spicy buffalo chickpea sliders

Sliding into the weekend like…

We’re entering football playoff season, and that means appetizers galore for some of ya’ll. I don’t much care for football season but I love the excuse to make gameday nibbles. The Bucs are in the postseason and while I have little faith that they’ll go far – maybe I shouldn’t doubt Tom Brady, but I kinda do considering the personal controversy and lack of cohesion on the team this year.

Okay, maybe I have been vaguely paying attention, but it’s kinda hard not to when most of our afternoon entertainment is the lineup of ESPN shows that drone in the background while we work.

ALL THAT SAID, if there’s a time to make sliders, it’s now, specifically these Spicy Buffalo Chickpea Sliders. These cuties are packed full of buffalo ranch flavor, which is my absolute favorite flavor combination right now. You may have noticed. Sliders are a perfect tailgate dish since they feed a good amount of people and the components are easy to store separately in a picnic bag.

These herby dudes are quick and painless, and the easy homemade ranch cools off the slap of the buffalo flavor. Pile them onto little toasty buns with a few leaves of bibb lettuce and a sprinkle of sliced green onions and you’re good to go.

Slide to the Left…

The sliders are a twist on the basic chickpea meatball batter I create. This combo is such a mainstay for me that I typically don’t see the need to do much more other than change up the seasonings.

In this case, I add some fresh produce to create a cheddar-ranch patty. Specifically, dill and parsley, as well as a handful of shredded cheddar to round them out. Pulse those with chickpeas, egg, breadcrumbs, walnuts, garlic cloves, half an onion, and some salt and pepper. You don’t want to fully puree the batter: it should have some texture, but no whole chickpeas or big hunks of onion. Too smooth a batter will create a very sticky and floppy finish, which is not preferred.

Oil your hands and form the slider patties. I made six larger ones more for effect than anything, but you may get up to eight if you’re making them very smol. I recommend smol bois, and honestly I think seven might be the perfect number.

Slide to the Right…

I chose to pan-fry my sliders for a nice crispy exterior. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and drop the patties into the pan. You may need to work in batches here depending on the size of your skillet.

Cook the patties a few minutes on one side, then flip and cook a few minutes on the other. Monitor your heat closely: my skillet tends to get real hot, and I usually have to turn the knob down a touch to prevent the patties from scorching too much.

After that first flip, grab some buffalo sauce and baste one side of the patties. Flip again and baste the other side, then cover and cook a few minutes to ensure the center sets up. You’re looking at about 12-15 minutes total. Pull them out of the pan and set on a plate when they’re done! The patties do firm up a bit as they rest, so I like to let them sit for about 5 minutes.

Char-Char, Real Smooth

Not char, but toast, the former just worked better thematically.

While the patties hang out in the pan, I like to broil my buns. The slider buns, not my actual buns. What I do with my actual buns isn’t your business. You can also grill them or pop them in a toaster or toaster oven if you wish, or leave them untouched. Up to you. I find broiling rather easy to do while I wait for the burgers to finish.

The final step is ranch. My ranch dressing has more cameos on the internet than a celebrity nude. Not really. Greek yogurt, buttermilk, dried herbs, and lemon. Mix them up in a bowl, adding more buttermilk if needed to thin.

Grab some bibb lettuce (also called butter lettuce or Boston lettuce), or romaine if that’s all you can find; your sliders, slider buns, some green onions, and a bowl of buffalo sauce. Plop some ranch on the bottom of a bun, then a couple lettuce leaves, the slider, a smattering of buffalo sauce, more lettuce, and some green onions. Then dive right in that fucker.

Bear in mind that chickpea patties do not behave like actual burgers. They will be softer. The only way I’ve ever found anything to resemble true meat is when a recipe contains seitan, which I prefer to leave to the experts, so if you’re expecting a beef-like experience, that ain’t happening. The flavor more than makes up for the discrepancy, though, and they’re still a great alternative when you’re feeding a plant-based crowd or are vegetarian/pescatarian yourself.

To reheat the patties, I prefer popping them in the oven rather than microwaving. Zapping might make them soggy. Store any leftovers with the components kept separate. If you’re taking them to a tailgate or a gathering of any sort, assemble when you arrive.

Have fun! Because I don’t care about the results of any team, hope your favorite wins this weekend and beyond!

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Feed your hungry football crowd:

Crispy Chipotle BBQ Pinto Bean Tacos

Cheesy Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Snack Mix

Buffalo Cheddar Ranch Pan Pizza

Roasted Tomato Chickpea Caprese Sliders