Skip the drive-thru and turn to everyday pantry ingredients to make your very own plant-based, fast food-inspired burger. Vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike will find something to love at first bite, no matter how you top your patty. Swap the lab coat for an apron and cook up a batch of these crowd-pleasers tonight.
Homemade Plant-Based Possible Burger
Ingredients
- 9 oz (255 g) cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 5 oz (140 g) cubed whole grain or gluten-free bread, torn into small pieces
- 2 cups (500 mL) raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) peeled and roughly chopped red beet
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper
- 1 cup (250 mL) black beans
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegan mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water, plus more as needed
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) gluten-free tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground flaxseed
- 8 whole wheat or gluten-free burger buns, split and warmed, for serving (optional)
- Favourite burger toppings and condiments, for serving (optional)
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories495
- protein16g
- fat35g
- saturated fat4g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates35g
- sugars3g
- fibre9g
- sodium441mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). On large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms, bread, sunflower seeds, beet, and garlic with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture into even layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until fragrant and mixture has browned. Cool to room temperature.
In food processor fitted with metal blade, blend black beans until smooth. Add cooled mushroom mixture to beans and pulse to incorporate. Add mayonnaise, water, tamari, vinegar, and flaxseed, and alternate between pulsing and blending, stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of food processor a couple of times, until mixture can be pressed between your palms and sticks together like raw ground meat. If mixture is too crumbly, add up to 2 Tbsp (30 mL) additional water, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) at a time until it sticks together easily.
Line clean, large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop out burgers into approximately 1/2 cup (125 mL) portions. Form into burger patties about 1/2 in (1.25 cm) thick. Chill, uncovered, in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). After 30 minutes of chilling, transfer burgers to oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through. Do not overbake, as they’re delicate and will crumble if left in the oven too long. Carefully slide burgers onto buns along with your favourite burger toppings and condiments, or enjoy a patty on top of a big green salad.
Tips:
- Make these into sliders for party- and kid-friendly bites using butter lettuce cups or baby naan as the burger buns.
- The patties can be frozen, before cooking, between layers of parchment paper for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the suggested cooking time. Enjoy them as a quick dinner or lunchtime salad topper when you’re after that umami flavour without the meat.
Allison Day, RHN
Allison Day, RHN, is a nutritionist, blogger, and cookbook author. Her cookbooks, Whole Bowls and Purely Pumpkin (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016), are out now. She is currently working on her third cookbook, Modern Lunch (Appetite by Random House).
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Cardamom and Ginger Scented Farro Breakfast Porridge
Look for whole grain farro, which leaves the germ and bran intact, for this satisfying porridge that’s sure to kickstart your day. While the cooking time is longer than for pearled or semi-pearled varieties, you’ll get more nutrition. Take the time to enjoy the delicate scent of cardamom and ginger wafting through your kitchen as you prepare this. Ancient grain Farro (also referred to as emmer or einkorn) is a variety of wheat known as an ancient grain, which means that it hasn’t changed over time through breeding as is the case with many varieties of modern wheat.
Chocolate and Orange Chickpea Pudding
Spanish-inspired flavours of almond and orange and a good punch of protein make this pudding a delicious and nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert. The tiniest amount of large-flake sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil help bring all the flavours together. Amp up the orange For some additional orange flavour, when cooking chickpeas from dry, add a few strips of orange zest to the cooking water. Tastier toast Take your toast to the next level by using this pudding as a satisfying spread.
Sorghum Tabbouleh with Kale and Navy Beans
Breaking with tradition, think of this as a guise of tabbouleh salad with staying power, thanks to the addition of hearty sorghum and fibre-rich navy beans. It also ages fairly well, so it serves as a make-ahead meal that can keep for up to 3 days. A perfect plant-based option for weekday lunches.
Chickpea Salad with Nigella Roasted Sweet Potato and Grated Carrots
This versatile salad featuring chickpeas in a bright, fragrant dressing, holds well in the fridge. Make it in advance or keep it for leftovers. Nigella seeds, also known as kalonji, lend a sweet, nutty flavour with an ever-so-slightly bitter edge that pairs perfectly with sweet potato’s sweetness. Chickpeas please! Chickpeas are a great source of dietary fibre; just 1 cup (250 mL) contains 42 percent of the recommended daily allowance. They’re also a very good source of manganese, which is important for calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation.