These sweetcorn and chickpea veggie burgers are a great recipe for all the family. They are packed full of nutritious ingredients and are easy to make in advance.
My kids like falafel, so I call these falafel burgers. The sweetcorn is blended up with the chickpeas so no-one can get upset about it being there. Served in a bun, perhaps with a side of sweet potato wedges, some hummus or tahini sauce and salad leaves for those of us who don’t think it’s a sin to put salad in a burger (i.e. the grown ups in this house), these sweetcorn and chickpea veggie burgers make a pretty great family meal.
These falafel burgers are lightly fried to give them a crispy outside before being baked in the oven to finish off the cooking. This means that they are a lot healthier than deep fried falafels but it also means that they have a softer texture. We love this but just be aware that these aren’t as crispy as the falafels you’ll get in a takeaway. Incidentally you can make them without frying them first but they are very soft inside if you do this and I think that the texture is better if they’re lightly fried first.
They benefit from being made in advance and sitting in the fridge as the mixture is pretty sticky. I like to make them in the morning while the toddler is at pre-school. I can then stick them in the oven once we get home from school leaving me with both hands free to break up fights/police arguments. Let’s be honest – things are not harmonious with my three at the moment – aren’t siblings meant to like each other at least some of the time?
This recipe is adapted from one in vegetarian cookbook, Proper Healthy Food by Nick Knowles*. It’s not a family-focused cookbook but I have found a surprising number of recipes that my kids will actually eat.
Here’s how to make sweetcorn and chickpea veggie burgers:
Sweetcorn and chickpea veggie burgers
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 200 g cooked sweetcorn
- 1 400g tin of chickpeas
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 60 g spelt flour
- 1 egg beaten
To coat the burgers
- 40 g spelt flour
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
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Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until soft. Stir often. Add the garlic and ground coriander and cook for a further minute or two. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
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Place the sweetcorn, chickpeas and parsley into a food processor and pulse until well combined.
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Add the onion mixture, the breadcrumbs the flour and the egg and pulse again.
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Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Using your hands (you may wish to lightly oil them) divide the mixture one by one into six little patties, flatten them, and place on the baking tray. The mixture is very sticky but that's ok - you're going to leave them in the fridge to firm up.
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Place the baking tray in the fridge for at least one hour to firm up.
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When you're ready to cook them pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
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Mix the flour and ground cumin together in a shallow tray or bowl and dip each burger in, ensuring that both sides get coated.
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Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes on each side. If you're cooking all six you'll probably want to do two or three at a time depending on the size of your pan.
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Place them back on the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown on both sides.
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Serve with sweet potato wedges, hummus or tahini sauce, salad and any other burger fillings you love.
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