This is a variation of our bean burgers base recipe. Plant-forward diets should not be restrictive or boring, which is why we created this delicious bean burger recipe! This Indian veggie burger provides lots of flavor, moisture, and protein to satisfy your plant-based burger cravings!
Three Must-Know Cooking Skills
For recipe success, learn how to:
Learn how to slice and dice like a pro in our knife skills 101 course!
Culinary Tips for the Best Indian Burger Recipe
Drain the chickpeas to remove excess sodium. Mash to the texture you like. You can leave them slightly chunky or keep mashing to resemble refried beans.
If you have picky eaters, dice the onion finely so that they don’t notice them.
Match the patty size to your bun, noting that they will slightly shrink as they cook.
Do not overcook the patties or else they will dry out. Once the edges are brown, remove them from the oven.
You can cook Indian veggie burgers on the stovetop instead of the oven, but note they don’t stay together quite as well. Heat a skillet over medium. Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add the patties. Cook 3-4 minutes per side.
If cooking bean burgers on the stovetop, remember the 3 F’s of flavor: fire, fat, and food! Heat your pan, heat your oil, then add the burgers. Once the burgers are on the skillet, don’t move them around. Keeping them in place helps ensure maximum flavor development and browning.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chickpeas: substitute any low-sodium beans of your choice. Black, pinto, cannellini, kidney, etc. You can also use 3 cups of leftover beans from our stovetop or Instant Pot beans base recipes.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: substitute plain, whole wheat, or seasoned bread crumbs, but cut back on the added salt if you do. Panko is typically very low in sodium.
- Cilantro: substitute chives. Don’t have fresh herbs on hand? Substitute 1 Tablespoon dried herbs.
- Red Onion: substitute shallots or white, yellow, or green onions. You can also substitute ½ teaspoon onion powder.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: substitute canola or avocado oil.
- Eggs: substitute two flax eggs to make vegan bean burgers. To make two flax eggs, mix 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseeds with 6 Tablespoons water. Let sit for 10 minutes or until thickened.
- Garam Masala: if you don’t have garam masala, you can make your own! Use 1 ½ teaspoons of the following mixture:
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- Garlic Cloves: substitute 1 teaspoon pre-minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic flakes, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Ginger: substitute ¼ teaspoon ginger powder.
- Oil for the Pan: substitute cooking spray.
We love buying our spices from The Spice House. Click on the picture below to view & try out hundreds of flavorful spices and herbs!
Recipe Variations
Turn these Indian veggie burgers into sliders by reducing the patty size to ~2 inches in diameter.
To make spicy Indian burgers, add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or ½ of a minced jalapeño to the bean mixture.
Not ready to fully give up the meat in a burger? Try out our bean and beef burgers base recipe!
Want some burger flavor inspiration?
Use our bean burgers base recipe as a guide, then have fun exploring other flavors, ingredients, and textures!
Equipment Recommendations
Use these kitchen tools for recipe success:
- Mixing Bowl
- Masher
- Measuring Spoons & Cups
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Pastry brush
- Portion scoop
- Baking sheet or griddle
Find all of our favorite pieces of kitchen equipment here!
Is this Indian veggie burger recipe healthy?
These easy bean burgers are a much healthier choice than their greasy counterparts. Unlike beef, beans provide fiber and no saturated fat. The featured ingredients in this recipe are chickpeas, spices, and fresh herbs.
Chickpeas
Beans of all varieties contain plant-based protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients promote gut health, decrease risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and promote a healthy weight. Beans are a key component of longevity diets around the world.
Spices
Many of the spices in this recipe have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Spices also add flavor without adding sodium, which can help reduce your risk of or help manage high blood pressure.
Learn more about the health benefits of spices here!
Fresh Herbs
Not only do fresh herbs add a pop of freshness and flavor to a dish, but they add nutrition too! Herbs are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that promote health and help fight diseases.
Learn more about health benefits of different foods and ingredients or in our book, To Your Taste!
Indian Veggie Burger Serving Suggestions
Serve these bean veggie burgers with our curry ketchup or traditional ketchup, mustard, lettuce and tomato, a tasty pesto spread, chutney, or pickled veggies and avocado. Pair with roasted vegetables and a salad to make a beautiful Whole Life Plate!
Serve leftover patties crumbled on baked tostadas or quesadillas, or on top of a green salad drizzled with vinaigrette.
How to Store and Reheat Bean Burgers
Cool leftover burgers completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Leftover burgers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-4 hours. Once the burgers are partially frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating.
To reheat, place bean burgers on a pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to heat to 350ºF. Once the oven hits 350° F, your burgers should be warmed and ready!
Want more bean-based dinner recipes?
Try out these delicious recipes!
Healthy Burrito Bowl Base Recipe
Vegetarian Meatballs Base Recipe
Indian Veggie Burger with Chickpeas and Ginger
Ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray (for the baking sheet)
- 2, 15-ounce cans low-sodium chickpeas, drained
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs (whole grain suggested)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced (~1 teaspoon)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash pepper
- 6 whole grain hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Brush a baking sheet with oil or use pan spray.
- Place chickpeas in a large mixing bowl and mash until almost smooth or leave slightly chunky.
- Add panko, cilantro, onion, oil, eggs, garlic, garam masala, ginger, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Create 6 patties with your hands or using the help of a portion scoop and place on the pan, spaced at least 1” apart.
- Cook 8-10 minutes or until cooked through and slightly brown on the edges. Serve on toasted buns with toppings to YOUR taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Curry ketchup
- Sliced tomato
- Lettuce or leafy greens
- Pickled red onion
- Sliced or smashed avocado
- Chutney
