The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Balsamic-glazed Chickpea, Pea & Lemon Zest Burger with Pesto Quinoa Salad
Co-created with Ella Mills, this speedy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! Starring 100% natural Protein Veggie burgers, made with chunky chickpeas, sweet peas and zesty lemon - you'll coat them in an umami balsamic glaze, then serve alongside a vibrant salad, featuring nutty tenderstem broccoli, seasonal courgette and a creamy pesto tomato salsa. This is real food with real flavour.
1/3 daily fibre
9 plants
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp thickened aged balsamic vinegar (Sulphites) (wine vinegar, concentrated grape must (SULPHITES), xanthan gum E441)
- 160g quinoa (Quinoa 100%)
- 200g baby tomatoes
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 2 courgette
- 80g mixed salad leaves
- 180g Tenderstem broccoli
- 4 tbsp green pesto (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 4 x Plants Chickpea, Pea & Lemon Zest Burgers (Chick Pea, Courgette, Rapeseed Oil, White Onion, Cannellini Beans, Green Lentil, Spinach, Cauliflower, Peas, Potato Flake, Gram Flour, White Rice, Parsley, Basil, Garlic Puree, Sunflower Seeds, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, Green Chilli, Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Water)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 531
Protein: 17g
Carbs: 52g
Fat: 28g
Balsamic-glazed Chickpea, Pea & Lemon Zest Burger with Pesto Quinoa Salad
Co-created with Ella Mills, this speedy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! Starring 100% natural Protein Veggie burgers, made with chunky chickpeas, sweet peas and zesty lemon - you'll coat them in an umami balsamic glaze, then serve alongside a vibrant salad, featuring nutty tenderstem broccoli, seasonal courgette and a creamy pesto tomato salsa. This is real food with real flavour.
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Bring a medium saucepan filled with salted water to a boil
- Pull out a large frying pan, a large bowl, a small bowl, a grater & a sieve
Get started
- Add the quinoa to the saucepan and boil for 13-14 mins, until cooked, then drain
- Meanwhile, cut the courgettes into 1cm half-moons. Trim and cut the broccoli into thirds. Zest and halve the lemon
- In the small bowl, combine the pesto with the lemon zest, 1 tbsp oil and the juice from half the lemon. Set aside
Fry the veg
- Heat the large frying pan with 1/2 tbsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the courgette and broccoli and cook for 4-5 mins, until golden and softened. Season with salt and pepper
- Once softened, transfer to the large bowl and cover to keep warm
Cook the burgers
- Reheat the pan with 2 tsp oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the chickpea burgers and cook for 10 mins, turning occasionally, until golden and heated through
- Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes
- When ready, drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the chickpea burgers and turn to coat, then remove from the heat
Toss the salad & plate up
- Add the cooked quinoa, salad leaves and half the pesto dressing to the veg bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste
- Add the tomatoes to the remaining pesto dressing and stir to coat
- Serve the salad into bowls, topped with the chickpea burgers and dressed tomatoes. Garnish with the remaining lemon, cut into wedges
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