Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained

• 1 cup packed fresh chopped parsley or basil (basil for sweetness, parsley for bitterness)

• 1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onion

• 6 cloves garlic (6 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp)

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (or sub a pinch of cayenne)

• 1-3 Tbsp tahini (ground sesame seeds)

• Olive, grape seed or coconut oil for cooking

Method

1. Drain the Chickpeas.

2. Add parsley or basil, onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes to a food processor. Mix until well chopped. Set aside.

3. Add half the chickpeas to the food processor, along with cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper and tahini. Mix to combine thoroughly, scraping down sides as needed. Then add the rest of the chickpeas and blend until you have a dough that’s close to a paste in consistency. This may take up to 4-5 minutes to fully incorporate all of the spices and herbs. Add more tahini or a bit of water if the mixture is looking too crumbly or dry.

4. Sample a small bit and adjust spices/salt/herbs as needed. Divide into 4-6 balls and gently form into patties using your hands. If the burgers aren’t holding together the mixture may need to be blended more thoroughly, or blended with a bit more tahini.

5. Put in the fridge for half an hour to firm up and soak up the flavours.  You can also freeze at this stage.

6. To cook, heat a large metal or frying pan over medium/ medium-high heat (or cook on the grill or Bar B Q skillet). Once hot, add enough oil to create a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and wait 1-2 minutes for the oil to heat up. Then place  burgers in the pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the bottom side is evenly browned, flip gently, as they can be fragile.  Adjust heat as needed if they’re browning too quickly, or aren’t cooking quickly enough.

7. These burgers are delicious on their own with garlic dill sauce or pesto and desired toppings. They’re also great with a bun, but it isn’t necessary! Alternatively, serve over greens, in pita, or enjoy as is!

8. To freeze, lay uncooked burgers on a plate or baking sheet and freeze. Once firm, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze up to one month. Let thaw before cooking on the stovetop or grill.