The Ultimate Veggie Burger
Published July 22, 2014
Tara Donne for The New York Times. Food Stylist: LIza Jernow.
- Total Time
- 1½ hours, plus at least 2 hours to chill
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
4 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
Olive oil
½ pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
Black pepper, as needed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 medium beet, peeled and coarsely grated (¾ cup)
¾ cup tamari almonds or cashews
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
2 ounces Cotija cheese or queso blanco, crumbled or grated (about ½ cup)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 scallions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon dulce pimentón or sweet smoked paprika
4 ounces tempeh, crumbled
½ cup cooked brown rice
Nutritional analysis per serving
27 grams carbs; 74 milligrams cholesterol; 388 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 569 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice tofu into ¼-inch-thick slabs and pat dry with paper towel. Arrange tofu on one half of a rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides with oil. Spread mushrooms on the other half of the baking sheet; toss with 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper.
- Step 2
On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss beans and grated beet with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper, then spread the mixture into one layer.
- Step 3
Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Roast bean-beet mixture, tossing occasionally, until beans begin to split and beets are tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Roast mushrooms and tofu until golden and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Let everything cool.
- Step 4
Place nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add cooled bean-beet mixture, mushrooms, tofu, panko, cheese, eggs, mayonnaise, scallion, garlic, pimentón and ¾ teaspoon salt. Pulse until ingredients are just combined. Pulse in tempeh and rice but do not overprocess. You want small chunks, not a smooth mixture. Scrape mixture into a bowl and chill at least 2 hours or up to 5 days (you can also freeze the burger mix).
- Step 5
When you are ready to make the burgers, divide mixture into 6 equal portions and form each portion into a patty about 1 inch thick. Return to the fridge until just before grilling. They grill better when they start out cold.
- Step 6
Heat the grill. Cook the burgers over a low fire until they are charred on both sides and firm when you press on them, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If they start to burn before they firm up, move them to the sides of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Alternatively, you can cook these on a grill pan or in a skillet over low heat.
Private Notes
Comments
This was delicious! Rave reviews from carnivores and vegetarians alike. A few substitutions based on the limits of my grocery store and pantry: I used tofu in place of the tempeh, cooked steel cut oats instead of brown rice, mozzarella instead of queso blanco and whipped up my own tamari cashews by cooking them with soy sauce, butter and honey. I served with caramelized onions and feta.
I have frozen them as patties. They are actually easier to cook after being frozen.
Thiis was absolutely delicious. I made it for veggie friends and we all loved it. I topped it with a garlic-aoli sauce. I made 3 changes: No tempeh b/c I could not find it, nonfat Greek yogurt instead if mayo and quinoa in place of the brown rice. The consistency was great.
My suggestion would be to process the ingredients separately to the consistency you want and then combine everything in a bowl. This recipe has a lot of ingredients and they do not process evenly in the food processor.
why is this recipe in the vegan section if it contains animal-based products?
Followed this recipe nearly to the T, except I added more tofu in lieu of tempeh and I baked it in the oven (200°C for 20 mins). The colour and consistency are excellent. It squishes a but when you bite, but pieces aren't falling onto the plate. I thought the taste was somewhat lacking, hence the 4 stars. Despite that, would make again!
Not a vegetarian, but I love these burgers! Because it’s a lot of work I always make a double batch and freeze individual burgers. My substitutions (based on what I usually have around) are regular nuts instead of tamari, and Monterey Jack cheese. My additions, for flavour are: tamari/soy, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, and nutritional yeast. As others have said, don’t over process, and it’s easiest to bake on parchment. Enjoy!! D