You need The Best Veggie Burger in your life - whether for meatless Monday meals, your plant-based friends, or just some more variety in your diet, look no further for the perfect homemade veggie burger.
1 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 small yellow onion, small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked whole grain such as quinoa, brown rice, barley, farro, etc. (see notes)
½ cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (see notes)
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. kosher salt
For serving:
Whole-grain burger buns
Sliced cheese (optional)
Lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles (optional)
Burger sauce or condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, etc.) [optional]
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add avocado oil and diced onion, and saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are beginning to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional minute, then remove from heat to allow the mixture to cool slightly.
3. While the onions are cooking, place the drained and rinsed black beans in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the black beans until mostly smooth, but some pieces remain.
4. To the mixing bowl with black beans, add the sautéed vegetables, cooked whole grains, mashed sweet potato, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce and spices. Mix well to combine.
5. Divide the burger mixture into 6 equal portions. Gently use a spatula or your hands to shape the mixture into burger patties (about 3-3.5 inches in diameter, and about 1 inch thick), and place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake burger patties at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, flipping the burgers once halfway through.
7. After 20 minutes, remove the burgers from the oven. Finish the burgers on a hot griddle pan or skillet to get a crust. If you want to add cheese, top each burger with sliced cheese right after flipping to allow cheese to melt.
8. Serve burgers on whole-grain buns, topped with your favorite burger toppings (lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and/or condiments).
Notes:
· Tip: Use a packaged quick-cooking whole grain medley (such as Ben’s Original, Seeds of Change, Simple Truth Organic Ancient Grains, etc.) or leftover cooked grains to save time.
· Tip: A whole sweet potato can be cooked in the microwave in just a few minutes! Wash and dry one medium-sized sweet potato. Pierce with a fork 5-6 times around the potato. Microwave on a microwave-safe plate on high for 5 minutes, then check for doneness by piercing with a knife. The knife should slide in easily. If there is still resistance, microwave for an additional minute at a time until tender. Allow the sweet potato to cool enough to handle, then peel and mash.
· Make these burgers ahead of time! After par-baking the burger patties for 20 minutes, at this point the burgers could be cooled and refrigerated to finish later (within 3-4 days), or frozen.