AMAZING HOMEMADE VEGGIE BURGERS
These Homemade Vegan Veggie Burgers will blow your mind!
Published March 7th, 2021 on Nikki Vegan
These Homemade Vegan Veggie Burgers will blow your mind! They’re incredibly flavorful and the texture is just right. Not too mushy, nothing artificial, and they’re packed with plant-based protein…and fiber! And vitamins! And a bunch of other good stuff but mostly, they’re just delicious and way better than store-bought veggie burgers! You’ve GOT to try these!
Wait so these homemade veggie burgers are made with BEETS?
Yep but trust me, they’re divine! Beets on their own can be sweet and a little earthy…not exactly what you think of when you think of a hearty burger but the magic of beets is that they provide a meat-like texture that is right on the money! The mixture even looks like ground beef…it’s kind of nuts!
As for the flavor, the secret is in the layering. I made sure to build this recipe with meaty seasonings like garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin and then I layered in umami-rich ingredients like miso and tomato paste to add some depth and richness. Just wait until you smell these burgers cooking up, it’s intoxicatingly delicious!
The key ingredient here is Vegan Worceshire sauce, which can be found at most grocery stores in the ketchup section or online. If you don’t have a bottle at home, stock up! Because it’s a magical ingredient that adds so much flavor to everything from vegan burgers and tacos to Meatloaf Muffins. It’s a game changer and since a little goes a long way, it lasts a very long time in the fridge. 10/10 recommend getting a bottle asap!
More Reasons to Love These Homemade Veggie Burgers:
- They’re a major crowd pleaser!
- Plant-based and packed with good-for-you nutrients
- Meal-prep and freezer friendly
- Great served as a classic burger but these are also delicious on top of a big green salad with avocado or you can slice it up and tuck inside warm pita pockets with mixed salad, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and tahini sauce, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon. Such a satisfying lunch or dinner option!
RECIPE: Amazing Homemade Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 3 cups raw shredded beets about 2 large red beets
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 5 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tsp smoked parpika smoked is key
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup walnut halves measured whole
- 1 cup cooked black or brown lentils I use canned, see notes below
- 2 tsp light miso paste I use chickpea miso
- 3 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1/3 cup chopped parsely
- 2 tbsp chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp water
- salt and black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
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Pulse or very finley chop the walnuts and set aside. Rinse and drain the lentils if using canned. Then chop the garlic, parsely, and scallions and set that aside too.
Scrub 2 large red beets and trim off the bottom leaving the top intact (this makes it easier hold on to the beet while you’re grating!)
Grate the beets on the side that has the largest holes and measure out 3 cups.
Cook
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Then transfer the shredded beets to a large frying pan and add 2 tbsp of oil and 3/4 tp of sea salt.
Sauté for 2 minutes then add chopped garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 4-5 more minutes until the beets are slightly softened and most of the moisture is absorbed. Try not to overcook, or else they’ll get too soft.
Tip: if you have extra liquid in the pan, dump the beets into a fine colander to remove the extra moisture.
Mix
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Add the cooked beets to a large mixing bowl along with 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, 1 cup of lentils, the finely chopped walnuts, 2 tsp miso paste, 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/3 cup chopped parsley, and 2 tbsp of chopped scallions.
Add 1 tbsp of corn starch and a 5-6 grinds of fresh black pepper.
Mix until well combined.
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Transfer 1/3 of the mixture into a food processor along with the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and 2 tbsp of water. Blend until a slightly chunky paste forms. You don’t want it to look perfectly smooth like hummus, so stop blending before it gets to that point.
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Add the pureed mixture back into the bowl and mix well. Then divide into 4 large or regular sized 6 burger patties.
Tip: Firmly press the burgers into patties so they hold together but not soooo tightly that they’re compacted together. That will also make the burgers mushy!
Cook them up! 
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Add 2 tbsp of oil to a large frying pan and set to medium high heat (a 6-7 on my stove) and pan fry the burgers for 4-5 minutes on each side, and then flip.
Cook for another 3 minutes and then transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until firm.