Easy Vegan Falafel Burger Recipe. Chickpea patties with 5 minute tahini dressing, tomatoes, onions, pickles make for a filling and flavorful burger. Vegan Soy-free Recipe. Ready within 30 Minutes. Can be made gluten-free. Pin it for later. Jump to Recipe
Everyone needs a falafel burger! A simple Chickpea burger with falafel flavors, tahini dressing, pickles, lettuce and other fixings.
This falafel burger uses cooked chickpeas, cumin, coriander, cardamom, parley, lemon and a binder and comes together within minutes. Pan fry until golden. Make the 5 minute Tahini dressing. Serve these between buns with a generous dressing or in a pita bread! Sesame seeds add an amazing flavor and crunch to the patties. Use breadcrumbs, or coarsely ground oats as binder. Make these flavorful soft moist falafel burger patties!
I prefer these panfried as baked chickpea patties tend to dry out a bit more. To bake these, make sure to add some additional moistue holding ingredients such as tahini and 1 flax egg(1 tbsp flax mixed in 2.5 tbsp water). The patties come together very quickly. Put everything in a processor, shape and pan fry. The whole sandwich or wrap, however you want to serve these are ready within 30 Minutes.
Oh yes, if you use all cilantro instead of parsley, serve these with chutneys of choice. Also, serve 1 patty per burger. The stacking is for photo purposes only ;).
More Burgers from the blog
- Lentil Quinoa “Meatloaf” Burger
- BBQ Veggie Burger with Mango Carrot Cabbage slaw
- Lentil Walnut Burgers.
- Red Lentil and Cauliflower Burger with Onion rings and Chipotle Habanero Mayo
- Grill-able Artichoke Cauliflower Spinach Bean Burger
- and a 35 Veggie burger collection round up!
Classic falafel uses dry chickpeas that are soaked overnight and used. Since I almost never deep fry, I have found that the soaked chickpeas dont work as well when pan fried or baked. If using dry chickpeas, cook them a bit before using for best results. See notes in the Recipe box.
If you make these, do tag me on Instagram and let me know in comments how it worked out!
Make the falafel mixture, chill and shape into patties. Pan fry until golden. I use both raw garlic and roasted garlic in these patties. Raw garlic can sometimes be a strong flavor profile, so use whichever garlic you prefer.
Serve in a burger or pita bread with toppings of choice.
Video:
Easy Vegan Falafel Burger
Ingredients
Falafel Patties:
- 30 oz canned chickpeas washed well and drained. or about 3 cups cooked
- 3/4 cup loosely chopped red onion
- 4 cloves of garlic , preferably roasted or lightly cooked to golden
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup parsley
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1.5 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp or more ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 to 1 tsp salt depends on whether the chickpeas are salted
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp or more lemon juice
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup more breadcrumbs use gluten-free crumbs, coarsely blended oats or gf flour to make gluten-free
Tahini dressing:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 clove of garlic
- a handful of fresh parsley
- 2 to 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup or more water
- 1/4 tsp salt
Other Toppings:
- Sliced tomato
- Sliced onions
- Sliced pickles dill cucumber pickle
- lettuce or greens
Instructions
Make the falafel Burgers:
- Drain the chickpeas, wash and drain well and keep ready.
- In a processor, add onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro and pulse to mince.
- Add the rest of the ingredients through oil and the chickpeas and pulse to make a coarse mixture.
- Transfer to a bowl and add sesame seeds and breadcrumbs and mix in. Add enough crumbs to make a soft doughy mixture. The dough will become less sticky as it chills.
- Chill the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes.Taste and adjust salt, tang, flavor(add more spices if oyu like) and heat and mix in.
- Shape into patties and pan fry on a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes per side.
Make the dressing:
- Blend everything under tahini dressing. Taste and adjust salt and tang. Add more tahini for thicker dressing and more water for thinner.
Assemble:
- Toast the burger buns. Assemble the burger with sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce or greens, falafel patties and a generous amount of tahini dressing, pickles. Add some hot sauce if you wish. Serve! I also often add a layer of hummus. Serve as burgers or in a pita bread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Janardan Mali says
August 29, 2016 at 4:38 pmThe recipe for Easy Vegan Falafel Burger is really easy. Thank you for sharing. What is sliced pickles?
Richa says
August 29, 2016 at 6:11 pmthey are dill cucumber pickles (cucumber slices in vinegar and spices). http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pickles/best-ever-dill-pickles/
Elizabeth Ballinger says
August 30, 2016 at 12:41 amHi Richa,
Thank you so very much for you recipes. Can these burgers be frozen?
Richa says
August 30, 2016 at 10:52 amYou can shape and freeze or parbake for 15 mins and then freeze. Thaw, pan fry and serve.
Brian Nevin says
August 30, 2016 at 5:46 amWhich ingredient is the binder?
Richa says
August 30, 2016 at 11:31 ambreadcrumbs
The Wooden Spoon says
August 30, 2016 at 3:32 pmThis sounds amazing. I love falafel and this sounds so easy! Thank you!
Vanessa says
August 30, 2016 at 4:30 pmThanks so much for this recipe! I’m going to make it today ????
Stephanie Dreyer says
September 2, 2016 at 7:52 amI have been craving a falafel burger and this looks like the perfect one! I am trying to cut out bread, so I think I will wrap this in romaine leaves instead of a bun. Looks amazing! Thank you!!
Cassie says
September 3, 2016 at 7:07 amAh, I love the taste of falafels! These patties look so tasty. Love the colors as well!
Naama says
September 7, 2016 at 3:11 amLooks amazing.
Do you think I can make a variation of it with lentils or sprouted mung beans? Got both ready to use in the fridge and dying to make some tasty patties with it…
Richa says
September 7, 2016 at 11:18 amYes, you can use any combination of lentils and beans. You might need to add more or less breadcrumbs depending on the moisture content and binding needed. Mash them well and use. I also make falafel balls with lentils and split peas. http://www.veganricha.com/2014/07/lentil-split-pea-falafel-bowl-with.html
Urban Blond says
September 12, 2016 at 3:55 amThat looks absolutely divine! <3 Cannot wait to make it. Thank you for sharing x
Pat C.Wilson says
September 12, 2016 at 10:32 pmnice recipe. looks so tasty! very simple to make a falafel burger but i think it’s full of energy for everyone in the morning. thanks for sharing, Richa.
Susan says
October 3, 2016 at 6:30 amcan we add an egg as a binder, instead of breadcrumbs? great recipe
Richa says
October 3, 2016 at 3:15 pmI haven’t used egg in a while, so I wouldn’t know. it would add too much moisture. Use flour instead.
The egg industry culls 100 million male chicks every year as soon as they are born, by grinding them up alive in machines or suffocating in trash bags. 100s of millions of hens live in horrible conditions, many die when their bodies give up after producing egg after egg. eventually the rest are electrocuted or scalded to death. There is no need to use eggs for taste or nutrition in everyday food, which is why I have a vegan blog with 1000s of egg-free recipes.
chase says
May 25, 2017 at 6:39 pmsusan you just got destroyed. richa you’re the best
Deborah Henderson says
August 12, 2017 at 10:55 amThank you for sharing this truth with those who haven’t seen it yet!
Robin B. says
October 26, 2016 at 7:02 amI have never commented on a blog before. This is the first recipe of yours that we tried. They were amazing. We have enjoyed every single recipe we have tried- veggies and lentils in peanut sauce, quinoa cauliflower bowl with almond siracha, kachumber salad. We are a busy family and appreciate that many recipes do not take an excessive amount of time to make (less than an hour is critical for us). We just bought your paperback. It cannot arrive quickly enough. Thank you and keep up the great work!
Jimbob says
January 11, 2017 at 11:29 pmWill the patties hold together without the oil? What are the alternatives (low fat)?
Thanks
Richa says
January 12, 2017 at 4:06 pmYes, they well. mash them well. Maybe add another tbsp of tahini and bake them.
Lydia says
January 20, 2017 at 12:44 pmgood chickpea flavor, but the falafel taste wasn’t that complex or dynamic. After adding some sunflower seeds for a nice crunch and some cumin, I enjoyed the patties much more
Richa says
January 20, 2017 at 12:45 pmThanks. maybe the cumin was a bit old? usually these are pretty flavorful. sunflower seeds are a great addition.
Richa says
August 14, 2017 at 12:16 pmAlso the added seeds will need additional spices
Emily says
January 27, 2017 at 4:00 pmThese patties always come out so amazingly! i make them in all sizes for variety of meals.
Greta says
March 24, 2017 at 9:51 pmMade this tonight for dinner and it was delightful! I made it into little felafel balls to go with my pita bread and I made 1.5 of this recipe for 5 of us. Let me tell you, we need a much bigger portion! These lovely falafels just keep creeping into my mouth like chicken poppers, but better for you.
The only thing I would change is to add more salt, since I used unsalted chickpeas so the result did not come out as salty as I would like it to be. Never the less, its delicious, delightful and pack full of spices. and flavour.
Also used a blendtec instead of food processor, a bit of a pain but I made it work!
catalina says
May 30, 2017 at 9:52 amHi. Great recipes. What do you use to shape the patties?
Thanks
Richa says
May 30, 2017 at 10:09 amI pack them in a cookie cutter, then tap the cutter to remove the patty. Flatten it more using your hands if needed.
Kary says
August 15, 2017 at 3:16 pmHI!
So I am in the process of making these burgers now. As I am frying them, I am noticing that they are not holding together very well and are a bit mushy… How can I fix this? Maybe I didn’t let them sit long enough?
Richa says
August 15, 2017 at 8:14 pmMaybe they need to be mashed a bit more? you can also add more flour to help bind if there is too much moisture. Chickpeas can be too crumbly or a bit over cooked and soft. Also, falafel texture is generally slightly crumbly.
Janet says
August 17, 2017 at 4:20 pmI tried making the falafel burgers. While they tasted GREAT, they fell apart. What can I do to keep them from breaking up the next time?
Richa says
August 19, 2017 at 12:11 amyou can add a flax egg ( 1 tbsp flax seed and 2.5 tbsp water mix and let sit for 2 minutes then use). and also mash the chickpeas well. Chickpeas depending on the brand can be well cooked or slightly less cooked and that affects the moisture content and texture. You can also add some cooked rice or quinoa for additional binding.
Jeroen says
August 29, 2017 at 9:34 amThanks for this recipe. Just made them me and my wife lovend them
Dipesh says
November 30, 2017 at 10:58 pmDear Richa,
Can you please tell me how to make tahini sauce?😇
Richa says
December 10, 2017 at 8:39 pmhttps://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-tahini-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-203314 its toasted sesame seed paste. Toast and blend sesame seeds with bit of olive oil
Fatma Al-Hilal says
December 29, 2017 at 7:48 amI tired the recipe and the burgers melted and broke apart so bad when I was pan frying
Plz help it smells amazing but it failed
Richa says
January 22, 2018 at 2:36 pmMaybe it needed more binding (breadcrumbs or flour) or if it was dry crumbly, then add some tahini. Pack them really well
dee says
March 14, 2018 at 9:42 amUrggghhh… no lemon juice for the falafel Any subs?
Richa says
March 14, 2018 at 10:25 amvinegar, half the amount
Dee says
March 14, 2018 at 10:56 amI used fresh oj
Tonia says
April 4, 2018 at 9:04 amdo you think they would hold on a grill?
Richa says
April 4, 2018 at 8:43 pmAdd another flaxmeal, some more flour and pack them really well and they should work
Emily says
May 2, 2019 at 10:22 amMade these for dinner yesterday. Smaller patties and we put them in pita wraps with cucumber, lettuce, tomato, the dressing. So delicious!
Marianne says
May 30, 2019 at 3:18 pmLoved this recipe. I was able to make it in my vitamix. Wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but it was great! I used a combination of ground flax seed and gluten free quick oats and they came together nicely! Love the taste and will make again!
Richa says
May 30, 2019 at 3:46 pmawesome!
Sangeeta says
July 7, 2019 at 11:43 amIs there a store bought Tahini that you recommend. Recipe looks amazing!
Richa says
July 7, 2019 at 11:54 amSoom and whole foods brands are good
Janet says
July 7, 2019 at 2:04 pmLove Trader Joe’s tahini!!!
Sunita says
November 2, 2019 at 5:49 pmHi RIcha, Recipe looks interesting. But question… As per the ingredients and quantity…does it make 2 patties for one burger or 1 patty per burger?
Richa says
November 2, 2019 at 8:44 pmit makes 5 patties.
Eileen Reich says
May 3, 2020 at 5:17 amThis was THE most delicious recipe but couldn’t get it to bind despite adding some aquafaba and more bread crumbs. I see that you have suggested flour. Is there supposed to be flour in this recipe anyway or are you just suggesting it if we can’t get them to bind? Also I noticed that when you list the breadcrumbs in the ingredient list, it says 1/2 cup “more”. Does this mean that there were bread crumbs used in the early part of the recipe and you are adding more or does it mean 1/2 cup or more.
I really want to make this work b/c the spices are perfect and it couldn’t be more delicious.
Thank you.
Vegan Richa Support says
May 3, 2020 at 8:29 pmGF flour is an option only if you didn’t want to use breadcrumbs. 1/2 cup is a starting point; you may have to add more until the mixture reaches a soft doughy consistency. There’s only one time you add them which is after step 3. (Add the rest of the ingredients through oil and the chickpeas and pulse to make a coarse mixture.)
Brittny says
June 22, 2020 at 7:59 pmAt what temperature and for how long would you recommend baking the burgers? We don’t have a grill or skillet.
Vegan Richa Support says
June 22, 2020 at 8:23 pmoil/spray the baking sheet first and go at 375* for 30-40 minutes. parchment optional
Brittny says
June 23, 2020 at 11:22 amThank you!
Aman says
July 25, 2020 at 8:55 pmAnd do we need turn them through halfway point or we don’t need to?
Baking these would make it even easier.
Aman says
July 25, 2020 at 8:52 pmRicha,
This recipe was so delicious. Love the flavors and it was easy to make. Thanks!
Cynthia says
August 13, 2020 at 6:41 pmRicha this was better than any falafel sandwich I’ve ever had!! Your blog is the best thing that has happened in 2020 <3