These past few weeks, we’ve been turning to some of our favourite chefs and Fridge Wars competitors to show us how to add a little pizzazz to some pantry staples. Thanks to chefs Matt Basile and Wallace Wong, we’ve crafted beautiful breakfasts from canned cannellini beans and upped the flavour in our rice pudding recipes. This week, we asked chef Shahir Massoud to tell us what we can make with canned chickpeas.

And while whipping up a delicious, homemade chickpea hummus is one option, Shahir is urging us to move out of our comfort zone when it comes to these lovely, versatile legumes. He shared his recipe for herb- and spice-filled chickpea burgers, topped with halloumi and roasted tomatoes. It’s hearty, satisfying, and quite easy to make. And while these burgers can be made on the stovetop right now, we’ll definitely be taking this recipe right into grilling season. Check out the video below (second slide in the carousel) to learn more about this vegetarian dish, then scroll down to grab the recipe.

By Shahir Massoud

I always have chickpeas in my pantry, and I know you’re thinking, “makes for a decent hummus”, right? Wrong! While I do go to the trouble of soaking and cooking dried chickpeas for the ultimate creamy hummus, the canned variety can be used for so many other applications. I drain and rinse them well, then use them in salads, roast them with spices for a healthy snack and often transform them into the ultimate veggie burger. Simply combine the chickpeas with your favourite herbs and spices, give them a pulse in the food processor, then bake them off to set. At time of plating you can sear them in oil to crisp them up, or add them to a hot grill in the summertime. Enjoy these burgers with your cheese of choice (I chose halloumi for a Mediterranean flare) and top with roasted cherry tomatoes for an extra burst of flavour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow baking dish, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and salt. Roast for about 1 ½ hours until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices. Set aside and allow to cool.

To make the burgers, add the chickpeas, garlic, scallions, dill, cilantro, spices, and salt to a food processor. Blitz until incorporated, but not turned into a puree. Add the egg and flour, then pulse a few more times to combine. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, form the chickpea mixture into 8 even patties (about ½ cup each). Bake for 15 minutes to set, then remove and allow to cool.

When ready to serve, bring a splash of olive oil up to temperature over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Add the halloumi and cook for 1-2 minutes (allowing the cheese to brown), then flip and heat through for another 30 seconds or so. Remove and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

In the same skillet, add some more olive oil, followed by the chickpea patties (working in batches to avoid overcrowding). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until the patties are crispy. Remove from heat.

Spread mayo on the bottom and top of each bun, add arugula, a chickpea patty, a slice of halloumi, and some roasted cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

Yield: Makes 8 burgers