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one green planet

Can you imagine a soy-free, cholesterol-free, optional gluten-free, faux meat-free BURGER that tastes so good you could become hooked? Discover the magic of a great taste in a burger – healthy ingredients and a wonderful aroma that could convert any person contemplating veganism. But better than anything ever, YOU can make these burgers in the comfort of your own home, when you like, and as many times as you wish. They can be froze, BBQ’d, fried, baked – and they’re child-friendly too.

Rice, Lentil, and Pecan Burgers [Vegan]

Calories

379

Serves

8 - 10 burgers

Ingredients

  • Flax egg : 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 1/2 cup warm water
  • 3/4 cup (measurement before cooking) white short grain white rice, washed, drained and boiled separately
  • 1 cup (measurement before cooking) puy lentils, washed, drained, and boiled separately (see instructions on pack and don’t over-cook them)
  • 1 cup pecan nuts, finely processed
  • 1 red onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped
  • 1 medium sized portobello mushroom (about ½ cup), finely chopped
  • 1 cup oat flour, or other gluten-free flour of your choice
  • 2 slices whole wheat bread (or gluten free), finely processed
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, finely processed
  • a handful of fresh parsley, processed
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
  • 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Thai style seasoning
  • Just under ¼ tsp asafoetida powder
Toppings
  • a few Iceberg lettuce leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
  • cucumber slices (optional)
  • gherkins (optional)
  • 1 slice of griddle pan fried eggplant/aubergine (optional)
  • 1 portobello mushroom, finely chopped and fried in your griddle pan
  • vegan cheese slices (optional)
  • Thousand island dressing – a mixture of vegan mayonnaise and ketchup in equal proportions (optional)
  • Mustard
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips lengthways and fried in your griddle pan
  • Llive oil
  • Whole wheat (or gluten-free) burger buns ( you may toast the inside of these in readiness for assembling your burger once it’s ready).
 

Preparation

  1. Start off by making your flax egg mixture. Grind your flaxseed in a coffee grinder or a high speed blender  – this is far more advisable than using ready ground flaxseed, which can often turn rancid.
  2. Use a small hand whisk or fork to mix the ground flaxseed with ½ a cup of warm water in a medium-sized bowl until well blended and thick, and then place your flax egg mix in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (ideally closer to an hour), to give it time to set.
  3. Meanwhile boil your rice and puy lentils separately in plenty of water. Be careful not to overcook the lentils, as they need to be a little chewy, and not mushy.
  4. Finely chop your onion and mushroom, and place in a large bowl.
  5. Then process your pecan nuts, and add them to the onion and mushroom mixture.
  6. Add in the remaining ingredients (to the onion and mushroom mix), except for the flax egg, and stir thoroughly.
  7. Then add in the flax egg mix, and continue to mix until well combined – I preferred to get grubby, and used my hands to give it the final mix at this stage – I advise this because you have better control, and the flavours are better distributed.
  8. Then, using slightly wet hands, form into tight round patties, transfer onto a pre-greased baking tray, and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes – this helps them to bind better in readiness for frying or baking.
  9. Then take out the burgers you need for cooking now, and any remaining can be put in a freezer bag and frozen (they cook just fine from frozen).
  10. If you prefer to bake rather than fry your burgers, pre-heat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC), and bake on a pre-greased baking tray for 15 minutes or so on each side until golden (I haven’t tried baking them, because I find most burgers taste far better fried than baked).
  11. Otherwise griddle fry your burgers for 5 or 6 minutes each side, until they have a deep golden colour, then transfer into a well-greased ovenproof dish – do not cover, and place in the oven on a low heat (around 210ºF/ 100ºC) whilst you fry your veggies.
  12. Now griddle fry your portobello mushrooms, onion slices and red pepper in olive oil until nicely charred, then sprinkle on a little teriyaki sauce.
  13. Meanwhile lightly toast the inside of the burger buns, then remove burgers from oven.
  14. Assemble the burgers (according to preference) by placing the lettuce, cucumber and gherkin on the base of the bun, followed by a good dousing of thousand island dressing (see above), the burger, a layer of vegan cheese (optional), the fried onions, the mustard (French’s is best – link), followed by a layer of portobello mushroom and red pepper. Then close the top of the burger, prepare to engage your jaws by opening your mouth wide, and launch in !

Notes

1. Puy lentils are a must for this recipe because they have the correct texture that helps create the ‘right-bite’ and texture that this burger yields. Other beans or lentils will not work as well. 2. For an even denser burger, add more flax eggs (use 50 percent more). Also, make sure you do not overcook the puy lentils. Then, when you have drained them well, allow them to dry for an hour or so next to a window so that they lose more moisture, and add a little more dried breadcrumbs. These tips will yield a denser burger. Without eggs, we cannot get a burger as dense as a non-vegan one, but we sure as ever can make a tastier one, and certainly a denser one than most vegan ones.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: Calories: 379 | Carbs: 54 g | Fat: 14 g | Protein: 11 g | Sodium: 353 mg | Sugar: 9 g Note: The information shown is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.


About The Author

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Mouthwatering Vegan (Miriam Sorrell)

See My Recipes

Miriam is the creator of Mouthwatering Vegan, the enormously popular vegan food blog, and winner of the 2012 UK Vegan Awards "Best Online Recipe Guide." Her innovative food is all about enticing the senses, taking taste to another dimension, and helping more people make the transition to a plant-based diet. Miriam currently resides in Malta with her seven-year-old daughter, her husband, and her two cats.

Comments

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  1. Way too many ingredients and some of those ingredients are hard to find because I checked Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe\’s, and Fry\’s Food stores. I don\’t do online grocery shopping either. I like the Black Bean Burger recipe. You need to create recipes that you can find ingredients easily here in the southwest U.S. There are some ingredients I\’m allergic like mushrooms and the ketchup has sugar so maybe you can create a recipe for it without sugar. I don\’t like sugar in my food, there is a tendency to eat more when you put sugar in foods. I don\’t think it brings out the flavor.

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