Dishing Up the Dirt

Chickpea Mushroom Burgers with Mustard Green Pesto (vegan)

Say hello to the only veggie burgers I plan on making for the rest of my life. True statement! We whipped these up on Memorial Day after spending the entire afternoon working in the dirt. Apparently, the farm didn’t get the memo that it was a holiday and we still woke up with the sun and had to work all day. Whomp whomp…..

These veggie burgers were a highlight though. And if you can believe it, I loved them so much that I made a double batch to freeze at 10pm that same night (an hour past this farmers bedtime!) Henry stayed up with me and was definitely hurting the next morning too.

What I love most about these veggie burgers (aside from their unbelievable flavor) is the fact that they hold together while eating. I’ve had issues in the past with my veggie burgers crumbling and these guys stick together really well. They are crisp on the outside, moist on the inside and incredibly tasty. Smothered in a spicy mustard green pesto and these have quickly climbed the ladder as my favorite veggie burger to date.

The idea of making mustard green pesto came to me while I was busy weeding our first (of four) mustard green plantings. ย We’re growing a lot of this spicy vegetable and I want our customers to have plenty of fun ways to prepare it. We’ve been enjoying it straight up from the field with a little dirt still on it. However, I think this pesto is a good place for newcomers to start!

If you enjoy topping your sandwiches and burgers with mustard then you will think this pesto is killer! It has a slight bite but nothing overwhelming. You will end up with more pesto than you need for these burgers so try adding it to salad dressings, sandwiches, pizza, roasted potatoes or freeze for your next batch of burgers. Enjoy!

Chickpea Mushroom Burgers with Mustard Green Pesto

Prep Time: 15 minutes    Cook Time: 25 minutes    Serves: 4-6 patties

For the Burgers:
  • 1 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 cups mixed mushrooms (buttons, portobello, shiitake)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup chickpea flour
  • Additional grapeseed oil for cooking
For the pesto:
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 4 cups packed mustard greens
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
   

Preparation

  1. Drizzle 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sautรฉ until tender and lightly browned. About 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme and tamari. Cook until until tender and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Remove veggies from heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Lightly wipe down the pan since you'll be using it again.
  3. Add the chickpeas, chickpea flour and mushroom mixture to a food processor. Pulse until well combined but still clumpy. Be careful not to over-process. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary.
  4. Place chickpea-mushroom batter in a large bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to set.
  5. While batter sets clean your food processor. Place all of the ingredients for the pesto in the food processor and blend until smooth. Add more oil if the consistency is too thick. Taste test and set aside.
  6. Once chickpea "dough" has chilled form into 4-6 uniform patties.
  7. Heat a few tablespoons of grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot place patties in pan and fry until golden brown on each side. About 5-8 minutes per-side.
  8. Serve with regular hamburger buns or lettuce wraps. Enjoy!

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Taste test as you go *Cooking times may vary depending on your stove/oven


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26 thoughts on “Chickpea Mushroom Burgers with Mustard Green Pesto (vegan)

  1. Karolyn says:

    Yes!!!! I just got mustard greens in my CSA box and was wondering how to use them! So excited to try this. I made your parsnip soup the other day too and loved it! Been calling it “parsnoup” and will be making it again very soon.

    1. Andrea says:

      Let me know if you try the pesto!

  2. Those look delicious! At the very least I must try that mustard green pesto, it looks amazing and so unique. ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Since deciding to ditch store-bought I’ve been searching for the ultimate veggie burger. Can’t wait to give these a whirl — the mushroom-chickpea combo sounds right up my alley.

    1. Andrea says:

      I love the mushroom chickpea combo and I hope you give these a whirl! Let me know how they turn out!

  4. That picture of Henry sleeping is just too cute! You are on fire with the greens lately. A mustard pesto for burgers is genius! I love the sound of these, too, especially if they’re guaranteed to stick together ๐Ÿ™‚ Will be trying these for sure!

  5. Laurie says:

    I LOVE homemade veggie burgers but haven’t yet tried a chickpea version. Any idea if these can be baked rather than fried?

    1. Andrea says:

      I haven’t tried baking these but I’m pretty sure they will still hold up. I was actually thinking of grilling or baking my next batch. If you get to it before me let me know how they turn out!!! Thanks so much!

  6. Shannon says:

    Love the pictures today! Those burgers look delicious! XOXO

  7. Julia says:

    I love a good veggie burger that stays together. Mine tend to be hit or miss, but these bad boys look perfect! YUM!

  8. Can you please open your own restaurant? I will eat there every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Andrea says:

      haha! You are too sweet. One day! My dream is a farm-to-table restaurant on our farm. Fingers crossed! Thanks for following us along on our journey!

      1. Lauren says:

        Sounds awesome! Can totally picture you guys doing this down the road.

  9. I know what I’m making this weekend! I am drooling over these!!

    I’ll have to make a double batch the first time around because there is no way Coco is staying up to keep me company, haha. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  10. Poor Henry ๐Ÿ™‚
    Veggie burgers that stick together – yay! And contain two of my favourite things as well. I’ll make sure I cook a double batch first go round so that I can be in bed on time! Thanks for sharing Andrea ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Mmmmm! I’m a sucker for a good veggie burger. These look great! The pesto sounds delicious. The perfect pairing for the burgers. Ps. Love the picture of Henry!

  12. francesca says:

    I love that you noted – and conquered! – the fact that vegaburgers tend to crumble… these look awesome.
    Cheers!

  13. liz says:

    These look delicious!

  14. Lauren says:

    Both the burgers and the pesto sound amazing and I can’t wait to try. I can imagine the use of mushrooms gives you the “meaty” flavor you want in a burger. Many veggie burgers lack that somethin’ somethin’ that the mushrooms provide. Love sleepy Henry ๐Ÿ™‚ Have a great weekend!

  15. Deloris says:

    I made this for dinner and my husband loved it. Your pesto and I are going to have a summer long love affair! The pesto has just enough bite that you want to keep coming back for more! The chickpea burger was delicious and did not fall apart at all. BTW, I used masa flour in place of the chickpea flour, and homemade gorditas for the bun . It worked just fine . Thank you for all of your wonderful posts. You are an inspiration for me to cook and eat healthier. Have a great week!

    1. Andrea says:

      I’m so happy you made these and loved them! The pesto is a highlight right? Thanks for the lovely feedback!

  16. Angie says:

    I LOVE these veggie burgers, and so does my boyfriend. We have them at least 3 – 4 times a month, they’re so good. I’ve made a couple different kinds of veggie burgers in the past but these ones take the cake for sure. Perfect flavor combo, they stay together great, and the mushrooms and tamari add a meaty flavor that appeals to meat eaters as well as vegetarians/vegans. My boyfriend still eats meat, and he would rather eat these than a beef burger! Great job, I can’t wait to try the zucchini pasta with these as veggie balls that you posted!

  17. Elisa says:

    These burgers were fantastic!!! They really held together well and tasted delish. I’ll definitely be making these again. Didn’t have time to make pesto, so served these with veganaise, dijon and lettuce on GF buns (highly recommend the Canyon Bakehouse brand if you can find it). Thanks for another wonderful recipe.

    1. Andrea says:

      Glad you loved the burgers as much as we do!

  18. Linda Kanaly says:

    this was amazing! had it for lunch two days in a row as it made 4 burgers. little bit mustard green pesto left and we put it with some scrambled eggs the third day. love both the mustard green pesto and the chickpea mushroom burger

    1. Jillian Wolf says:

      Wondering about the texture. I’ve actually never had an issue with crumbling, as the recipes I’ve tried using beans tend to be mushy or pasty — the very thing I dislike. I’ve started looking into chickpeas, as they aren’t as wet as many other beans.

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