Summer Veggie Burgers

By Sidonie Maroon, Culinary Educator for The Food Co-op

Kitchen creativity needs problems, limits, and formulas. How will I use up these chickpeas? What will I do with these leftover carrots? Our problems push us to come up with solutions; the limits spur creativity, and formulas are essential roadmaps. What’s the difference between a formula and a recipe? A formula is a ratio of ingredients with a method for using them. A recipe is the specific use of the formula. I’m giving you a formula to make your own veggie burger recipes! Veggie burgers are a fabulous way to use up leftovers and hide vegetables in a classic form. So, here’s my secrets for your future family staple!   

My Veggie Burger Formula

1 cup cooked veggies + 1 cup cooked green veggies + 1 cup grains +

legumes + 1 cup seeds/nuts + binders + flavor

Choose from each category

1 cup lightly cooked, not soft, veggies like sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, corn, celery, sweet peppers, zucchini or mushrooms.  

1 cup cooked green veggies like kale, cabbage, chard or spinach

1 cup cooked grains or dried breadcrumbs like rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, barley, or polenta

1 cup cooked legumes like tofu, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, black-eyed peas or pinto beans.

1 cup nuts and seeds like walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, olives or coconut flakes.

Use both as binders: ¼ cup ground flaxseeds and 1 tablespoon psyllium seed husk powder. (psyllium, while not a pantry staple, is a great addition and has lots of uses.) 

Add Flavor

Salt: ½ to 1 teaspoon salt or other salty ingredient Heat: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, cayenne or black pepper. Up to ½ teaspoon additional hot sauce, or diced hot chilies, or chipotle and chili pastes of choice. Umami: Always add: ¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes, 2 cloves minced garlic PLUS 2 to 3 tablespoons total of the following choices — mushroom powders, tomato paste, nutritional yeast. Sweet: choose one of the following — 2 teaspoons: maple syrup, honey or sugar. OR  ⅛ of a cup of raisins or chopped dates. Sour: Choose up to 1 tablespoon liquid sours — lemons, limes, vinegars, tamarind paste or ¼ teaspoon citric acid. Herbs and Spices: choose up to 2 teaspoons — smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel seed, anise seed, dill seed, caraway or citrus zests. Choose 1-2 tablespoons of the following — fresh dill leaves, fennel leaves, parsley, fresh thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil, or rosemary.

Build Those Burgers

Prepare: Jot down your key ingredients. The binders, flax and psyllium will always stay the same. Now get creative and choose flavor elements. Tip: write your recipe so you can replicate.

Assemble: Pulse the veggies, legumes, grains and nuts/seeds and other wet ingredients together in a large food processor (10 to 12 pulses). Grind the flaxseeds, psyllium powder, salt and all other dry spices in a spice/coffee grinder. Add the flax/spice mixture to the burger mix and pulse together several more times. Use directions in Italian Inspired Veggie Burger for molding and cooking.

Serving Ideas

Go beyond the bun and try pitas, tortillas or lettuce. Top with the fixings and a quick sauce to go along with.  Check out my additional Indian and American Veggie Burger recipes plus Maroon’s Barbecue Sauce on the P.T. Food Coop’s Blog “The Beet” 

Italian Inspired Veggie Burger

Makes 10 burgers

1 cup cooked mix of carrots, zucchini and celery (rainbow veggie)

1 cup cooked, drained chard (green veggie)

1 cup cooked quinoa (grain)

1 cup chickpeas (legume)

½ cup pistachios (nuts and seeds)

½ cup kalamata olives, chopped (nuts and seeds)

½ cup parmesan cheese (optional) 

¼ cup flax meal (binder)

1 tablespoon psyllium seed husk powder (binder)

⅛ cup raisins (sweet)

¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes (umami) 

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (heat)

2 teaspoons fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed 

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced (umami)

2 tablespoons tomato paste (umami)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (salt)

1 tablespoons red wine vinegar (sour)

 

1. Pulse ingredients together in a large food processor.

2. Firm the mixture into a 1/3 cup measure, and tap out onto a parchment paper lined tray. Flatten them into 3 ½ inch rounds. Freeze for ½ hour.

3. To fry: Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and fry 3 burgers at a time until crisp on both sides. Add oil as needed. To air fry: Coat burgers with cooking oil and air fry at 390 F for 6 to 7 minutes, turning them halfway through. To bake: Coat burgers with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 425 F for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Serve hot with fresh tomatoes, basil, pepperoncini, and fresh mozzarella on toasted panini. 

The burgers freeze well and are wonderful to make in bulk as a healthy homemade convenience food.

Indian Inspired Veggie Burger

Makes 10  burgers

1 cup cooked sweet potato, diced (rainbow veggie)

1 cup cooked kale, finely chopped (green veggie)

1 cup cooked quinoa (grain)

1 cup firm tofu, crumbled (legume)

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (nuts and seeds)

½ cup pecans, chopped (nuts and seeds)

¼ cup flax meal (glue)

1 tablespoon psyllium seed husk powder (glue)

⅛  cup raisins, minced (sweet)

¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes (umami) 

1 teaspoon cumin seed, ground (spice)

1 teaspoon coriander seed, ground (spice)

1 tablespoon sweet paprika, ground (spice) 

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes  (heat)

2 cloves garlic, minced (umami)

1 teaspoon sea salt (salt)

¼ teaspoon citric acid (sour) or substitute 1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste (power paste)

1 tablespoon fresh turmeric (power paste) or 1 teaspoon dried

¼ cup water

1)     Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2)     Firm the mixture into a ¼ cup measure, and tap out onto a parchment paper lined tray. When you’ve made 10 burgers; slightly flatten them with your palm. Freeze for ½ to 1 hour.

3)     To fry: Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and fry 3 burgers at a time until crisp on both sides. Add oil as needed. To air fry: Coat burgers with cooking oil, and air fry at 390F for 6 to 7 minutes, turning them halfway through. To bake: Coat burgers with cooking oil and bake in a preheated oven at 425 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

4)     Serve hot with sauce and bread of choice.

5)     The burgers freeze well, and are wonderful to make in bulk as a healthy homemade convenience food

American Inspired Veggie Burger

Makes 10 burgers

1 cup cooked sweet potato, diced (rainbow veggie)

1/2 cup cooked kale, finely chopped (green veggie)

½ cup frozen peas, (green veggie)

1 cup cooked quinoa (grain)

1 cup firm tofu, crumbled (legume)

1 cup walnuts, chopped (nuts and seeds)

¼ cup flax meal (glue)

1 tablespoon psyllium seed husk powder (glue)

¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes (umami)

1 tablespoon porcini mushroom powder (umami)  

1 tablespoon sweet paprika, ground (spice)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (spice)

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (umami) 

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (heat)

2 cloves garlic, minced (umami)

2 teaspoons dried thyme (spice)

1 teaspoon sea salt (salt)

1 teaspoon Braggs aminos (salt and umami)

¼ teaspoon citric acid (sour) or substitute 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons maple syrup (sweet)

1. Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Portion the burgers using a 1/3 cup measure. Tap out onto a parchment paper lined tray. When you’ve made 10 burgers; slightly flatten them with your palm. Freeze for ½ to 1 hour.

3. To fry: Heat high heat oil in a shallow frying pan and fry 3 burgers at a time until crisp on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). To air fry: Coat burgers with cooking oil, and air fry at 390F for 6 to 7 minutes, turning them halfway through. To bake: Coat burgers with cooking oil and bake in a preheated oven at 425 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Serve hot with sauce and bread of choice.

5. The burgers freeze well, and are fabulous to make in bulk as a healthy homemade convenience food. 

Maroon’s Barbecue Sauce

Vegan version

Makes 2 cups

6 oz can tomato paste

15 oz can tomato sauce

2 tbsp braggs aminos

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

¼ cup blackstrap molasses

1 tbsp tamarind paste

1 tbsp fresh ginger minced

3 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes

⅓ cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon coriander seed

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon allspice berries

3 green cardamom pods

1 dried pasilla Chile

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1)     Toast pasilla Chile and grind with whole spices

2)     Add everything to a blender and blend at high speed until smooth.