Buffalo Chickpea Burgers with Blue Cheese Yogurt Sauce
These hearty meatless burgers have serious buffalo wing flavor and a tangy blue cheese sauce drizzled over top. The patties freeze well, so make a double batch and store some for impromptu meals later.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Lofty legume: One of the most widely eaten legumes, chickpeas are a dietary staple among some of the world’s healthiest populations, namely Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. This budget-friendly protein is a rare plant-based source of selenium, a mineral that promotes liver function, protects the body against inflammation and halts the growth of tumors.
Total Cost: $8.15
Cost per plate: $2.04
Ingredients
⅓ cup roasted unsalted cashews
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 cups BPA-free canned unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup cooked quinoa
5 tbsp white whole-wheat flour
⅓ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup peeled and grated carrot
2 green onions, finely sliced
1 large egg, beaten
1–2 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce (like Tabasco)
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp each ground cayenne pepper, ground celery seed and garlic powder
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper, divided
½ cup whole-milk yogurt
2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
4 large romaine lettuce leaves
Preparation
1. In a food processor, pulse cashews and garlic until finely chopped. Add chickpeas, quinoa, flour, celery, carrot, green onions, egg, hot sauce, parsley, vinegar, cayenne, celery seed, garlic powder, sea salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper; pulse until mixture comes together but is still chunky, about 10 pulses. (NOTE: Do not overprocess; a bit of texture is desired.) Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cheese, mustard and remaining ⅛ tsp black pepper, mashing cheese with a fork to break it up a bit; cover and refrigerate until serving.
3. Shape mixture into 4 equal-sized patties, about ½ inch thick. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium. Add patties and cook, flipping once, until brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve on buns, topped with blue cheese sauce and lettuce.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 burger with bun and sauce
- Calories 476
- Cholesterol Content 54 mg
- Fat Content 17 g
- Protein Content 21 g
- Saturated Fat Content 4 g
- Sodium Content 581 mg
- Sugar Content 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g