roasted tomato chickpea caprese sliders
Gearing up for a fun-filled weekend with these adorable little chickpea sliders.
Fun weekend…Who am I kidding? I’ll probably be homebound half the time except for a ride to meet my mom for dinner. Leastwise Saturday I won’t be working, so I guess that’s fun in and of itself. I can get into whatever trouble I wish. Though I’m not even a troublemaker.
What I’m trying to tell you is that I’m boring as hell.
These sliders? Not boring. I loved creating them, and even more so eating them. Every since my Sticky Sesame Jalapeno Chickpea Meatballs I’ve relished any opportunity to explore the craft of meatifying chickpeas. Yes, I know it’s not meat, don’t come at me, but I welcome substitutions whenever I can find them.
And these guys? Perfectly compatible with the already-established marriage of fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese. The flavors in these Roasted Tomato Chickpea Caprese Sliders are all sorts of satisfying. Think tart and energetic tomatoes, savory patties, and creamy mozzarella to balance the strong Italian-inspired flavor lineup. Roast the tomatoes to bursting and fry the patties to a delicate crispness. Perfect for weekend picnics or poolside tizzies.
Don’t Use Shit Wine
My #1 rule for cooking with wine. Any reputable chef will also tell you the same thing: cook with a wine you’re willing to drink. Particularly because stealing a few sips during meal prep time is fun.
Once you’ve picked out your wine, I like to start with the tomatoes since I can prep other shit while they roast. Toss those ruby gems with wine, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and some s&p. Cook them up in the oven until tender and blistering. They don’t need to be super jammy, but honestly can be if you wish. These tomatoes aren’t fussy.
At the end, stir in some fresh basil and mint for an extra snap of summery goodness.
Chick Please
Dig out your best multitasking skills and make the patties while the tomatoes roast.
A food processor simplifies the task tremendously, otherwise you might not get a smooth enough batter. Whip up the chickpeas with breadcrumbs and an egg for stability (feel free to try a flax egg if you want to attempt a vegan patty), fresh and dried herbs, green onions, some lemon juice, and a kick of chili flakes of heat. My batter didn’t need additional liquid, but if yours seems dry, whip in a tablespoon or two of water until a tacky but not sticky mixture emerges.
Form 6 little patties from your dough and fry up in a skillet until crisp. Easy, right?
You have options as far as assembly goes. You can toast your buns (recommended, who doesn’t love a toasty bun) and then decide whether to serve the sliders hot or at room temperature. I actually liked the mozzarella a bit more in tact and less gooey so I let the patties cool a little bit. Can definitely slide the cheese on (see what I did there, heh heh heh) while the tomatoes and patties are hot, though.
Store everything in separate containers and these guys travel very well to the park or pool or whatever. Pretty and pleasing, they are. I’d crack open a pils to drink alongside it, or maybe make a pitcher of Strawberry Paloma Sangria. For dessert, Triple Lemon Cupcakes forever. Those never get old.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
roasted tomato chickpea caprese sliders
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp fresh oregano, divided
- 1 tsp fennel
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 8 cloves garlic, divided
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch chili flakes
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 6 slider buns
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Smash 4 cloves of the garlic and chop 2 tablespoons of the fresh oregano. On a large baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with the white wine, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until juicy and bursting.
- While the tomatoes roast, make the chickpea patties. Dry the chickpeas well after draining by blotting with paper towels. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas with breadcrumbs, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oregano, fennel, dried basil, the remaining 4 cloves of garlic, green onions, lemon juice, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whip until a smooth, tacky batter forms. If the dough seems dry, add a tablespoon of water until desired consistency is reached.
- Form the chickpeas into 6 approximately 2-inch patties.
- Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Fry the chickpea patties for 3-4 minutes until golden, flip and fry another 3-4 minutes. Move to the paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- With the tomatoes removed, switch your oven's broiler to high. Slice the slider buns and brush the cut sides with oil. Toast 1-2 minutes until golden.
- To assemble the sliders: place a slider on the bottom bun. Top with tomatoes and a slab of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with some of the juices from the tomatoes and garnish with additional basil, as desired.
