Chickpea Burgers with Cucumber Dill Dip
I made these chickpea burgers and they were great! I used a cucumber dill dip instead of tahini sauce because tahini was too expensive. It worked perfectly! This recipe is a lighter take on falafel, perfect for a quick and healthy meal.
I made these chickpea burgers and they were great! I used a cucumber dill dip instead of tahini sauce because tahini was too expensive. It worked perfectly! This recipe is a lighter take on falafel, perfect for a quick and healthy meal.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
- 19 ounce chickpeas rinsed
- 4 scallions trimmed and sliced
- 2 whole-wheat pitas halved and warmed, 6-1/2-inch, if desired
- tahini sauce
- 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini see ingredient note
- 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
- Carbohydrate 370.990345302605 g
- Cholesterol 200.820000012427 mg
- Fat 84.8011036017065 g
- Fiber 100.597779625972 g
- Protein 131.250263720496 g
- Saturated Fat 13.3385709540105 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (992g)
- Sodium 619.105575577894 mg
- Sugar 270.392565676633 g
- Trans Fat 9.92568158963234 g
- Calories 2692 calories
Step-by-step
- To prepare burgers: Place chickpeas, scallions, egg, flour, oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a coarse mixture forms that holds together when pressed. (The mixture will be moist.) Form into 4 patties.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.
- To prepare sauce & serve: Meanwhile, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Divide the patties among the pitas and serve with the sauce.
Roots in Tradition
Ground legume patties date back centuries across the Middle East and North Africa. While traditional falafel relies exclusively on soaked, uncooked dried chickpeas and deep-frying, this adaptation utilizes canned legumes and shallow-frying in a skillet. Processing the chickpeas with raw aromatics and binding agents creates a cohesive mass without requiring a deep fat immersion tank.
Achieving Structural Integrity
Success depends entirely on pulsing the food processor correctly. Stop when the mixture remains coarse and holds together under pressure, rather than reducing it to a smooth paste. Over-processing releases too much interior starch, creating a dense, gummy texture that fails to crisp properly in the pan.
Execution and Storage
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat before adding the patties. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown and develops a crisp crust before flipping for an additional 2 to 4 minutes. Uncooked burger mixtures and accompanying sauces can be stored safely in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
