Hearty plant-powered Pumpkin Walnut Burgers with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce. Bursting with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes!

It's been a HAWT MINUTE since I posted a veggie burger on the blog. These Easy Vegan Black Bean Burgers are a staple and I do adore these Salmon Burgers to death. We're no strangers to burgers in the hummus household!

But let me tell you... it's no easy feat to make ones that stays firm firm firm and aren't hella mushy in the middle.

I love that these burgers smoosh together pantry staples that just SCREAM fall.

Pumpkin. Toasty California walnuts. Sage. And chipotles! What are we even doing here?!

So many magical flavors getting cozy on the couch and they all work together just swimmingly.

To keep these babies from turning into mush city, we're baking the chickpeas, oats, and walnuts in the oven which 1) dries them out and 2) adds a whole other level of toasty flavor. It works like a charm!

Ingredients in Pumpkin Walnut Burgers

• Chickpeas: The perfect textural base. Packed with plant protein and fiber, too.
• California Walnuts: The one and only. Fabulously hearty for the perfect "meaty" texture and complex flavor boost. Full of heart-healthy, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids (2.5 grams per ounce - that’s the most of any nut!). 
• Pumpkin: For a bit of moisture, nutrients, and binding power.
• Old-Fashioned Oats: A fun twist on breadcrumbs to help hold these gems together. Use certified gluten-free if needed!
• Sage: Why hello, fall! A little goes a long way. Oodles of flavor.
• Chipotles in Adobo: That little can of dried, smoked jalapeños you'll find in the international section of the grocery store. A must for the burgers and the sauce!
• Yogurt: So simple for a creamy sauce to slather on. Dairy or non-dairy will work!

These here Pumpkin Walnut Burgers were actually inspired by my recent trip to Northern California where I saw with my own two eyes the magic that is the walnut harvest!

Fun Facts About Walnuts

1. Walnuts are the only nut that has a significant source of omega-3’s (2.5 grams of ALA per 1 ounce serving!).
2. They’re only harvested one time each year in the fall, between September and October.
3. Walnuts should only be stored in the fridge or freezer (NOT the pantry) to protect those fabulous “good” fats.
4. They’re sourced from over 4,800 family farms who’ve been harvesting them for generations.
5. Toasting does NOT alter the nutrition profile of a walnut.

Exciting Link Between Walnuts and Depression

Another super cool study we learned about suggests that consuming walnuts may be associated with a lower prevalence and frequency of depression symptoms among American adults.

Depression runs in my family, so this hit close to home!

After evaluating study participants for depression, researchers found that depression scores were 26% lower for walnut consumers and 8% lower for consumers of other nuts, compared to those who did not consume nuts at all. How cool is that?

More on Those "Good" Fats

Did you know walnuts are primarily comprised of polyunsaturated fatty acids whereas most nuts contain mostly monounsaturated fatty acids?

That's why walnuts are the only nut that are a significant source of the plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is a potent antioxidant with loads of health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, lower blood sugar levels, and improved heart health.

Gorgeous and super duper tasty food that's good for you, too? Jump on it!

Pumpkin Walnut Burgers with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph | Hummusapien
• Prep Time: 18 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 28 minutes
• Yield: 4 burgers 1x
• Category: Main Meals
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Hearty plant-powered Pumpkin Walnut Veggie Burgers with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce. Bursting with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes! Vegan option and gluten-free friendly.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the burgers:

• 1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup chopped California walnuts
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• ½ - ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and chopped (1 tbsp)
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp sea salt

For the chipotle sauce:

• ¾ cup plain yogurt (I used 2%, non-dairy also works)
• 2 tsp liquid from chipotle peppers in adobo (avoid the seeds as they're spicy)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• ¼ tsp sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread drained chickpeas, walnuts, and oats on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
2. To a food processor, add toasted chickpeas, walnuts, and oats and pulse until broken down but not powder-like. You want some texture!
3. Add ½ cup of pumpkin, diced onion, minced garlic, chipotles (get most of the seeds out or they'll be spicy), sage, and salt. Pulse until combined. The mixture should resemble cookie dough and should easily form burgers when you pack it together with your hands. If it seems too dry or crumbly, add pumpkin until the texture is right.
4. Warm a drizzle of olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Form mixture into 4 burgers, making sure they're not too thick. Once hot, cook burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side, turning down the heat if they're cooking too quickly.
5. For the chipotle sauce, stir together ingredients together in a small bowl. Devour burgers with sauce, pickles, and lettuce.

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This post is sponsored by California Walnuts, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Hummusapien possible!