By Capstone consuming evenings. Not cooking enough — dining hall food, leftover rice, the nutritional sadness of a pre-med in finals season. Drove to Baker Sunday. MawMaw Shirley made me sit. Made me eat. Leftover red beans, heated, served in my bowl from childhood. "You look tired," she said. "Eat more." MawMaw Shirley's medical advice for everything. Not scientifically rigorous. Almost always correct.
MawMaw Shirley didn’t need a diagnosis — she just needed me to sit down and eat. That bowl of leftover red beans reminded me that beans, in any form, are honest food: filling, grounding, and made for people who’ve run themselves too thin. Back in my apartment, I started keeping canned garbanzo beans on hand so I could give myself that same kind of care. These Garbanzo Bean Burgers became my version of her remedy — something I could make on a Tuesday night when the capstone was still open on my laptop and my body needed more than dining hall sadness.
Garbanzo Bean Burgers
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 burger buns, toasted
- Desired toppings: lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, condiments
Instructions
- Mash the beans. Add the drained garbanzo beans to a large bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash until mostly smooth, leaving some texture for bite — about 75% mashed.
- Mix the patty base. Add the breadcrumbs, red onion, garlic, egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the mashed beans. Stir until fully combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed; if too wet, add breadcrumbs one tablespoon at a time.
- Form the patties. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a patty roughly 3/4 inch thick. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 5–10 minutes to firm up if time allows.
- Cook the patties. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook patties 4–5 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms and the patties are heated through. Handle gently when flipping.
- Assemble and serve. Place each patty on a toasted bun and add your preferred toppings. Serve immediately while warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 380 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 58g | Fiber: 10g | Sodium: 620mg