When you put a bean or lentil patty on a bun, you run the risk of building a burger that is too dry and bready. The ratio is all out of whack, with not enough ooey-gooeyness to balance the bread and mashed beans. It wasn’t until I sat down to write this recipe that I had the revelation I needed: Turn the patty into the bun and stuff that with all sorts of good stuff. Problem solved. These make great do-ahead meals, and you can store shaped, ready-to-cook patties in the refrigerator for a week’s worth of work lunches.

What to buy: Sprouted garbanzos are becoming more readily available, but if you can’t find them, canned or cooked garbanzos will work just fine.

Game plan: Stuff the patties with your favorite burger toppings or try some of these filling ideas: More sprouts, avocado slices, cipollini onions (sweet and just the right size), sliced Roma tomatoes, a sprinkling of smoked paprika, caramelized onions, our homemade Guacamole recipe, or our pickle recipe.

  • Yield: 12 mini burgers

Ingredients (9)

  • 2 1/2 cups sprouted garbanzo beans (chickpeas) or canned garbanzos, drained and rinsed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Grated zest of 1 large lemon
  • 1 cup micro sprouts (try broccoli, onion, or alfalfa sprouts), chopped
  • 1 cup toasted whole-grain bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter

Instructions

  1. If you are using sprouted garbanzos, steam them until tender, about 10 minutes. If you are using canned beans, jump right in. Combine the garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor and puree until the mixture is the consistency of very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, zest, and sprouts. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into twelve 1 1/2-inch-thick patties. I err on the moist side here, because it makes for a nicely textured burger. You can always add more bread crumbs a bit at a time to firm up the dough if need be. Conversely, a bit of water or more egg can be used to moisten the batter.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 4 patties, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties. Carefully cut each patty in half, insert your favorite fillings, and enjoy immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into Your Cooking by Heidi Swanson. Copyright 2007. Published by Celestial Arts.