Calling all hummus lovers! If that's you, you're going to LOVE this Mediterranean Hummus Burger recipe. It's so easy to make and packed with flavor.
Hello big, fat, and delicious patty of my favorite dip ever! Why did it take me so long to turn you into a burger? My life has become infinitely better because of you, and I ♥ you.
Yes, I sometimes talk to my food. Call me a weirdo, I don’t care, because I guarantee you that you’ll start talking to yours once you try this amazing hummus burger.
This blonde beauty was inspired by a scrumptious chickpea burger I had at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay.
The Breakfast King and I arrived last Wednesday afternoon, tired and hungry from a long day of travel, so we parked ourselves at a table with a view of the sea and noshed on one of the most flavorful burgers I’ve ever had. It was one of those things that I started craving the minute that I finished eating it, so when I returned home, it was the first thing I made.
CAN YOU MAKE A BURGER OUT OF HUMMUS?
Yes, you can!
If you love classic hummus, the kind that’s made with garbanzo beans, fresh lemon juice, sea salt, garlic, olive oil, and tahini, you’re going to love this simple hummus burger.
I added some oat flour, breadcrumbs, and aquafaba (the liquid from the can of the chickpeas) to bind the hummus into a perfect patty that holds together when you cook it. I didn’t put olive oil into the burger mixture, but I did use it to prevent them from sticking to the pan, so you will taste the flavor.
The toppings on this burger keep the Mediterranean theme going. The chopped Kalamata olives add a zippy flavor, and the mashed avocado lends a freshness that compliments the bright and savory hummus. Every bite is filled with a hint of lemon and garlic, olive, and tahini.
HOW TO MAKE A BURGER WITH HUMMUS
It will take you about five minutes to whip this up and three to four minutes to cook it. If you need a quick and easy meal that tastes like anything but fast food, this is it. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Open a can of garbanzo beans, reserve the liquid, rinse the beans, and place in your food processor.
Slice two cloves of garlic and put them in the processor with the beans.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon on top of the beans and garlic.
Spoon the tahini over the lemon juice.
Add some oat flour and breadcrumbs and grind a teaspoon of sea salt on top.
Process until the ingredients turn into a creamy and sticky mixture.
Divide the mixture by four and form into patties.
Cook in the olive oil for three to four minutes.
While the burgers are cooking, chop the olives and mash the avocado.
Serve on sesame seed buns (compliments the tahini) or wrapped in a lettuce leaf.
It doesn’t get any easier or tastier than this, my friends.
HOW TO STORE HUMMUS BURGERS
We had some leftover burgers so we ate them for breakfast the next day with some baby spinach leaves and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Because they’re filled with antioxidants and protein, it was a perfect way to begin the day.
You could also freeze them in a freezer safe container for up to a month. Just thaw out overnight in the refrigerator.
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT HALF MOON BAY, CA
Have you ever been to Half Moon Bay, or any coastal city in Northern California? If you haven’t, you must put it on your bucket list.
It’s a truly magical area. You’ll see lush green rolling hills, giant cliffs that drop down to the Pacific Ocean, and beautiful foliage, such as wild succulents, evergreens of every variety, and palm trees.
I’ll leave you with a few pictures that I took while I ran the hills and beaches. They really don’t do the place justice, but it will give you an idea of the beauty of the area.
I also want to give a shout out to The Ritz-Carlton.
The hotel was exquisite, the staff was friendly and courteous, and the chefs understood vegan. Besides the delicious hummus burger we had for lunch our first day, we had some of the best plant-based food I’ve ever eaten outside of our own home.
We were there for a business conference and had two nights of banquets, which are usually always disappointing for vegans, but this time I was pleasantly surprised.
The first night we were served a delicious Israeli couscous in a lovely tomato sauce with roasted asparagus and other vegetables. When our server brought us our meal, we reminded him that we were vegan, because it had shaved parmesan on top.
He said that it was indeed vegan, so I started eating. Two bites in and the head server, a lovely woman, ran up to me and swapped my plate with a new one that didn’t have cheese. It turned out that it was dairy, not vegan cheese.
She apologized profusely, then came over to me after we finished eating to ask me if I preferred red or white wine. When we returned to our room there was a bottle of white wine from a local vineyard with a card from her and the banquet staff, apologizing for the error. I was beyond impressed.
The second night we were served seared cauliflower steaks on top of a white bean puree. It was incredible! The funny thing was, both nights the people sitting around us (eating meat) saw our dinners and wanted what we were eating. Ha! Ours was so much more colorful and inviting.
The third night we ate at their nicer restaurant and my mind was blown.
I started with an appetizer of little green purses of nettle and lemon, floating in a creamy mushroom consume. Oh. My. Gawd. I’m not one to say that food is orgasmic, but this, well let’s just say that my husband was almost jealous of my reaction to eating it. My entrée was marinated seared tofu steaks and fresh spring peas. It was outrageously good.
That short trip was just what I needed after six days of photo shoots for our cookbook.I was up at 4:00 am and didn’t return home until 9:00 pm after pulling props and cooking seventeen recipes each day.
It was one of the best experiences of my life, but exhausting. Staying at The Ritz-Carlton and running and hiking the coast was exactly what I needed to recharge my battery.
You can check out pictures of some of the food I ate on our Instagram page. And don’t forget to watch our story, because Alex is in Berlin, Germany, then London, and she’s sharing all of the vegan food that’s she’s eating in the most vegan friendly city in the world. I’m jealous.
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Mediterranean Hummus Burger
Ingredients
- 15 ounce garbanzo beans
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- Juice from 1 small lemon
- ⅓ cup oat flour
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 3 tablespoon reserved bean juice
- 1 teaspoon ground sea salt
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 hamburger buns
TOPPINGS
- Chopped kalamata olives
- Mashed avocado
- Spinach
- tomatoes
Instructions
- Drain (reserve the liquid, it’s your egg replacer) and rinse the garbanzo beans and place in a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, oat flour, bread crumbs, tahini, bean juice, and salt and process for approximately 30 seconds or until you get a thick and sticky mixture. Divide into 2 and form the mixture into large patties.
- Refrigerate for an hour to allow them to set.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium iron skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the burgers and cover. Sear for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until they’re golden brown and heated through to the center.
- Double the recipe to make four large burgers.
Notes
Nutrition
Alicia Ogard says
Hi! I was wondering if I could use brown rice instead of Jasmine?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Alicia, I haven't tried it with brown rice. It's not as sticky, but it should work just fine.
Capital Region Finds says
These were excellent! Thank you!
Linda Meyer says
I'm so happy you liked them! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
Mari says
Oh, I'm always in for a good vegan burger, always in for some great hummus! Thank you for this great recipe, Linda! 🙂
Linda Meyer says
You're welcome, Mari! Thank you for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes says
Hey Linda! This hummus burger was seriously made for me! All my favorite ingredients packed into one delicious recipe 😉 Your short trip looked like so much fun! Definitely putting it on my bucket list 😉
Linda Meyer says
Hi Vanessa! It's so good, I've made it several times in the past week. Yes, definitely put the Northern California coast on your bucket list. It's stunning.
Becky says
What a great idea! I think my family would love these.
Linda Meyer says
Thanks, Becky! If they love hummus, they'll love these. 🙂
Sarah McMinn says
This burger looks incredible! I love the Mediterranean theme and I never could have come up with the idea of a hummus burger. So clever. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Sarah! My inspiration came from the burger I had on vacay. I'm not that creative, lol! 🙂
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This burger sounds amazing, thanks! And just wow on the photos, brings back such great childhood memories since we used to stay in Half Moon Bay a lot. Sounds like a great getaway!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! Such a wonderful place to vacation, you were a lucky kid. 🙂
Dreena says
loooove olives and mediterranean seasonings in veg burgers!
Linda Meyer says
A lady with excellent taste! 🙂
smokeytoes says
I was so eager to view the recipe I didn't even see you in Half Moon Bay! I live 20 minutes north in Pacifica CA, right on the beach! That view is mine each and every day I bounce out of bed.
This time of year is spectacular because the whales are migrating from Baja to Alaska with their calves. We also see tons of Harbor Porpoises. If we're fortunate, they are 20 feet off the beach by the Pacifica Pier.
We've stayed at the Ritz HMB for a staycation, their staff is lovely and the spa is top notch. I'm so glad you enjoyed N. California! Woot!
Linda Meyer says
We drove through Pacifica on our way to the airport. You are SO fortunate to live there, especially on the beach!. I saw whales while we were there and it was so exciting. Yes, we loved your neighborhood, it truly is a gem.
lifenaturalee says
I honestly don't know what I loved more, the yummyest burger or the gorgeous beach photos <3 I am going to try this burger soon (as I can't try out the beach across the world!). Was thinking about also trying the recipe with beet hummus for that pink deliciousness ^^
Linda Meyer says
They're both pretty awesome. 🙂 I miss those views and the salt air so much. Beet hummus sounds amazing! Enjoy. 🙂
smokeytoes says
This looks delicious! Hummus has got to be one of my favorite snacks ever. Will have to try this over the weekend!
I might add a touch of Sumac (Middle-Eastern spice) to it for extra punch.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! Sumac would be wonderful in this. I was going to add some cumin, but I wanted to keep it simple and let the lemon shine.