Best Ever Veggie Burgers

By: Jackie Akerberg, excerpted from The Clean Vegan Cookbook

By: Jackie Akerberg, excerpted from The Clean Vegan Cookbook

Burgers are at the heart of every summer barbecue, and eating plant-based doesn’t mean you have to miss out. The vegan market is saturated with processed artificial meats, so finding a solid veggie burger made from real, whole ingredients can be a true challenge. I’m going to speak on behalf of vegans far and wide and say that what we want in our burger is great texture, lots of veggies, natural plant protein and a killer sauce that brings it all together. Am I right? Well, after years of perfecting this recipe, I couldn't be more excited to tell you: This veggie burger is bun in a million. Its texture is firm enough to stand up to the grill, and it can absolutely hold its own on a bun. Trust me when I say that this veggie burger is the only burger recipe you need. Happy grilling!

Click here for the cookbook!

Yields8 burgers

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Onions
1 large red onion, sliced into rings 1/8" (3 mm) thick
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh or refrigerated orange juice
Juice of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 large lime
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Veggie Burgers
Water, vegetable broth or avocado oil, as needed
1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup (53 g) cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1 cup (164 g) canned chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup (45 g) gluten-free rolled oats
2 tablespoons (12 g) gluten-free oat flour, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed
1 1/2 tablespoon (24 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut aminos, Bragg Liquid Aminos, soy sauce or tamari
Classic Burger Sauce
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain unsweetened vegan Greek yogurt
4 teaspoons (20 ml) Sriracha or chili-garlic sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard, or to taste
Must-Have Burger Toppings
8 gluten-free burger buns
8 leaves butter lettuce
2-3 large Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (29 g) Quick Pickled Onions
1/4 cup (6 g) microgreens
Cornichons or spicy pickles, for serving
1 large avocado, mashed

DIRECTIONS

Begin by making the quick pickled onions ahead of time. In a large jar, combine the onion slices, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar and salt. Securely tighten the lid of the jar and shake it vigorously. Chill the onions in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Store the pickled onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
To make the veggie burgers, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
While the oven is preheating, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Add the onion and garlic and sauté them for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is slightly tender and fragrant. Add the mushrooms and carrot and sauté the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender. You may need to add a little more water to deglaze the skillet as the veggies are cooking. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the veggies cool for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the veggie mixture to a food processor. Add the chickpeas, oats, oat flour, flaxseed, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper and coconut aminos. Pulse the ingredients eight to ten times, until they are well combined but not pureed. Scrape down the sides of the food processor between pulses if needed. The mixture should be a doughy texture with some chunkiness retained from the vegetables and chickpeas. If the mixture is a little too wet to the touch, add additional oat flour 1 tablespoon (6 g) at a time.
Divide the mixture into eight even portions. Create the patties by rolling each section into a ball and flattening it between your palms. Place each patty on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 1½ inches (4 cm) apart.
Bake the burgers for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through the baking time.
While the burgers are baking, prepare the classic burger sauce. In a medium jar, combine the yogurt, Sriracha and mustard. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients together. Taste the sauce and adjust the spiciness with extra Sriracha or the tang with extra mustard.
To prepare the must-have burger toppings, place the burger buns on a large baking sheet and warm them in the oven for the final 2 minutes of the burgers’ baking time. Alternatively, you may place the buns directly on the oven rack to warm them. Assemble your burgers by layering the buns with the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, quick pickled onions, a burger patty, the classic burger sauce and microgreens. Serve the burgers with the cornichons on the side.
Any leftover burgers can be frozen, stored in a reusable bag or container, for up to 6 months. To reheat the burgers, thaw them and reheat them in a skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Alternatively, you can grill the leftover burgers over low heat on lightly oiled grates or a lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil for 2 to 3 minutes per side.