If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I absolutely LOVE healthy fast food. This means vegan burgers & co that are made with fresh and healthy ingredients instead of meat, white flour, lots of flavor enhancers, and a couple of pathetic-looking cucumbers and half-faded lettuce. The burgers we have are usually packed with tons of nutrients, veggies, and lots of spices like this vegan chickpea quinoa power burger.
It really deserves its name as a “power burger”. Besides quinoa and chickpeas it contains lots of fresh vegetables like mushrooms, red bell pepper, celery, and carrots. I also used garlic, a red onion, lots of spices, mustard, and liquid smoke, which is, however, optional but really gives the veggie burgers a great smoky taste. Quinoa is super healthy and we have it at least once or twice a week. It’s packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It contains 50% more iron than wheat and is also rich in calcium. Besides its protein is high in essential amino acids, so it really is the perfect garnish or even the main part of a meal like in these vegan quinoa burgers.
Plus, quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest. So what is there not to love about quinoa, right?! We topped the chickpea quinoa power burger off with some tomato and avocado slices, lettuce, BBQ sauce, and some mustard. To make them stick together, I used two teaspoons of carob gum powder. If you can’t find it, guar gum works as well. You can also leave it out and the burgers will still be great, just a bit softer.
If you’re looking for more ideas on how to use quinoa, check out these 40 vegetarian quinoa recipes by Kiersten from Oh My Veggies. I also love using quinoa for salads and bowls.
This chickpea quinoa burger is one of our favorite burgers right now! I think we had it like three times over the last two weeks. And of these two weeks we were on a trip to Amsterdam for 5 days during which we didn’t cook much, so you clearly see how much we like it. Haha!
We also had some great vegan food on our trip to the Netherlands. It’s super easy to find vegan food there. I had some people asking me on Instagram how I knew where to look for vegan restaurants and one girl even said that she had such a hard time in Amsterdam because she didn’t find anything vegan. I usually use an app called Happy Cow on all my trips. It’s also accessible online without the app and it shows you all vegan, vegetarian, and veggie-friendly restaurants world-wide. It also gives you a map with all the restaurants, just like Google maps, which makes it super easy to use. I travel a lot and I’ve already used it on several trips to the U.S., Canada, Asia, and Europe and it always works really well.
Amsterdam is really worth a visit not just because of its great vegan places. Its historical canals are sooo beautiful and we were lucky and had lots of sunshine! We visited the Anne Frank house, which was extremely sad and really makes you think about your own life and what real problems are. I’ve read Anne’s diary and one of the many biographies, but I never imagined the place to be this depressing with the black curtains that always had to remain closed and everything being so small for eight people…
I also really loved the colorful tulips that were just EVERYWHERE all over Amsterdam! Unfortunately the trees just began to turn green again and we were a bit early, but April is the best season to see all these beautiful Dutch tulips.
I hope you like this chickpea quinoa power burger as much as we do! Let me know if you give them a try. :-)
If you’re looking for more veggie burgers, check out this roundup of 35 delicious vegan burgers:
Have a great week, everyone. Talk to you soon! xx
Chickpea Quinoa Power Burger
Ingredients
For the chickpea quinoa power patties:
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas
- 1 flax egg (1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoons water, soaked for 5 minutes)
- 2 stalks celery, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
- 5 medium mushrooms, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 medium carrot, cut into small pieces
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoons guar gum or carob gum If you can't find it, you can also leave it out and the burgers will still be great, just a bit softer.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- black pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
For the burgers:
- 4 whole wheat buns
- 2 tomatoes, cut into slices
- 2 avocado, cut into slices
- lettuce
- BBQ-sauce
- mustard
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Use vegetable broth instead of water. Set aside.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Mash with a fork. Leave some of the chickpeas still intact for texture.
- In a large pan, heat some oil and sauté the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the red bell pepper, the celery, the mushrooms, and the carrots and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- In a large bowl combine the quinoa, the mashed chickpeas, the flax egg, and the cooked veggies. Add the spices, the mustard, guar gum, salt, pepper, and if using the liquid smoke and red pepper flakes and stir well.
- Form 4 patties and heat some oil in a large pan. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on each side until golden. Serve on whole wheat buns and top them off with tomatoes, avocados, lettuce, BBQ sauce, and mustard.
Asya
I cannot wait to try this recipe, but I do have a question. This will be my first time cooking with mushrooms. Is there a certain mushroom you recommend? The produce aisle carries so many varieties and shapes of mushrooms I usually stay clear of them. I was not a huge fan of mushrooms growing up, but as I got older I realized they usually take on the flavor of the dish. Also, if you have any tips and tricks on mushrooms please include them for me.
Sina
Hi Asya,
Thanks for your comment. I used champignon mushrooms (or white buttons, however you wanna call them). They’re my favorite kind of mushrooms for these kinds of recipes. I usually don’t wash them because it’s bad for the flavor, so I just use a brush to clean them and then just cut them into slices and cook them for about 3 minutes on high heat. Hope you like the burgers! :-)
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes
Wow! Now that’s one good looking power burger! I can’t wait to make this at a summer bbq!
Sina
Glad you like it, Vanessa! Oh it can’t wait for summer! :-)
Manju | Cooking Curries
That is my kind of burger! love quinoa and chickpeas especially the combination in a burger patty!
Sina
Thanks, Manju!
Howie Fox
Woahh, these patties look absolutely amazing!! Will give them a shot for this years grill season :D
Sina
Glad you like them, Howie!
Sheryl
Did you grill these? How did they turn out?
Amanda
Nothing satisfies like a veggie burger. The combination of quinoa and chickpeas sounds great. I could really use one of these right now!
Sina
I wish I could just send you one through the screen, Amanda. ;-)
mel@avirtualvegan.com
What a lot of flavour you’ve packed into these gorgeous burgers! They sound and look delicious. You can’t beat a good good veggie burger!
Sina
Totally agree with that, Mel! I just LOVE veggie burgers. <3
Linda @ Veganosity
This burger is as colorful as the fields of tulips in Holland. :) I love the ingredients in this healthy burger, and I would love to go to the places you went to on your trip. Sounds perfect.
Uma Srinivas
Loved your ingredient and i agree this is powerful with so much flavor! Looks so delicious and i will try this soon and let you know!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
These are beautiful, the way you styled them and those super seedy buns! I get really excited about burgers with tons of flecks of color in them because that means lots of veggie goodness packed inside! As if chickpeas and quinoa wasn’t already powerful and tasty enough, the mushrooms and carrots and celery make these a little self contained perfect meal! Tulips everywhere!? Do you have pics, that sounds lovely!
Sophia, Veggies Don't Bite
I LOVE veggie burgers! I would pretty much eat any kind out there. These look so flavorful and delicious. Pass me a few!
Aimee / Wallflower Kitchen
Chickpeas are the best! These look SO delicious!
Kelly @ TastingPage
This is a great burger, and yes I agree, it deserves the term power because there’s so many great ingredients in here and it’s bound to help you get through your day!
Letty / Letty's Kitchen
I’m always on the lookout for a good veggie burger. Pinned this one. Thanks!
Sina
Thanks for sharing, Letty!
Nicole Dawson
I always love a good vegan burger and these look like they’d be full of so much flavor!
Sina
They really are, Nicole. :-)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Those sure are power burgers! You packed in just about everything you could ever want!
Sina
Glad you like them, Rebecca! :-)