Chickpea-quinoa Burgers with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Simple meatless burgers aren’t tough to make and you can experiment by adding so many different ingredients to the mix. This recipe for Chickpea-quinoa Burgers with Sun Dried Tomatoes was one of those experiments that turned out great!

The other day I was set to make a batch of black bean burgers but, unbelievably, there was no trace of black beans in my pantry. Instead of running to the store, I dug around (not very far) and came out with a can of chickpeas. They would do the trick, and by swapping in a few ingredients I hadn’t planned on using, I would still have a batch of tasty, meatless burgers in no time.

This recipe for Chickpea-quinoa Burgers with Sun Dried Tomatoes is a classic example of making the most of what you have on hand. I like the addition of both the Swiss chard and sun dried tomatoes. The stems of the chard were a bonus because they added a bit of crunch. Spinach – or just about any greens – could always take the place of the chard. The tang of the sun dried tomatoes paired well with the mild chickpeas.

All in all, this was a great workaround burger! Really, what’s the worst that could happen when you experiment with good ingredients?

Serve these burgers with your favorite toppings like cheese or maybe a bit of mayo. I whipped up a super-simple dressing to top mine:

Lemon-yogurt Dressing:

• 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Juice and zest of half a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Mix the ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe for Chickpea-quinoa Burgers with Sun Dried Tomatoes:
Yields 8 burgers

INGREDIENTS

• 1, 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 6 ounces sun dried tomatoes in oil, diced
• 2 large Swiss chard leaves, washed and chopped into small pieces, including stems
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Juice and zest from half a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Pulse just a few times (you want some of the chickpeas to remain chunky).
3. In a large bowl, combine the chickpea mixture with the sun dried tomatoes, Swiss chard, onion, cooked quinoa (cool to the touch), Parmesan cheese (if using), lemon juice and zest, salt, black pepper, and cumin.
4. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together so the ingredients are well combined. You may need to add about 1 tablespoon (or less) of olive oil to the mixture to moisten it slightly. Continue to mix with your hands until combined.
5. Form the mixture into patties, 4 inches in diameter and about an inch thick.
6. Place the patties on the lined baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. They should be lightly crisp on both sides.
7. Serve with your favorite toppings or with the Lemon-yogurt Dressing.

Yields 8 burgers