct cooking, about 550-600 degrees F. Make sure the grates are clean. Immediately prior to grilling, grease the grill grates. Generously oil a paper towel (or spritz it with nonstick cooking spray). Use the grill tongs to run the oiled paper towel over the grill grates.
- Grill the falafel burgers: Remove the falafel burgers from the freezer. Lightly brush avocado oil over each side, then carefully place on the prepared grill grates, directly over the fire. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once halfway through. Take care as you flip, working as gently as possible to keep the burgers from crumbling. If they stick to the grill grates, let them cook 1 minute longer to help them set up.
- Serve: Build your falafel burgers as desired. I like stuffing these falafel burgers in fresh pita with lettuce, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, pickled red onions & a generous drizzle of tahini sauce – delish! Enjoy!
Equipment
Instant Pot® Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker
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Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Garbanzo Fava Flour
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- Spicy Green Tahini: An easy, zippy sauce to pair with your grilled falafel burgers since you’ll already have nearly all of the ingredients you need! Add 2-3 cloves finely chopped or grated garlic to a small bowl with the juice of 1 lemon. Add 1/2 cup runny tahini to a food processor with 1/4 cup each packed cilantro & parsley leaves & tender stems, 1 jalapeno (deseeded as desired), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add in the garlic + lemon juice mixture. Process to combine. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in water until desired consistency is reached (about 1/4-1/3 cup water). Taste & adjust seasoning as desired. Set aside or transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Stovetop falafel burgers: If you do not have access to an outdoor grill, you can also cook these chickpea burgers on the stovetop. Rather than using a grill pan, I suggest using a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive or avocado oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the falafel burgers, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook according to Step 6 of Recipe Directions, above.
- Make-Ahead & Storage:
- Make-Ahead falafel burgers – refrigerator instructions: The chickpea burger patties can be mixed & formed up to 3 days in advance. Follow Steps 1-3 of Recipe Directions above. Rather than placing the formed patties on a baking sheet & freezing to chill, transfer the formed patties to an airtight container, separating them with a piece of wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’d like to make your falafel burgers, simply preheat the grill & get cookin’ – easy!
- Make-Ahead falafel burgers – freezer instructions: The chickpea burger patties can also be mixed, formed, & frozen. Follow Steps 1-3 of Recipe Directions above. Freeze as directed, transferring the frozen chickpea burger patties to a freezer container or freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator & re-shape as needed to ensure the burger patties are compactly formed when you place them on the grill.
- Storage: Leftover falafel burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- 20-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these grilled falafel burgers comes from cooking the chickpeas & prepping the veggies. Prep either or both in advance for a great head start on your grilled falafel burgers dinner – it’ll take 20 minutes (active), tops:
- Cook the chickpeas according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above. Strain as described & rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (10 minutes active prep)
- Prep the vegetables: Peel & roughly chop 1/2 red onion, roughly chop 1 jalapeno pepper (deseed as desired), & measure out 1 cup each packed cilantro & parsley tender leaves & stems. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)