You're seriously going to want to tie the knot with these burgers. With the irresistible combination of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil in both the patties and the sauce, these marry me burgers are a vegan flavor explosion, guaranteed to steal your heart. Best of all, they're surprisingly easy to make!
My marry me chickpeas and marry me soup are two of my favorite meals when I'm craving flavor-packed, hearty vegan comfort food. Both dishes are especially perfect for chilly nights! But we don't have many chilly nights in July. Fine, I'll still enjoy them, but I got to thinking: why not incorporate those flavors into something a little more seasonal? And thus, the marry me chickpea burger was born.
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These burgers have all the best elements of my previous marry me recipes — sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and garlic — packed into hearty chickpea-walnut patties and a creamy burger sauce that's perfect for slathering on top. What I love about this version is that you get all those delicious flavors in something that's a bit lighter and simple to make.
These burgers are destined to become a year-round favorite!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Walnuts. These add texture and a nice nutty flavor to the burgers. Pecans also work, and sunflower seeds are a great option if you've got a nut allergy.
- Chickpeas.
- Panko breadcrumbs.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. The recipe calls for dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Oil-packed will work, but you'll want to drain and blot them before using.
- Shallot. Red onion will also work in a pinch.
- Garlic.
- Tomato paste.
- Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed juice (not bottled!) for the best flavor.
- Fresh basil.
- Salt.
- Olive oil. You could substitute another neutral high-heat oil if you'd like.
- Vegan mayonnaise. Look for this either in the natural foods section or near the regular mayo at the store.
- Lemon zest.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Grind the walnuts. Place them into a food processor bowl, then run the machine until they're nice and ground — you want a coarse powder.
Step 2: Blend the ingredients. Add the rest of the burger ingredients: chickpeas, breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, basil, and salt. Just pulse the machine until everything is mixed, but still a little chunky.
Step 3: Cook the patties. Shape the mixture into about 4 (or as many as 6) patties, then cook them in an oiled skillet for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
Step 4: Mix the sauce. Stir vegan mayo, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, lemon zest, and minced garlic together in a small bowl.
Step 5: Serve. Stuff the patties into buns, slather them with sauce, and pile on your favorite burger toppings. I'm using red onion, tomato, and arugula (highly recommended!). Some vegan mozzarella or provolone-style slices also work great on these burgers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yup! Skip the panko breadcrumbs and grind ¾ cup of gluten-free rolled oats along with the walnuts in step 1. Also, make sure to use gluten-free buns.
They sure can! Bake the patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 400°F for about 15 minutes on each side, or until firm.
Yes, but, like many veggie burgers, they don't hold together very well on the grill. If you'd like to try it, I recommend baking them first as outlined above, but only for 10 minutes on each side, then finishing them on the grill.
You can! The patties and sauce will each keep in the fridge for about 4 days. Alternatively, you can follow the recipe up to step 2, then store the mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready, just thaw (if frozen), then shape and cook the patties as directed in the recipe.
More Vegan Burger Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chickpea Burgers
Ingredients
- ½ cup shelled walnuts
- 1 (15 ounce/425 gram) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes
- ¼ cup chopped shallot
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Olive oil, for pan-frying
For the Sauce
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dry packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
For Serving
- 4 burger buns
- Burger toppings of choice, such as vegan cheese, fresh greens, tomato, pickles, and sliced onion
Instructions
- Place the walnuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade, then blend them to a coarse powder.
- Add the chickpeas, breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes, shallot, garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, basil, and salt. Pulse the machine until the ingredients are finely chopped and well blended, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't overblend the mixture — keep some texture.
- Lightly oil the bottom of a medium skillet and place it over medium heat. Shape the chickpea mixture into 4 patties while the skillet heats up, then place them in the skillet, cooking only as many as you can fit at a time without crowding. Cook the patties for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Cook any remaining patties in subsequent batches, adding oil to the skillet as needed.
- Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Stuff the patties into buns and top them with the sauce and burger toppings of choice. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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