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    You are here: Home / Mains / CAJUN CHICKPEA BURGER

    CAJUN CHICKPEA BURGER

    Published: Aug 11, 2016 · Modified: Sep 13, 2022 by Sophie · 26 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    cajun chickpea burger mad with roasted cauliflower and homemade cajun spice. Cauliflower harvestingI wish the story behind these cajun chickpea burgers came from a place of "wellness", but it is a little more dubious. The other week Adam and I basically pulled an all-nighter, staying up with friends playing records, debating ways to deal with climate change, and even some flamenco dancing, well into the night until it was basically time to get up. If this had occurred ten years ago, I'd now be telling you about how I went to work the next day or took a final in my Sociological Theory class, but it's not. Instead, being the thirty-year-olds we are, we were goners. We spent the next day recoöperating like coffee addicted zombies in our sweats, binge-watching Stranger Things on Netflix, and telling ourselves we'll never do that again.

    To feed our self-pity, I bravely ventured from the house to pick us up some ingredients for veggie burgers. After spending far too long in the Frozen Food aisle aimlessly looking at the unpronounceable ingredients of pre-made patties, I simply just grabbed a can of chickpeas and headed home.

    THE BURGERS 

    Cajun chickpea burgers are something we both love and they are perfect for this time of year, with all its outdoor eating and BBQ-ing (and subsequent BBQ hangovers). Based on the 'meaty' cajun chicken burger, this version utilizes canned chickpeas and our favourite veggie, cauliflower. Roasting the cauliflower helps to caramelize the sugars while also reducing the overall water content in the veggie. This helps prevent a soggy patty and the need for adding too much flour to the finished product.

    Chickpeas add a boost of protein and a great texture, lending themselves perfectly to whatever flavours you throw at them. The first time we ate these I used a chilli powder my mum had gotten from the Punjabi market, which was much spicier than the regular grocery store variety. So, if you're like me and like a little bit of heat, feel free to use a hotter kind of chilli, or even a little more than the recipe calls for.

    Homemade cajun spice flavouring cajun chickpea burger made with chickpeas, cauliflower, and homemade cajun spicecajun chickpea burger ingredients cajun chickpea patties with herby sauce

     


    chopped cauliflower sauce ingredients

    Recipe

    Print Recipe
    4.72 from 7 votes

    CAJUN CHICKPEA + CAULIFLOWER BURGER

    Roasted cauliflower and chickpeas flavour with homemade cajun seasoning. The perfect veggie-based cajun burger.
    Prep Time40 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time50 minutes mins
    Servings: 4
    Author: Sophie MacKenzie

    Equipment

    • Measuring cups and spoons
    • Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper
    • Heavy bottom frying pan
    • Food processor

    Ingredients

    Burger Base

    • ½ Cauliflower cut into smallish florets (about 3 cups)
    • 4 ½ teaspoons Oil plus a little more for cooking the patties
    • Sea Salt
    • Pepper
    • Smoked Paprika
    • ½ Onion chopped (¾ cup)
    • 2 cloves Garlic sliced
    • 1 Can Chickpeas rinsed
    • 1 Batch Cajun Mix Recipe Below
    • 2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley or Cilantro
    • 3 tablespoons Chickpea Flour

    Cajun Spice Mix

    • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
    • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ½ Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Chili Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

    Garlic Lemon Dressing

    • ½ cup Yogurt Plant-based or otherwise
    • 1 pinch Sea Salt and Pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
    • 1 Garlic Grated
    • ½ teaspoon Olive Oil
    • 1 tablespoon Fresh Herbs Cilantro, Parsley, or Chive

    Instructions

    • Heat the oven to 205°C (400°F). Cut the cauliflower up and measure about three cups. Toss it with 3 teaspoons of your favourite cooking oil, a big pinch of sea salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, stirring after 20. You want them nice and crispy and delicious.
    • Meanwhile, add the chopped onion to a heavy bottom frying pan over medium-low heat, along with 1 ½ teaspoons of oil. Sweat until it begins to soften, then add the garlic for a few minutes before removing from the heat. You'll have plenty of time now to slice up avocado, tomatoes, make the Garlic Sauce, Cajun mix, or watch some Netflix.
    • Once the cauliflower is cooked, you can begin to make the burgers. In a food processor (or in my case the dry container for a Vitamix), add the Cajun Spice Mix, Chickpeas, cilantro, and onions and garlic and puree until it's about halfway smooth but with a few chunky beans remaining. Scrape down the sides if needed then toss in the cauliflower and pulse a little more. You want it fairly uniform in texture with some chunky cauliflower goodness. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and work in the flour. Let it hang out for a few minutes for the flour to absorb the liquid.
    • Divide into four burgers and fry in a little oil (I used the pan from the onions) on both sides until crispy and brown. Once cooked I like to pop my burgers in a 190°C (375°F) oven (I used the cauliflower roasting tray...see a theme here), for about 10 minutes.
    • Serve on toasted buns with garlic sauce if desired, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, avocado, mustard, or whatever your faves are.

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lysandre says

      March 18, 2021 at 6:04 am

      I tried it and love it !! But I had a hard time to keep togheter the mixture. They were too ''mushy''. Maybe I did not put enought flour ? I'll tried again some day, but the taste was really really good 🙂

      Reply
    2. Ally says

      August 10, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      Where's the Garlic Sauce ingredients?

      Reply
      • Blair Brown says

        March 16, 2021 at 12:15 pm

        I’m looking for the same. Just scoured the website for the garlic sauce and CANT find it anywhere. 🙁

        Reply
        • Sophie says

          March 17, 2021 at 8:52 am

          It is in the recipe card under Garlic Lemon Dressing 🙂

          Reply
      • Sophie says

        March 17, 2021 at 8:52 am

        It is in the recipe card under Garlic Lemon Dressing 🙂

        Reply
    3. Shawna says

      June 18, 2017 at 1:59 am

      So we made these, I'm so excited for the flavor! However, they didn't firm up at all. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Sophie says

        June 25, 2017 at 12:18 am

        Hello Shawna! I'm so happy to hear you like the flavour, but that's too bad about the texture. I'm guessing different cauliflowers have different water content and maybe you just got a nice juicy one. I think adding a little more chickpea flower or some ground flax would help bind them together next time. Let me know how it goes 🙂

        Reply
    4. Kirstie Young says

      November 15, 2016 at 12:42 pm

      These look gorgeous! Do they freeze OK too?

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        November 15, 2016 at 10:40 pm

        Thanks so much, Kirstie! I haven't tried freezing them, but I don't see why not (especially after being cooked)

        Reply
    5. Dani says

      September 13, 2016 at 4:56 pm

      Looks great! I will try these the next weekend.
      I have one question: Is it one whole garlic that you use for the dressing, or just one clove?

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        September 13, 2016 at 5:37 pm

        Thanks a bunch, Dani! They are the perfect weekend meal. I used one clove (I'll fix that for clarity) but if you love garlic like me, you might want to add a little more. xox Sophie

        Reply
    6. Vegan Recipes says

      August 22, 2016 at 2:49 pm

      Wonderful burger recipe, I love how it looks!:) I love your photos. I love the mix of cauli and chickpeas, so yummy!

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        September 06, 2016 at 6:50 pm

        Oh, you're the sweetest! So happy you love the pics, that makes my day! xox

        Reply
    7. Christine markulev says

      August 17, 2016 at 9:38 pm

      Thanks for a healthy and yummy burger.2 ? Can you keep cooking in the frypan instead of 10 minutes in the oven and if refer to make my own organic chick peas thanks

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        September 06, 2016 at 6:54 pm

        Hello Christine! Yes, you can totally use your own chickpeas, no problem. As for baking the patties, that should be fine too. Bake them on parchment paper at 375 F ( 190 C) for maybe 15 minutes before flipping. I'm not sure how long they'll take, but I'm guessing 30 minutes should be a good start.

        Reply
    8. Jodi says

      August 14, 2016 at 7:30 pm

      Sophie! Your cauliflower is gorgeous! And these photos are even more beautiful - I'm in love. Give me that burger on a good day and I'd be happy - but on a day when I really feel like an old lady - ohh yes please! All nighters are far behind us, heck anything after 10pm is a doozy 😉 Ahh to getting old and being wiser, and well fed! xo

      Reply
    9. Jennifer says

      August 14, 2016 at 12:33 pm

      I'm gonna save this for later, it looks amazing!!
      Jen / Velvet Spring x

      Reply
    10. danielle | rooting the sun says

      August 13, 2016 at 2:13 am

      Sophie - this is exactly everything I want in this moment of August. I love the combination of chickpea and cauliflower. We're going to have to make these this week! -- PS, it truly is amazing the feats I could wing just about ten years ago with all my zest, candor, and young, over-exuberant lust for life. THESE DAYS - yes please to netflix and sweats. xoxo

      Reply
    11. Jessie Snyder | Faring Well says

      August 12, 2016 at 4:37 pm

      I'm kind of freaking out about this recipe right now girl. This flavor combo is sheer brilliance, and the roasting of the cauliflower? Amazing, Sophie, I need this. And as for the "next day recovery" bit, I had a good laugh, we are so the same now! Oh to jump back ten years. xo

      Reply
    12. Tuulia Talvio says

      August 12, 2016 at 12:02 pm

      This look so good Sophie! I wouldn't mind having one now 🙂 Plus I love how simple the pattie recipe is, as I feel they usually have like 20 ingredients and that just exhausts me. So gonna try this one asap! Have a lovely weekend, sending hugs from Finland! xo

      Reply
    13. Elenore Bendel Zahn says

      August 11, 2016 at 6:42 pm

      OMG I want this now now now now!! Beautiful story and beautiful recipe. No voluntary all-nighters here but ugh there are so many.. Biggest hug!

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        August 11, 2016 at 7:33 pm

        Oh, how I wish I could just show up at your door right now with a plate of burgers! Tell those boys they'll have plenty of time for all night parties later, mama needs her sleep <3 Much love to you friend! xox

        Reply
    14. Medha says

      August 11, 2016 at 3:04 pm

      This cauliflower and chickpea burger looks so hearty! I love plant-based burgers when they are homemade and this one really packs a protein punch 🙂

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        August 11, 2016 at 7:30 pm

        So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Medha! Homemade is def the way to go <3

        Reply
    15. Tracy says

      August 11, 2016 at 10:27 am

      Might be a typo or play on recipe but it says chicken above ingredient list

      Reply
      • sophamac@gmail.com says

        August 11, 2016 at 7:28 pm

        lol, I guess thats what I get having my partner proof-read 😉 Thanks Tracy <3

        Reply

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