VEGGIE BURGERS
PG tested
These veggie burgers are made with brown rice, toasted walnuts and cooked lentils, with warm spices adding a little heat. I used green French lentils and pre-cooked packaged brown rice to cut down on the prep time.
Veggie burgers are notoriously difficult to cook on the grill, so you’ll probably want to fry these patties in a skillet with a little oil, or at least get a nice crust on them in the pan before transferring them to the grill.
1 cup raw walnuts ½ tablespoon olive or avocado oil, plus more for cooking
½ medium white onion, finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon each chili powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika
1 cup cooked brown rice
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs 1½ cups cooked lentils 6 hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired
Pickled red onions and baby spinach or spring mix, for garnish
Heat skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add raw walnuts and toast for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown. Let cool and set walnuts aside.
In the meantime, heat the same skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onion. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and saute for 4 minutes or until onion is fragrant, soft, and translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once walnuts are cooled, add to blender or food processor with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and blend it into a fine meal. Set aside.
To a large mixing bowl, add cooked rice, spice-walnut mixture, sauteed onion, panko breadcrumbs and cooked lentils. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until a moldable dough forms. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Divide into 6 patties and set on a baking sheet or plate.
Pour a little avocado or olive oil into a nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add burgers to pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until well browned on the underside, then fiip gently. (They aren’t as firm as meat burgers, but should hold their shape; if they fall apart, push them back together with a spatula.) Reduce heat if cooking/browning too quickly. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on other side.
Remove burgers from heat to let cool slightly, then sandwich the hot burgers between the buns and serve immediately, with preferred toppings.