veggie burger
Mushrooms always remind me of fall. We used to hunt for mushrooms with our father every Sunday in the forests not far from our home in the suburbs of London. I loved the excitement of finding mushrooms! In honor of fall, I bought some baby Bella mushrooms and tried this recipe. I have been searching for the perfect veggie burger recipe and this might be a winner. I loved the combination of flavors with the mushrooms, walnuts and rice (I used farro). Plus, they even held up on the grill which hasn’t always been the case! This recipe comes from Love and Lemons, another personal favorite food blog that focuses on creating seasonal recipes with fresh fruit and vegetables. I didn’t have any brown rice in my pantry so I substituted with farro (an ancient grain). Farro has about the same amount of protein per a serving as quinoa; which is double the amount of protein of white and brown rice. It’s packed with fiber and has a nutty taste. The grains are larger than rice so if you want a more cohesive/smoother burger then I would recommend sticking with rice. Flaxseed and walnuts also provide healthy fats (Omega-3’s) which have a lot of health benefits. Omega-3’s can’t be made in the body so they need to come from the food we eat. Walnuts and flaxseed are two plant based sources that provide us with this type of essential fatty acid. Research has shown that Omega-3’s can help reduce the risk of heart disease, lower inflammation and reduce blood pressure. To read more about Omega-3’s, read this article by The Cleveland Clinic.
**The key to ensuring the burgers stick together is to make sure the rice (or farro) is freshly cooked and is still warm when you add it to the rest of the ingredients. This recipe makes 8 good size patties, so you could definitely halve this for a family of 4.
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
2 shallots, chopped (⅔ cup) (I just used onions)
16 ounces mushrooms, mix of shiitake + portobello, stemmed and diced (I used baby Bella)
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin, or ½ teaspoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons sriracha, more if desired (omit if you don’t want the heat)
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup ground flaxseed
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, freshly cooked so that it’s sticky*
1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
Vegan Worcestershire sauce, for brushing
Nonstick cooking spray, for grilling
Hamburger buns & desired burger fixings
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until soft, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and browned, 6 to 9 minutes, turning down the heat slightly, as needed.
Stir in the tamari, vinegar, and mirin. Stir, reduce the heat, then add the garlic, smoked paprika, and sriracha. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, flaxseed, brown rice, and ½ cup of the panko. Pulse until just combined. The mixture should hold together when pinched, but it should still have some texture.
Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the remaining panko.
Form into 8 patties, place them on a large plate and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
If you're grilling the patties, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the patties with olive oil and spray the grill with cooking spray. Place the patties on the grill and use a spatula to press down lightly. Grill for 7 minutes on the first side, flip, and grill for 6 to 7 minutes on the second side, or until well-charred and cooked through.
Alternately, cook the patties on the stove. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with oil and cook the patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until well-charred and cooked through.
Remove from the heat, brush with Worcestershire sauce, and serve with desired fixings.