Chickpea and Hemp Seed Patties: Vegan Burgers

A vegan burger that does not fall apart in the pan is a matter of three things: moisture of the mixture, its structure, and temperature before frying. Chickpeas provide a base with good flavor and starchiness, hulled hemp seeds add fat that binds the dry mixture, and protein with a completely different amino acid profile than legumes. These two ingredients complement each other in a specific direction, and soon you will see which one, as it is often reversed in commercial descriptions. The whole process takes 45 minutes, of which 20 is cooling in the fridge, so you only stand by the stove for a quarter of an hour. It yields six patties for a bun or a plate, without eggs, dairy, or baking powder.

KEY INFORMATION
• Hulled hemp seeds contain 31.6 g of protein and 48.8 g of fat per 100 g, while drained canned chickpeas contain 7.04 g of protein and 2.47 g of fat (USDA FoodData Central, records 170148 and 173801).
• Lysine is the first limiting amino acid in all hemp products (House et al., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010), so chickpeas complement hemp here, not the other way around.
• Six patties from this recipe provide about 30 g of protein, or 5 g each.
• Cooling the mixture for 20 minutes before frying is essential for maintaining shape without egg.

What does adding hemp seeds to the patties provide?

First of all, fat that binds the mixture without eggs. Hulled hemp seeds contain 48.8 g of fat per 100 g, while drained and rinsed canned chickpeas contain only 2.47 g (USDA FoodData Central, records 170148 and 173801). Mashed chickpeas are dry and crumbly, so the fat from the seeds has something to bind. The second benefit is protein.

Here, a clarification is needed because commercial descriptions often state the opposite. It is not hemp seeds that complement the lysine of chickpeas, but chickpeas that provide lysine to the seeds. House et al. (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010) stated directly that lysine is the first limiting amino acid in all studied hemp products, and the PDCAAS of hulled seeds is 63-66%.

Measurement confirms this independently. Mattila et al. measured amino acids in nine plant raw materials using one method, and hemp seeds ranked lowest in lysine: 3.30 g per 16 g of nitrogen compared to 6.43 in fava beans (Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2018). In methionine, the order reverses, as hemp has 2.19, while fava has 0.89. This study did not examine chickpeas, but Begum et al. report lysine for chickpeas in the range of 5.5-7.7 g per 16 g of nitrogen (Frontiers in Nutrition, 2023). This is a different methodology, so the comparison is indicative.

Cooling the mixture works, but not for the reason that circulates in recipes. It is not about the fat from hemp seeds solidifying: hemp oil is over 80% polyunsaturated (Callaway, Euphytica, 2004) and remains liquid in the fridge. In our trials, something else mattered: the starch from the mashed chickpeas binds free water during those twenty minutes, and the mixture stops sticking to the hands.

How much protein is in one patty?

The entire mixture weighs about 300 g and is divided into six patties of approximately 50 g each. The calculation can be closed because both main ingredients have USDA records for the form you actually use, not for dry grain.

Drained and rinsed canned chickpeas have 7.04 g of protein per 100 g (record 173801), so 240 g from one can contributes about 17 g. Hulled hemp seeds have 31.6 g per 100 g (record 170148), so 40 g contributes about 13 g. In total, this results in about 30 g of protein for the entire mixture, or 5 g per patty and 10 g for a serving of two patties. If you come across a recipe promising 10 g of protein from one chickpea patty, check how much that patty weighs: at 50 g of mixture, it would need to contain 20% protein, while this mixture has about 10%.

If you are looking for a dish of the same caliber, we have a recipe for lentil dhal with hemp seeds, where legumes and hemp meet warm and without frying.

What ingredients do you need?

The proportions yield six patties, or three servings. A 400 g can after draining gives about 240 g of chickpeas, which is what goes into the mixture. Preparation takes 15 minutes, cooling 20, frying 8.

• 1 can of chickpeas, 400 g with brine
• 4 tablespoons of hulled hemp seeds, about 40 g
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of oat, rice, or whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil for frying
• optional: 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander or parsley
• for serving: buns, lettuce, tomato, avocado, tahini sauce

The flour serves as a moisture absorber, so the type is less important than the amount. Do not replace hemp seeds with ground ones: whole, hulled seeds provide a noticeable texture in the patty, while ground ones dissolve in the mixture, and you lose what you are adding them for. For frying, use olive or coconut oil, never hemp oil, as it does not withstand high temperatures.

How to fry the patties step by step?

The whole technique boils down to three decisions: do not mash the chickpeas into a smooth puree, chill the formed patties, and flip them once with a decisive motion. The rest is spices and timing.

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dry them with a paper towel. Mash with a fork or pulse in a blender to a coarse, grainy paste with pea-sized chunks remaining.
2. Add the hemp seeds, garlic pressed through a garlic press, flour, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix by hand until uniform. If the mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon of water; if too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.
3. Divide the mixture into 6 portions of about 50 g each. Wet your hands with water and form round patties about 1.5 cm thick. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Heat a pan with oil over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes without moving them, until the bottom forms a crust. Flip with a wide spatula and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Serve in a bun with lettuce, tomato, and avocado, or as a main dish with grains and a salad. Tahini diluted with lemon juice pairs best with the sauce.

How to modify the recipe to your needs?

The chickpea mixture tolerates substitutions well, as long as you do not change the moisture proportions. Any juicy addition requires an extra tablespoon of flour.

A baked version can be made on a baking sheet greased with oil, at 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. The crust comes out thinner than from the pan, but with a larger number of patties, you save yourself from standing by the stove.

Sweet potato can replace one-third of the chickpeas and adds sweetness and starch that further binds the mixture. Cook it and mash it, leaving the rest of the recipe unchanged. The color of the patties turns orange.

For a Mediterranean version, replace cumin and coriander with oregano and thyme, and add 2 tablespoons of chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the mixture. Serve with plant-based yogurt instead of tahini. If you prefer a dish without frying, check out our tofu in hemp sauce.

Hemp flour can also be introduced here, but cautiously: it absorbs a lot of water, and with two tablespoons, the mixture becomes crumbly. You can replace one tablespoon of regular flour with it without harm. A larger portion of hemp flour in a chickpea dish is shown in our curry with chickpeas and hemp flour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do vegan patties fall apart?

For three reasons, all fixable. The mixture is too wet because the chickpeas were not dried. It is too smooth because it was blended at full speed instead of pulsed. Or it went straight from the bowl to the pan without twenty minutes in the fridge. Usually, all three factors are at play.

Do hemp seeds complement lysine in chickpeas?

No, it’s the other way around. House et al. found that lysine is the first limiting amino acid in all studied hemp products (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010), and Mattila et al. measured 3.30 g of lysine in hemp seeds per 16 g of nitrogen, the least of nine raw materials. Chickpeas provide the lysine here.

How much protein do chickpea and hemp seed patties have?

One patty weighing about 50 g provides approximately 5 g of protein, and a serving of two patties about 10 g. This consists of 17 g from drained canned chickpeas and 13 g from 40 g of hemp seeds (USDA FoodData Central, records 173801 and 170148).

Can patties with hemp seeds be frozen?

Yes, but raw, before frying. Place the formed patties on a baking sheet lined with paper, freeze for 2 hours until firm, and transfer to a bag. Fry straight from the freezer for 5-6 minutes on each side over medium heat. They can be stored for up to 3 months.

What sauce goes well with vegan hemp patties?

Tahini diluted with lemon juice and garlic is the closest relative to this mixture, as sesame and chickpeas are also paired in hummus. Roasted pepper ajvar and plant-based yogurt with cumin also work well. The nutty flavor of hemp seeds does not clash with any of them.

We do not carry hulled hemp seeds or hemp flour in the store at Bucha. The hemp food products we have collected are in the hemp food category.

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-05-29 · Updated: 2026-08-16