THE MEATIEST VEGGIE BURGER YOU’VE EVER HAD

With the earthiness of black beans, the sweetness of sautéed vegetables and a textural “pop” courtesy of quinoa – a grain that’s high in protein and contains all nine essential amino acids – all on a classic hamburger bun, this veggie burger is a far cry from those greenish hockey pucks in the frozen aisle. Skip the food processor when prepping. “I’m a big fan of chopping and mixing by hand so you can see the actual, natural ingredients,” says Chloe Coscarelli, co-founder of New York vegan restaurant By Chloe and author of three vegan cookbooks, whose veggie burgers have a fanatical following.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

Drizzle of olive oil

1½ red onions, finely chopped 75g button mushrooms, chopped

110g grated carrot

3 garlic cloves, minced ½tsp salt

180g canned black beans, rinsed, patted dry and mashed roughly with a fork 230g cooked quinoa

25g panko breadcrumbs 40g chopped cashews or walnuts

2 egg whites, lightly beaten ½tsp smoked paprika

TOPPINGS

Veggie bacon, cheese and lettuce

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add twothirds of the diced onion and brown. Add the mushrooms, carrot, garlic and salt and cook until well browned, about five minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool. Add the remaining ingredients, including the rest of the onion, to the bowl and mix. Form four patties about 1.5cm thick. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with oil. Cook the patties for about five minutes each side.