These are chickpea-and-Brussels-sprout patties topped with cinnamon sweet potato rounds, melted parmesan, and cranberry sauce — a full dinner built into a bun. The combination sounds unusual, but the sweet-savory contrast actually works. At 40 minutes start to finish, it’s a solid weeknight option when you want something more interesting than a standard veggie patty.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, the food processor order: oats and walnuts go in before the chickpeas, so they get broken down into a coarse flour that binds the patty without making it dense. If you dump everything in at once, the chickpeas turn to paste before the oats have done their job. Second, wet hands when forming the patties — chickpea-based mixes are sticky, and dry hands cause the patty to tear apart before it even hits the pan. Take an extra 10 seconds to wet your hands between each patty and the shaping is much easier.
Ingredient notes
- Pepitas: These are hulled pumpkin seeds, sold near the nuts in most grocery stores. They add a subtle crunch that holds up even after cooking. Sunflower seeds work as a swap.
- Brussels sprouts: You’re adding them raw, straight from the food processor. Remove the tough stem end and any yellowed outer leaves before pulsing — they won’t soften otherwise.
- Fresh parmesan block: Grate it yourself. Pre-shredded parmesan has anti-caking powder on it that prevents clean melting — skip the bag and use a box grater.
- Cranberry sauce: The recipe uses store-bought. Whole-berry style clings to the burger better than jellied.
- Coconut oil for the sweet potatoes: Any neutral oil works if you don’t have coconut oil on hand.
Storage and reheating
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes per side — the microwave works in a pinch but softens the crust. Uncooked patties can be frozen: layer them between sheets of parchment paper, seal in a zip bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. The sweet potato rounds store separately in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat well in a skillet or toaster oven.
If something goes sideways
- Patties fall apart in the pan: The mix is too wet. This usually means the chickpeas weren’t drained thoroughly enough. Press them in a clean towel before adding them to the processor next time. For now, refrigerate the formed patties for 20 minutes before cooking — it firms them up.
- Patties stick to the skillet: The pan wasn’t hot enough when you added them. Let the skillet heat for a full 2 minutes before spraying and adding the patties. Don’t try to flip early — a properly seared patty releases on its own.
- Sweet potatoes are soft but not browned: The slices are too thick or the pan is crowded. Keep them at ¼ inch and cook in a single layer with space between rounds. Overlapping traps steam and kills the browning.
- Cheese won’t melt: Add a few drops of water to the pan and cover with a lid for 60 seconds. The steam melts the cheese without overcooking the patty.
- Burger tastes flat: Chickpeas need more salt than you’d expect. Taste the mix before forming patties and adjust — the ½ tablespoon in the recipe is a starting point, not a ceiling.
Dinner Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- ¼ cup oats
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
- ½ tablespoon dried thyme
- ¼ tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon parsley
- 1 cup brussels sprouts stems removed
- 1 medium egg
- ¼ cup pepitas
- 1 medium block fresh parmesan cheese
- 4 medium burger buns of your choosing
- 1 small pack spinach
Instructions
- Add oats and walnuts to food processor. Pulse for 10 seconds until nuts are finely chopped.
- Add chickpeas, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, egg. Mix 5 to 10 seconds until all ingredients are combined with a few small chunks.
- Add brussels sprouts and pepitas. Pulse 4 to 5 times until sprouts are shredded and incorporated.
- Form into 4 equal-size patties with wet hands.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Place patties onto the skillet, cook for 5 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Add a little bit of the freshly grated cheese to the top of each burger and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until it melts.
- While burgers are cooking, cook sweet potatoes.
- Peel sweet potato, slice into ¼-inch thick rounds.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add coconut oil. Add sweet potatoes, sprinkling each side with salt, pepper and cinnamon. Cook 7 to 10 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.
- Plate by putting a few spinach leaves on the bun, top with burger, sweet potato rounds and cranberry sauce.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make the patties ahead of time?
Yes — form the patties, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking. Chilling actually helps them hold together better in the pan.
Do I need a food processor, or can I do this by hand?
A food processor makes this much easier and gives you a consistent texture. If you don’t have one, finely chop the walnuts and oats with a knife, mash the chickpeas with a fork, and shred the Brussels sprouts on a box grater — it takes longer but works.
How do I know when the patties are cooked through?
Look for a deep golden-brown crust on both sides after 5 minutes per side over medium heat. Unlike meat burgers, there’s no internal temperature target here — the egg is the only ingredient that needs heat to be safe, and 5 minutes per side is more than enough.
Can I make this vegan by leaving out the egg and cheese?
You can, but the patty will be more fragile without the egg. Add an extra tablespoon of oats to help compensate, and handle the patties gently. Skip the parmesan entirely or use a vegan hard cheese alternative.
My Brussels sprouts are large — does that change anything?
Cut larger sprouts in half before adding them to the food processor so they shred evenly. If they go in whole, you end up with uneven chunks that can make the patty lumpy and harder to form.