This is a skillet burger made from ground turkey, canned chickpeas, and fresh spinach — all blitzed together and formed into two patties. At 192 calories and 19 grams of protein per patty, it’s a genuinely filling option that doesn’t ask much of you: one food processor, one pan, thirty minutes.
The technique that matters
The food processor does real work here, not just convenience work. Pulsing the chickpeas with the spinach, egg white, flour, and oil breaks the chickpeas down enough to act as a binder, so the patties hold together without breadcrumbs or extra eggs. Stop while there’s still some texture — a completely smooth paste won’t give the patty any structure once it hits the pan. When you combine that mixture with the raw turkey, mix until just incorporated, then handle the patties as little as possible. Overworked turkey patties turn dense. Press them to an even thickness so the edges and center cook at the same rate, and resist the urge to press down on them with a spatula while they cook — that pushes out moisture and makes them dry. Because these contain ground turkey, they need to reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); a cheap instant-read thermometer is the only reliable way to know they’re done.
What can go wrong
- Patties fall apart when flipping: The chickpea-turkey mixture needs time to set before it’s moved. Let each side cook undisturbed for the full 5–8 minutes and use a wide, thin spatula — slide it fully under the patty before lifting.
- Patties stick to the pan: Non-stick spray alone isn’t always enough on a cold pan. Let the skillet get fully hot on medium heat before adding the patties; a properly preheated surface releases food more cleanly.
- Mixture is too wet to shape: Fresh spinach holds water. If the mixture feels slack after processing, add flour half a teaspoon at a time until it holds its shape when pressed. Don’t skip draining and rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly — excess liquid from the can is a common culprit.
- Patties are dry inside: Turkey is lean and dries out fast. Pull the patties off heat the moment they hit 165°F — even a minute of extra cooking matters. Skip the egg white and use a whole egg if dryness is a recurring problem; the extra fat from the yolk helps.
- Uneven browning: If one patty is thicker than the other, it will lag behind. Weigh or eyeball them to match before cooking, and press each one to roughly ¾-inch thickness.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the same skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water and a lid — about 3–4 minutes per side — rather than microwaving, which makes the texture rubbery. For freezing, let the patties cool completely, then stack them with a sheet of parchment between each one and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating; don’t try to reheat from frozen or the outside scorches before the center warms through. You can also freeze the uncooked patties the same way — just make sure they reach 165°F when you cook them from thawed.
Hearty Spinach Chickpea Turkey Burger
Equipment
- Food processor
- 10-inch non-stick skillet
- Silicone spatula
- Instant-read thermometer
- Mixing bowl (medium)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces lean ground turkey 113g
- ½ cup chickpeas drained and rinsed, 80g
- 1 cup fresh spinach packed, 30g
- 1 large egg white
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 8g
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 can non-stick cooking spray for skillet
Instructions
- Place chickpeas, spinach, egg white, flour, oregano, onion and garlic powder, salt, pepper and olive oil into a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides.1/2 cup chickpeas, 1 cup fresh spinach, 1 large egg white, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- Take the chickpea mixture and combine it with ground turkey. Mix well, then form into two patties.4 ounces lean ground turkey
- Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add the patties and cook undisturbed until the bottoms are golden and beginning to crisp, about 5–8 minutes. Do not press down on the patties with a spatula.1 can non-stick cooking spray
- Carefully flip the patties using a wide spatula and cook until the second side is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C, about 5–8 minutes more. Serve on your favourite bun, wrap, pita, or over a salad.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make these patties without a food processor?
Yes, but it takes more effort. Mash the drained chickpeas thoroughly with a fork until most of them are broken down, then chop the spinach finely before mixing everything by hand. The texture will be chunkier, which means the patties are slightly more fragile — handle them gently and make sure they’re well chilled before they go in the pan.
Can I swap the ground turkey for something else?
Ground chicken works as a direct swap and behaves almost identically — still cook to 165°F. For a fully vegetarian version, double the chickpeas and skip the meat entirely; the patties will be softer, so chill them for 20–30 minutes before cooking to help them hold their shape.
Do I need the flour, or can I leave it out?
The flour is the main dry binder keeping these patties together, so leaving it out is risky. If you need a gluten-free alternative, a tablespoon of chickpea flour or oat flour works well and won’t change the flavor noticeably.
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