A homemade alternative to store-bought veggie burgers, so filling and satisfying you won't even miss the meat
Finding a veggie burger in the store that isn't overly processed and has decent flavor is pretty difficult. So with these I set out to make my own version with different textures and flavors so even meat lovers would enjoy them. I wanted to try to get a decent amount of protein without a ton of carbs or fat, these ended up at 209 calories, 9.5g Fat, 23.4g Carbs, and 9g Protein. Quinoa was my first add because it is a complete protein that contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own. Lentils and black beans add protein and carbs, but these are the kind of carbs that won't spike your blood sugar. Mushrooms give them a bit of a meaty texture, and the pistachios add some extra flavor and a little bit of crunch. If you use a ½ cup measuring cup to portion out the mixture, you'll get exactly 8 burgers from this recipe. Below are some additional notes about the recipe.
I've only ever used white quinoa in these, other types will probably work though
If you buy pre-cooked or canned beans and lentils, make sure you rinse and drain them before using
Instead of gluten free breadcrumbs I like to grind up some Crunchmaster Multigrain crackers, which are also gluten free but they have a good flavor to them
You may be thinking, what can I use nutritional yeast flakes for other than in this recipe? It's great on popcorn, you can grind it up with some cashews to make a cheese-like topping for pasta, or it's really good in soups!
If you want to make these vegan, you can soak some chia seeds in water as an egg substitute
Instead of the vegetable bouillon, you can also use McKay's Beef Style seasoning for a meatier flavor
The time in the oven will depend on the thickness of your patties, thicker patties will probably need 15 minutes, thinner patties maybe 8-10
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cooked Quinoa
1 Cup Cooked Lentils
1 Cup Cooked Black Beans
10 Oz Mushrooms (diced)
3 Cloves Garlic (minced or pressed)
2 Sprigs Thyme
½ Cup Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
¼ Cup Pistachios (lightly pulsed in a food processor)
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast Flakes
1 Egg (lightly beaten)
½ Tsp Garlic Salt
½ Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Vegetable Bouillon
1 Tbsp Vegetarian / Vegan Worcestershire
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper (based on preference, but no more than ¼ Tsp of each)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F
Heat a pan with ½ tsp olive oil over medium heat
Add garlic to pan cook for two minutes, then add mushrooms and thyme sprigs
Cook until liquid has evaporated from pan, remove thyme springs and remove pan from heat, set aside to cool
Add lentils and black beans to a large mixing bowl, mash them using a masher or just your hands
Add mushrooms, quinoa, breadcrumbs, pistachios, yeast flakes, egg, garlic salt, paprika, bouillon, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper to bowl with mashed beans and stir well to combine
Portion out mixture using a ½ cup measuring cup and mold patties to desired shape / thickness
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add as many patties as you can without overcrowding
Cook for 3 minutes and flip, add more olive oil to the pan if needed
Cook for 3 more minutes and remove from pan, place on sheet pan lined with foil
Repeat until all patties have been cooked
Place pan with cooked patties in the oven for 8-15 minutes depending on thickness
Remove from oven and these are ready for some toppings!
To reheat, you can either wrap the patty in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, or cook in a little bit of olive oil in a pan on the stove
