Introducing the new gluten-free & vegan Banging Bhaji Burger!
Packed with flavour and made from just seven easy-to-find ingredients, these bhaji burgers take only 15 minutes to prepare. They’re destined to become a weekend favourite.
Perfectly spiced, slightly crisp and full of texture, these are one of those recipes you’ll want to make again and again.
If you prefer not to deep-fry, a lower-oil method is included at the end of the instructions.
What you’ll love about this bhaji burger:
- Ready in around 15 minutes
- Simple to make
- Full of flavour
- Crispy when fried
- Well-spiced
- Gluten-free and vegan
All ingredients are easy to find in most supermarkets.

This is about as simple as a bhaji recipe gets: add everything to one bowl, mix, shape into patties and fry or cook with less oil.

These bhajis are fun to make — a great activity to involve kids in the kitchen.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a bhaji (in Indian cuisine) is a small, flat cake or ball of vegetables fried in a batter. They’re delicious and well worth trying.

IF YOU TRY THESE BANGING BHAJI BURGERS LET ME KNOW!
Leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on Instagram @healthylivingjames using #healthylivingjames. I love seeing and sharing your recreations!

After frying, you’ll have golden, crispy gluten-free and vegan bhajis. You can eat them as they are, but turning them into a burger elevates them even more.
Top your burger with a cooling vegan tzatziki or your preferred sauce for a delicious finish.

Save this photo to Pinterest to try the recipe later.


Banging Bhaji Burger
Delicious homemade gluten-free & vegan bhaji burgers made with just seven ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 courgette, grated
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced into strips
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 75 g gram flour (chickpea/besan flour)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp water
- Large pinch of salt
- 500 ml cooking oil (optional — sunflower oil recommended for frying)
Instructions
- If frying: heat about 500 ml of cooking oil in a small, deep pot (aim for approximately 3 inches/7–8 cm of oil). You can skip deep-frying if you want a lower-oil option (see bottom of instructions), but the texture will be less crispy.
- In a large mixing bowl, grate the courgette and add the sliced onion. Stir in paprika, ground coriander, chilli flakes, lime juice, gram flour and the water. Mix until well combined.
- Shape the mixture with your hands into burger-sized patties.
- Test the oil temperature by dipping a wooden spoon — if it bubbles around the spoon, the oil is hot enough.
- Carefully place two burgers at a time into the oil. Fry for around 2 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- Assemble the bhaji burgers in buns with lettuce and your preferred sauce. A cooling vegan tzatziki works especially well.
Cooking with less oil
- Heat a frying pan with a small amount of oil and fry the bhajis on each side until golden. Note they will be less crispy than deep-fried versions.
- Alternatively, try baking them in the oven: place patties on a lined tray, drizzle lightly with oil, and bake until golden and cooked through.
Notes
Serve the bhaji patties in burger buns with lettuce and your favourite sauce. A cooling vegan tzatziki complements the spices nicely.
Tag @HealthyLivingJames on Instagram and use #HealthyLivingJames to share your photos.