The Best Pizza Burgers

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5 from 7 votes

This plant-based Pizza Burgers recipe is dee-licious and a definite crowd-pleaser!

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: burgers

Calories: 415kcal

Author: Michelle Cehn

Ingredients

4 tablespoons oil olive or canola oil, divided
2 shallots minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas rinsed and drained
¼ cup vegan parmesan plus more for serving (see recipe linked below)
2 teaspoons Italian seasonings or 1 teaspoon each of dried basil and oregano
¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
1 cup vegan-friendly bread crumbs plus more for coating
1 cup marinara sauce or pizza sauce plus more for topping
¼ teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper for serving

For Serving:

4 ciabatta buns toasted
Fresh parsley
Red onion sliced
marinara or pizza sauce

Instructions

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with some chunks for texture. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the shallots and garlic until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cooked shallots and garlic to the bowl of mashed chickpeas and stir to combine.
Add the Vegan Parmesan, Italian seasonings, fresh parsley, bread crumbs, marinara, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. A moldable “dough” should form. Add up to 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil if it’s too dry, or more bread crumbs or Vegan Parmesan if too wet. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into a patty about 1-inch thick. Gently coat the burgers with additional bread crumbs and Vegan Parmesan cheese on both sides for more flavor and texture (optional). Handle gently as they can be fragile.
Heat the same skillet used earlier over medium heat, adding enough oil to form a thin layer on the bottom, then add the coated burgers. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and heated through. Reduce the heat as needed if the burgers brown too quickly.
While the patties are cooking, toast the ciabatta buns until they are lightly golden and crispy, warm up extra marinara sauce for serving, and prep the parsley and red onion.
To assemble the pizza burgers, lay down parsley on the bottom half of each bun, top with a burger, onion, marinara sauce, and additional Vegan Parmesan if desired.

Notes

Burgers not as crispy as you'd like? After frying in the skillet, you can pop them on a baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven for an additional 10–20 minutes to dry/ crisp them up.
Storage: Keep leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
This recipe is adapted from the Minimalist Baker's Every Cooking cookbook by Dana Shultz.

Nutrition