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Chickpea Sliders with Tzatziki

Veggie-filled chickpea sliders topped with tzatziki sauce - a tasty and satisfying alternative to that burger you're craving.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: chickpeas, cucumber, greek yogurt, lemon, mint, sliders, tzatziki
Servings: 6
Author: Nicole Coudal

Ingredients

Tzatziki Sauce

  • 1 medium Hothouse cucumber, peeled
  • 3/4 c. Whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tb. Olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. Lemon zest
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice
  • 1 Tb. Chopped mint
  • 1 small Garlic clove, peeled & minced
  • 1/4 tsp. Sea salt (fine)

Chickpea Patties

  • 1 can Chickpeas
  • 2 Tb. Grapeseed or avocado oil, divided
  • 1 large Carrot, peeled & grated
  • 1 medium Leek (white part), cleaned & chopped (alt: 4 scallions or 1 shallot)
  • 1 medium Garlic clove, peeled & minced
  • 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tb. Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tb. Olive oil
  • 1 Tb. All-purpose flour
  • 3-4 Tb. Feta cheese, chopped
  • 6-8 Slider buns (brioche, ideally), sliced in half

Instructions

  • To make the tzatziki, grate the cucumber using a box grater. Wring out the liquid with your hands, then place into a kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels and wring until no more liquid releases (you want it as dry as possible before mixing with yogurt). Add it to a mixing bowl along with yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest/juice, mint, garlic and salt. Mix, taste for seasoning and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  • Drain and rinse chickpeas then place in a large mixing bowl. Mash them with a fork, a potato masher, the flat side of a meat pounder, a pastry cutter, a sturdy jar, or your hands. Don't over-mash; retain some larger pieces for a better 'chew' experience.
  • In a non-stick skillet over medium/low heat, add 1 Tb. avocado or grapeseed oil then toss in carrot, chopped leek (or scallions or shallot). When they start to soften, add garlic, a pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds black pepper. Cook ~2-3 minutes, until soft and slightly browned. If mixture gets too dry, add 1-2 Tb. of water.
  • Add veggies to chickpeas, along with 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt, 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, parsley, 1 Tb. olive oil, flour and Feta. Mix to combine. If it seems too dry, add a little bit of water at a time to get to the right consistency (when you can form a tablespoon-sized amount into a small ball that holds together, it's ready). Divide into 6 or 8 portions, depending on how thick you want them, then press into slider-size patties.
  • In the same non-stick skillet, over medium heat, add 1 Tb. avocado/grapeseed oil. Place patties in the pan, cook until brown (~2-3 minutes) then flip and cook ~2-3 minutes. They may split/break apart when flipping, but don't worry, just shape back together.
  • While patties cook, toast the buns, cut side down, in a non-stick pan.
  • Assemble sliders with lettuce, top with tzatziki and serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Don't worry if the patties split apart while cooking.  Just form them back into shape.  As Julia Child used to say "who is going to see?"