Giving falafel the veggie burger treatment—why didn’t we try that sooner? In this recipe, each bun is loaded up with double herby chickpea patties, plus all the fixings. Chickpeas are added to the food processor in two additions to ensure you get a mix of textures, some in larger pieces and some broken down. Panko and (surprise!) a bit of grated cheese helps to hold the patties together; we borrowed this technique from our favorite black bean burger recipe.
We found that for the easiest time assembling and cooking these patties, it’s best to gently press each one between two small pieces of parchment, and keep the patties on their parchment pieces until you’re ready to cook. Then just peel back the paper and you’re good to go. This recipe makes 10 patties, but only uses 8. Reserve the remaining two for another use—like topping a grain bowl or stuffing into a pita for lunch the next day.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
Makes 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cut out 11 small pieces of parchment paper (about 5x5"); set aside. Toss ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced, 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, and a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl. Let sit until ready to serve.
Step 2
Place ½ medium red onion, coarsely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, 1 jalapeño, coarsely chopped, 1 cup coarsely chopped tender herbs (such as parsley and/or cilantro), 1 tsp. ground cumin, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in a food processor, season with freshly ground pepper, and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape down sides, then add one 15.5-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed; pulse until finely chopped and homogeneous in size. Add remaining one 15.5-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed, and pulse a few times to coarsely chop, leaving some larger pieces. Transfer chickpea mixture to a large bowl; mix in 1 large egg, beaten to blend, 2 oz. white cheddar, coarsely grated, and 1 cup panko. Let sit 10 minutes (mixture should hold together when some is squeezed in your hand).
Step 3
Meanwhile, mix ¾ cup mayonnaise and 1 (heaping) Tbsp. harissa paste in a small bowl; set aside.
Step 4
Scoop out ⅓ cup chickpea mixture. Roll and pack into a tight ball with your hands. Place ball on a reserved parchment square on a surface. Place another square on top and press with your palm to form a ⅓"–½"-thick patty. Pat in any craggy bits to create smooth outer edges. Remove top piece of parchment. Repeat with remaining chickpea mixture to make 9 more patties, reusing top piece of parchment to smash all patties and leaving each patty on its own bottom piece of parchment.
Step 5
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Working in batches, cook 4 hamburger buns, cut sides down, until toasted, 1–2 minutes per batch. Transfer to plates.
Step 6
Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in same pan over medium-high. Working in 3 batches and using a slotted spoon to remove any stray bits of patties and adding more oil as needed between batches, lay patties in skillet, then peel away parchment. Cook until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Step 7
Build burgers with buns, lettuce leaves, sliced cucumbers, reserved harissa mayo, reserved pickled onion, and 2 patties each. (Wrap remaining 2 patties and reserve in refrigerator for another use. You can reheat in a dry hot skillet until warmed through, 1–2 minutes per side.)
Do Ahead: Patties can be formed 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly and chill.
Recipe notes
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