These super tasty Spicy Indian Veggie burgers are packed with chickpeas and cauliflower, and flavored with garam masala, turmeric and cumin for a delicious patty that will please your meat-eating friends and veggie lovers alike.
This spicy homemade veggie burger recipe is delicious for an easy meal when you're craving a burger, but also want something spicy and wholesome.
I love making a good veggie burger recipe, so check out my Easy Chickpea Burger Patties or if you're into mushrooms my crunchy Air Fryer Oyster Mushroom Burger! Of course burgers need mayo or sauce, so try this Vegan Aioli recipe. Serve with sweet potato fries or chunky potato chips! Alternatively if all this talk of spices has you also craving curry, why not try this delicious Vegetable Curry from my friend Laura at Six Hungry Feet.
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🥦Ingredients
The ingredients for this Indian inspired veggie burger are simple:
- Chickpeas- I use a can (tin) of chickpeas, drained.
- Cauliflower Florets: Choose fresh creamy heads of cauliflower. If you're making cauliflower steaks one night, then these burgers are great to use up the extra cauliflower that didn't make it!
- Red Pepper or Bell Pepper: This adds sweetness and colour to the burger patties.
- Red Onion: I use a red onion for the colour, however you could use a regular onion or shallot instead.
- Fresh Garlic: Measure with your heart!
- Chickpea Flour (also known as Gram Flour) The chickpea flour binds the patties together.
- Red Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper: go as spicy as you like or leave out if you don't want heat.
- Garam Masala: I like to add a good teaspoon of garam masala, but you can add more for extra flavor.
- Ground Cumin powder: for a smokey subtle heat and flavor. You can also add a teaspoon of coriander powder if you wish.
- Turmeric: turmeric gives a soft mellow sweetness and earthy notes, as well as famously pairing well with cauliflower.
- A little Extra Virgin Olive Oil- to crisp up the burgers.
To serve you'll need burger buns, mango chutney, lettuce leaves and an optional slice of vegan cheese slice, burger sauce or a sprinkle of dill pickles.
See recipe card for quantities.
👩🍳Instructions
Follow along for the perfect spicy veggie burger patties.
- Chop the onion, garlic and peppers, plus separate the cauliflower into florets.
2. In a large pan, sautee the veggies and onion over a medium-high heat until the onion softens. Add all the spices and allow to heat through. (This opens up the spices making them more fragrant and delicious)
3. Put the vegetable mixture into a food processor with the chickpeas and gram flour. Pulse for a minute until you have a thick mixture.
4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and use a cookie scoop to scoop out even amounts of the burger mixture.
5. Press another sheet of parchment over the burger scoops pressing them flat. This gives a nice flat even burger that's easier to cook.
🍳Cooking Methods
There are a number of ways you can cook these masala burgers:
- Brush the burgers with olive oil and bake on a lined baking sheet at 220C/428F for 14 mins (or until crispy)
- Brush with a little oil and pop the burgers into the airfryer at 180C/356 for 10 minutes until crispy.
- Pan fry the burgers in a large skillet. Prepare by heating up a little oil. Be careful to get a good 'crust' on the burger to help stabilize it before flipping.
- If you wish to grill or BBQ these burgers, make sure to oil the grill prior as they can stick a bit. Get a good crust on the base of the burger before flipping.
Serve the cauliflower veggie patties on a toasted bun with mango chutney, burger sauce, lettuce and a slice of cheese!
Hint: Be sure to use spices that are fresh (no more than 6 months old), and hasn't been sitting around in your cupboard for years! It really makes a difference to the overall flavor.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is already gluten-free, dairy free and vegan, however you can switch it up to suit your tastes:
- Large Carrot- switch out the red pepper for a grated carrot.
- Green Peas - use gluten free buns instead of white bread buns to make this gluten free
- Fresh green chilies- amp up the spices with a chopped fresh green chili or three.
- Black Beans- swap out the chickpeas for black beans (or pinto beans- or any bean you fancy)
- Panko Bread Crumbs- If you want a lovely crunchy outer, you can roll these burgers in panko bread crumbs before baking.
- If you can't find gram flour (chickpea flour) try using corn starch or wheat flour to bind the patties.
🔪Equipment
The easiest way to make these burgers is to whizz them up in a food processor. You can achieve a similar effect by chopping the veggies finely and mashing them well with a potato masher before forming the burgers.
You will also need a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to help form the patties.
🫙Storage
These burgers freeze really well. I suggest putting a little piece of parchment paper in between each patty to help keep them separate. Cook from frozen in any of the methods above.
You can also keep these burgers in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge. Reheat to eat, or just eat straight up from the fridge at midnight (I won't tell!)
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Top tip
For neat burgers that are easy to flip, I suggest lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper, before using a cookie scoop to portion out burgers. Lay another sheet of parchment on top of the burgers and press down with a flat egg slice. This ensures a nice, clean burger shape that is easier to cook.
❓FAQ
Yes, you can make these without garam masala. They won't have the same flavor, but you can substitute in other ground spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric.
Not all chickpea burgers are vegan. Some contain milk or eggs. This particular recipe is vegan, dairy free, egg free and gluten free.
More Veggie Burgers
Love a burger? Why not try one of these plant-based options.
BBQ and Grilling
More ideas for outdoor eating, but made vegan!
📖 Recipe
Spicy Indian Veggie Burgers: Chickpea & Cauliflower
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 ½ cups) tin chickpeas (equivalent to 1 x 400g/15oz/standard can of chickpeas. Drained.)
- 450 g (4 ½ cups) cauliflower florets
- 5 tablespoons gram flour (chickpea flour )
- 1 (⅔ cups) red onion ( finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 100 g (⅔ cups) red pepper (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder ((or to taste))
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into small florets
- In a large pan, sautee the onion, garlic, cauliflower and pepper until the onion is translucent and the cauliflower softens..450 g cauliflower florets, 1 red onion, 100 g red pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the spices and fry for a minute until fragrant.1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, Salt & Pepper
- Add the spiced vegetables to a food processor, along with the chickpea flour, and chickpeas. Pulse until mixed well. Add a little water if the mixture isn't coming together. (You can also use a potato masher to mash everything together.250 g tin chickpeas, 5 tablespoons gram flour
- Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and turn the oven on to Gas Mark 7/ 220℃/450℉
- Scoop balls of the chickpea patty mixture out onto the tray. Use another layer of parchment to press the veggie patties into a burger shape. Spray with a little oil.
- Bake in the oven for 10 mins, then turn over, to bake for another 5 mins (or a bit longer if you want a more browned and crispy finish)
- Serve with salad, or in a bun.
Notes
🍳Cooking Methods
- Brush the burgers with olive oil and bake on a lined baking sheet at 220C/428F for 14 mins (or until crispy)
- Brush with a little oil and pop the burgers into the airfryer at 180C/356 for 10 minutes until crispy.
- Pan fry the burgers in a large skillet. Prepare by heating up a little oil. Be careful to get a good 'crust' on the burger to help stabilize it before flipping.
- If you wish to grill or BBQ these burgers, make sure to oil the grill prior as they can stick a bit. Get a good crust on the base of the burger before flipping.
Max Hale says
Really tasty. I didnt have gram flour but used just plain white flour. Such a great patty.
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
So glad you liked them! Also it's great to know that plain flour works just as well as gram flour - we love it when a recipe is versatile! x