Chickpea Beet Smash Burger
This Chickpea Beet Smash Burger is hearty, colorful, and full of flavor. Made with chickpeas, beets, and spices, each burger is smashed on a hot skillet for crispy edges and tender centers. Serve two patties per bun with your favorite toppings for a satisfying plant-based burger night.
Equipment
- Food processor (such as a Cuisinart)
- Medium cookie scoop or ¼ cup measurement
- Flattop or large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 8 ounce grated beet (about 1 cup; pre-cooked packaged beets work well)
- 2 tbsp red onion, roughly chopped
- ½-1 jalapeno or serrano, optional for heat
- ½ cup rolled oats (or ¼ cup oat flour + ¼ cup oats, or all oat flour)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp flaxseed (optional, helps the burger bind)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- Oil for cooking (olive or avocado oil)
For Serving
- 4 hamburger buns of choice (plan for 2 patties per burger)
- 4-8 slices vegan cheese (optional)
Optional Toppings
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Lettuce (shredded romaine or butter lettuce)
- Sliced red onion
- Pickles
Instructions
- Blend the mixture: Add the 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, 8 oz grated beet, 2 tbsp red onion, ½–1 jalapeño, ½ cup oats, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp flaxseed, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to a food processor. Pulse until just blended but still slightly textured—don’t over-process. Scrape down sides if needed,
- Chill: Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up.
- Shape into patties: Using a medium cookie scoop (2 scoops of about 2 tbsp each) or measuring spoon/cup, scoop about ¼ cup mixture per patty. Roll into balls.
- Cook the burgers: Heat a drizzle of oil on a flattop or large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the balls onto the hot surface and cook for about 3–4 minutes until the bottoms are dark golden. Flip, then press down firmly with the back of a spatula to smash into patties about the size of your buns. Cook another 4–5 minutes until deeply browned, then flip once more for about 1–2 minutes to finish. Add vegan cheese slices in the last minute, if using, to melt.Tip: Use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to smash the patties evenly. Lightly oil the spatula or cup beforehand to prevent sticking.Tip 2: For faster cheese melt, add a splash of water to the pan and cover.
- Toast and assemble: Toast the 4 buns lightly, then build your burgers with patties, toppings of choice - mayo, mustard, lettuce, onion, pickles - and serve immediately.
Notes
Burger press hack
If you don’t have a heavy spatula, use the bottom of a flat measuring cup or small pan to smash the patties evenly.
Color check
The beets give the patties a deep pink hue—don’t worry, they’ll darken as they cook and hold together better once browned.
Crust is key
Let the patties cook undisturbed long enough to develop a browned crust before flipping—this makes them sturdy, flavorful, and totally irresistible.
Make it gluten-free
Swap regular buns for your favorite gluten-free burger buns or serve wrapped in lettuce. Also make sure you are using gluten-free oats!
Storage
The uncooked burger mixture can be stored in the fridge as pre-shaped balls for 2–3 days. Cook fresh when ready.
Meal prep tip
Cooked patties can also be refrigerated or frozen and reheated on a skillet or in the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 burgerCalories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 14gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.5gSodium: 630mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 3.8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!