Reprinted with permission from Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking by Joe Yonan, copyright © 2024. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
The Ultimate Real-Veggie Veggie Burgers
This is a master recipe, offering you plenty—or should it be planty?—of options for ingredient swaps that will take them in different, but always flavor-packed, directions. The wiggle room comes in the choice of spices, mushroom and bean varieties, nuts or seeds, and acidic or other flavorings. Feel free to substitute any of these with your own combinations; as long as the proportions remain, it’ll work.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (128g) chopped onion (yellow, white, or red) or shallots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon spices (see Variations)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 pound (450g) mushrooms, trimmed if needed and chopped (see Variations)
1 1/2 cups (265g) cooked beans; or 1 (15-ounce/425g) can no-salt-added beans, drained and rinsed (see Variations)
1/2 cup nuts (50g to 70g depending on the nut), chopped, or whole seeds (60g to 70g, depending on the seed; see Variations)
1 tablespoon liquid aminos (such as Bragg), coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
3/4 cup (93g) all-purpose flour; or (75g) chickpea flour
1/4 cup (20g) nutritional yeast
1 to 2 tablespoons acid or other flavorings (see Variations)
1/4 cup (60ml) grapeseed, sunflower, or other neutral vegetable oil
6 soft hamburger buns, very lightly toasted if desired
Accompaniments: Lettuce, tomato, pickles, sliced onions, and other condiments of your choice (see Variations)
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190°C). Line a large sheet pan with compostable parchment paper.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they are tender and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the spices and salt and cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms exude their liquid and it evaporates and they start to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, lightly mash the beans with a fork, leaving some whole. When the mushroom mixture has cooled, add it to the bowl, along with the nuts or seeds, aminos, flour, nutritional yeast, and acid and other flavorings and stir to thoroughly combine. The mixture will be very sticky. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Lightly oil a ½-cup (120ml) measure. Scoop 6 heaping portions onto the parchment, then wet your hands and use them to pat and shape the mixture into large patties, about 4 inches (10cm) across and ½ to ¾ inch (1.3cm to 2cm) thick.
Bake the patties until firm and dry on the outside, 20 to 30 minutes, flipping them over about halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add as many patties as will fit without overcrowding and fry until crisp on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip them over and fry until crisp on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter. (Alternatively, you can cook them on a gas or charcoal grill over medium-high heat for about the same timing.)
Build the burgers with your preferred accompaniments and condiments. Serve hot.
Variations:
Southwest Veggie Burgers
Spices: 2 teaspoons ground cumin + 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Mushrooms: Cremini
Beans: Pinto, red kidney, or black
Nuts/seeds: Toasted pumpkin seeds
Acid/other: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Condiments: Cashew Queso, pickled jalapeños
Curried Veggie Burgers
Spices: Madras curry powder or Garam Masala
Mushrooms: 12 ounces (340g) oyster + 4 ounces (115g) shiitake caps
Beans: Chickpeas
Nuts/seeds: Walnuts
Acid/other: 1 tablespoon white miso + 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Condiments: Sambal Sesame Mayonnaise
Mediterranean Veggie Burgers
Spices: 2 teaspoons Za’atar + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Mushrooms: 12 ounces (340g) cremini or oyster + 4 ounces (115g) chanterelles
Beans: Cannellini or chickpeas
Nuts/seeds: Almonds or pistachios
Acid/other: 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Condiments: Aioli, Rose Harissa
Notes and Suggestions:
The cooked burgers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. After baking, you can refrigerate the patties for up to 1 week or freeze in silicone zip-top bags for up to 6 months. Thaw before pan-frying or grilling.