Perfect Veggie Burger

Name: Perfect Veggie Burger
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 medium onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic cloves; 0.5 tsp salt (plus more to taste); 3 tablespoons cooking oil (olive oil, coconut oil, or peanut oil (2 tbsp for initial cooking, 1 tbsp per batch for frying)); 2 cups cooked vegetables, finely diced (choose from: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, kale, corn, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, zucchini, or bell peppers); 1 cup cooked grains (choose from: millet, quinoa, bulgur, rice, or buckwheat); 1.5 cups cooked legumes (liquid reserved; choose from: black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, red lentils, green lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, mung beans, adzuki beans, or black eyed peas); 0.5 cup flavor and texture builders (choose from: fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, dill, parsley, thyme, sage, chives), scallions, chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews), sundried tomatoes, olives, flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, mashed avocado, or nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, or tahini)); 3 tsp spices (choose from: cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, fennel, oregano, curry powder, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, or citrus zest); 0.5 cup dry base (choose from: ground oats, cornmeal, bread crumbs, panko, or almond meal (not almond flour); add more as needed for consistency); as needed tablespoons reserved bean liquid (add 1 tablespoon at a time if mixture is too crumbly)

A customizable veggie burger formula using cooked vegetables, grains, and legumes to create hearty, flavorful patties that hold together perfectly.

30 min total4 servingsAmerican

Calories

285

Protein

12g

Carbs

38g

Fat

Ingredients

1 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic cloves
0.5 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
3 tablespoons cooking oil (olive oil, coconut oil, or peanut oil (2 tbsp for initial cooking, 1 tbsp per batch for frying))
2 cups cooked vegetables, finely diced (choose from: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, kale, corn, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, zucchini, or bell peppers)
1 cup cooked grains (choose from: millet, quinoa, bulgur, rice, or buckwheat)
1.5 cups cooked legumes (liquid reserved; choose from: black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, red lentils, green lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, mung beans, adzuki beans, or black eyed peas)
0.5 cup flavor and texture builders (choose from: fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, dill, parsley, thyme, sage, chives), scallions, chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews), sundried tomatoes, olives, flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, mashed avocado, or nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, or tahini))
3 tsp spices (choose from: cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, fennel, oregano, curry powder, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, or citrus zest)
0.5 cup dry base (choose from: ground oats, cornmeal, bread crumbs, panko, or almond meal (not almond flour); add more as needed for consistency)
as needed tablespoons reserved bean liquid (add 1 tablespoon at a time if mixture is too crumbly)

Instructions

1
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and salt and cook until the onion is translucent. Add vegetables and cook until soft.
8 min
2
Transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add all remaining ingredients except the reserved bean liquid and frying oil. Pulse 5-10 times to combine. Don't overdo it; you don't want a paste!
3
Press the mixture between your fingers. If you can form a patty with it, you're good to go. If it's too crumbly, add the reserved bean liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it sticks together. If the mixture is too wet, add more of the dry base ingredient, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the right consistency. Taste the mixture and add salt to your taste.
4
Form the mixture into 8 patties (about 1/3 cup of the mixture each) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate the patties uncovered for 30 minutes. (Don't skip this step! Resting will help the patties stay together.)
30 min
5
When ready to cook, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook 3-4 patties at a time until brown on one side, then flip and brown the other side. It should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan before cooking each batch of burgers.
20 min
6
Serve immediately or cool and then wrap each burger in foil, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for later. Reheat in a dry pan on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave.