The Best Veggie Burger Recipe (Even Carnivores Will Love!)
Best Veggie Burger Recipe
This colorful veggie burger recipe delivers in flavor and provides the ingredients you would expect from a healthy veggie burger by being bean and vegetable-based.
Some veggie burgers use black beans as a base, but this recipe uses chickpeas. Chickpeas may be more appealing to those who have not loved veggie burgers in the past.
Yield: 8 servings
Nutrition per serving: 272 calories, 7 g (grams) fat, 13 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 11 g fiber
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1, 15-oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and dried
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large egg**
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce (or to taste)
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, dill, etc.)
• Salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• Olive or avocado oil for cooking
Instructions:
1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, pour into a large bowl, and gently pat with a paper towel to remove excess water. Either mash chickpeas with a fork in the bowl or transfer to a blender/food processor. Pulse until beans are about 3/4 mashed then add back in the bowl.
2. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and saute onion, pepper, garlic, and carrot until soft and onion are translucent. Transfer vegetables and the egg to a blender or food processor and blend until mostly pureed.
3. Combine this with mashed chickpeas, spices, and breadcrumbs. Stir to combine until slightly moldable for burger-like patties. If the mixture is not holding together, add a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs until more solidified.
4. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and divide the burger mixture into 8 patties. Fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden, then drain on kitchen paper.
5. Serve with desired toppings with or without buns. Delicious pairing ideas include healthy sweet potato fries, cheesy quinoa, corn, and zucchini fritters, and sesame roasted carrots.
**To make vegan, use in place of an egg 1 Tbsp ground flax seed and 3 Tbsp warm water. Let sit until it gels then add to the blender with the cooked vegetables.
Final Thought
Homemade veggie burgers can serve as a flavorful, plant-based, higher fiber, lower-fat alternative to traditional hamburgers. They appeal for various reasons to vegetarians and carnivores alike.
However, not all veggie burgers are created equal. Some commercially made veggie burgers can be highly processed and surprisingly low on whole, unprocessed plant foods. This can translate to veggie burgers that are mushy, rubbery, or tasteless.
Luckily, making veggie burgers is fairly easy to do at home with pantry staples. Homemade veggie burger recipes can vary slightly on ingredients, but there are some common themes to make veggie burgers delicious and appealing.
Beans are the base ingredient and should not be over-mixed. Other ingredients serve as binding agents, add flavor and texture. Finally, veggie burgers should be cooked with light pan-frying, baking, or grilling, depending on the recipe.
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