Veggie Burgers
or legume patties
This post brings together several recipes for vegetarian and vegan burgers, or what we like to call patties. Vegan vegetable patties are not quite the same as burgers. Patties often contain only vegetables and, for example, breadcrumbs, while burgers should also provide protein. These recipes are based on legumes and plant proteins so that each burger becomes the protein-rich part of the meal. Chickpeas, beans, lentils, tofu, peas, and similar ingredients take the leading role, enriched with a little vegetable, seeds, spices, or a grain. Instead of flour, I often mix in vegan protein powder (pea protein), which adds even more protein to the burgers. In other words, instead of mixing in two tablespoons of flour, which is mostly carbohydrate, I use two tablespoons of pure protein.
To make the burgers easier to digest, Ayurveda advises us to use plenty of spices with legumes. While cooking them, we can add caraway, anise, pepper, fenugreek, bay leaf, and similar spices to the water. Pepper, chili, garlic, curry, and other spice blends can be added directly to the burger mixture. If you are making burgers for children too, try caraway, cumin, and coriander. They are milder but still make legumes easier to digest.
I do not enjoy eating a lot of bread and rolls, so I serve burgers on a plate with vegetables and a side dish. These burgers can also go into a flatbread or bun, just like meat burgers, with a delicious sauce, lettuce, and tomato, turning them into genuinely healthy fast food. Served with vegetables, rice, or potatoes, they make a complete lunch.
Explore these recipes, find inspiration, and start creating beautiful, delicious, and wholesome veggie meals.
A vegan diet combined with regular exercise, mindful breathing, and meditation is a lifestyle that keeps the mind alert, the body healthy, and the heart peaceful.
1. Carrot Chickpea Burger
Carrot, chickpeas, and oats: it is hard to say which is healthier
Chickpeas are one of the most valued sources of plant protein. They are healthy and nutritious and lend recipes a rich, subtly chestnut-like flavor. That is why I love using them as often as possible, and luckily they work in so many combinations. This carrot, chickpea, and oat burger is wonderfully simple, and you can find all its ingredients in any grocery store. You probably already have them at home. Preparation is easy: simply combine, mash, and bake everything. In very little time, you have a meal the whole family can enjoy, gently sweet, crisp, filling, and satisfying.
INGREDIENTS
– cooked chickpeas, one large cup or about 250 g
– fine rolled oats, 2/3 cup
– one fairly large carrot
– two cloves of garlic
– two tablespoons sesame seeds
– salt and pepper
– two tablespoons olive oil
PREPARATION
Mash the chickpeas thoroughly with a fork. Finely grate the carrot and garlic, then add all the remaining ingredients. If you like, add a spice of your choice, perhaps a little cayenne pepper for extra heat. Mix everything well. If the chickpeas are a little dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. The salted carrot will release moisture, which the oats will gradually absorb. Let the mixture rest for at least one to two hours so that the oats can absorb the liquid and become sticky. They are the main binding ingredient in this burger.
Mix once more before shaping and knead the mixture very thoroughly with your hands. It should be thick and just sticky enough to hold together while still being easy to form into burgers. Add a tablespoon or two of flour or a little more water if needed. Fry them in a pan with a little oil, or drizzle them with oil, place them on baking paper with a few regular and sweet potato wedges, and bake everything together.
Serve with something green, such as pureed Swiss chard or an arugula salad with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. Enjoy every bite..
Let the chickpeas’ velvety texture and the contrast of fresh vegetables delight you in this creative combination.
2. Mediterranean Burger
Tofu, peas, and herbs with the fragrance of the Mediterranean
I really love this burger. Its juiciness and full flavor set it apart from the starchy, dry texture veggie patties sometimes have. Mashed tofu and peas create a protein-rich base for leafy greens, Swiss chard, and Mediterranean herbs. The result is pure pleasure: a lightly crisp crust around a juicy, nourishing center.
The ever-tempting friendship of basil and olive oil shines in this plant-protein combination.
For some time now, I have been adding raw Swiss chard, spinach, and other leafy greens to burgers, and they turn out beautifully. I used to worry that the leaves would release too much liquid or fail to combine with the other ingredients, but that does not happen. It may help that I let the burger mixture rest for one to two hours. In contact with the other ingredients and spices, the leaves soften and relax, so they need very little cooking. Cutting them into very fine strips and pieces helps too. A touch of dark leafy green is wonderfully refreshing in this substantial burger and creates a lovely contrast.
A journey to an island coast and a meal from grandmother’s garden carry values that never fade.
INGREDIENTS
– one block of tofu, about 150 g
– one cup cooked peas
– one heaped tablespoon tapioca flour
– two cloves of garlic
– two teaspoons pesto Genovese
– a few young Swiss chard leaves
– three large fresh basil leaves
– a little dried rosemary
– salt and pepper
– three tablespoons olive oil
PREPARATION
Mash the tofu and peas thoroughly with a fork. Cut the fresh Swiss chard into very small pieces and finely grate or chop the garlic, then mix in all the remaining ingredients. Let the mixture rest for at least an hour so that the ingredients bind and the herbs release their flavors. I use a couple of spoonfuls of pesto when I have it on hand, but you can leave it out because the recipe already contains plenty of herbs. Vegan pesto is available in health-food shops. When you shape the burgers, the mixture should be thick and slightly sticky but easy to handle. Cook the burgers slowly in a pan for a few minutes on each side, or bake them in the oven if you prefer.
Serve with steamed or grilled vegetables, salad, a little rice, olives, another basil leaf, and plenty of love.
3. Mexico Is Far Away
Beans, tofu, peppers, and carrot in a rich, intense burger
The Mexican theme is really shorthand for a group of flavors we associate with Mexico, although these are ingredients that have also been part of our own food culture for centuries. Beans are nourishing and rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients such as iron, magnesium, and folate. Their high fiber content supports digestive health and metabolism. The other vegetables, peppers, carrot, and onion, brighten the beans’ starchy character and add even more fiber. Buckwheat flour binds the ingredients, while the spices give them a distinctive depth of flavor.
Once all the ingredients have been combined and left to rest, shape the burgers and coat them with sunflower seeds. As the burgers bake, the seeds toast and form a crisp frame around the soft, savory center. They encourage us to chew more slowly and savor every bite until all the ingredients have released their aroma.
INGREDIENTS
– cooked beans, one large cup or about 250 g
– half a red pepper
– one medium carrot
– one piece smoked tofu
– two cloves of garlic
– half a small onion
– mustard
– two to four tablespoons tomato paste or passata
– two tablespoons buckwheat flour
– salt and pepper
– smoked paprika
– three tablespoons oil
– a small amount of sunflower seeds
PREPARATION
Mash the cooked beans with a fork. Coarsely grate the tofu and finely grate the carrot and garlic. Dice the pepper and onion very finely. Mix these ingredients while adding the oil and seasonings: mustard, tomato passata, salt, pepper, smoked sweet paprika, a little cumin, and, if you enjoy some heat, cayenne pepper. Finally, mix in the flour so that everything binds into a thick, pleasantly sticky mixture. You can use any flour if you do not have buckwheat flour. As with all my veggie burger recipes, let the mixture rest for a couple of hours. Then shape the burgers, gently press them into the sunflower seeds, and cook them in the oven or a pan with a little oil. Serve with a juicy salad, roasted vegetables, fresh avocado, and a hot sauce.
Enjoy this delicious combination and all the wholeness and abundance on your plate.
From the first bite, this burger makes the lips slow down, the senses begin to savor, and the journey into the richness of flavor becomes a practice of presence.
4. Lentil Lover Burger
Lentils, buckwheat, and egg for an extra protein boost
I often cook lentils. On the first day we eat them with rice and vegetables or as a side dish with a stir-fry, and on the second day I turn the leftovers into burgers. They are wonderfully simple because all the ingredients are merely mixed and baked. Lentils are quite mild on their own, so I add some tomato passata and mustard. I also like using a harissa spice blend to make these burgers especially flavorful. Harissa is hot, so use it carefully. Sweet paprika works just as well if you prefer something milder.
The gently hot, slightly oriental flavor of this burger carries the palate to faraway places every time.
Lentils are excellent for gut health and easy to digest because they contain beneficial soluble fiber that supports digestion. That is why lentils deserve a regular place on the weekly menu. If someone in your household does not like lentils, as my husband does not, these burgers may still win them over because this form removes the floury texture they may dislike.
INGREDIENTS
– cooked lentils, one large cup
– two tablespoons buckwheat flour
– one egg
– one heaped tablespoon sesame seeds
– one teaspoon mustard
– three tablespoons tomato passata
– two cloves of garlic
– salt and pepper
– one tablespoon harissa spice blend
– two tablespoons olive oil
PREPARATION
There is not much to say about preparing these burgers. Simply grate or finely chop the garlic and combine all the ingredients thoroughly. I did not have an open bottle of passata, so I used a tablespoon of tomato paste. If the mixture is a little too dry, add a splash of water so that it combines and can be shaped into burgers, but keep it thick. Once everything is mixed, let it rest for at least two hours so that the spices release their aromas and the flavors come together. Shape the burgers and bake them in the oven, or cook them in a pan if you prefer.
A delicious, nutrient-rich lunch is ready in no time. I serve the burgers with roasted vegetables and salad.
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