Vegan Veggie Burgers

Big bite worthy

It should be easy to make a veggie burger, right? Beans, vegetables, bread crumbs, oil, whatever's clever spice-wise. But oh, oh that burger will crumble, or have no texture, or just be yuck. Eggs could easily come into play, but survey says that many vegetarians prefer not to eat unfertilized fetuses. Sorry to be frank. I have found the answer, vegan glue. Delicious, sticky, protein and fat-heavy combination of flax meal, tahini, and oil. Clean off the grill for a please anyone vegan burger. I served mine on toasted pita with pickles and avacado sauce, and they were a smash hit.

Vegan Veggie Burgers

1 lb lentils
1 tsp salt
1/4 bulgar wheat

1 tblsp olive oil
1 onion, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 qt mushrooms, shredded
1 zuchini or yellow summer squash, shredded
1 tsp white wine
1/4 parsley, chopped
1 tblsp cumin seeds, roasted and ground
or 2 tsp ground
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt to taste

1 tblsp dijon mustard
2 tblsp flax meal
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup or more olive oil


Cover lentils with 2 inches of water in a large pot. Add 1 tsp salt, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until lentils are almost tender. Add bulgar and finish cooking lentils, another 5-10 minutes. Drain well and return to pot.

Tastes remarkably like Thanksgiving

Meanwhile cook shredded onion over medium heat with 1 tblsp olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Cook until translucent. Add carrot and cook until the carrot is tender, 8-10 minutes. Add zucchini and mushrooms and cook another 8-10 minutes until mushrooms have lost their moisture. Turn heat to high, add 1 tsp white wine and de-glaze the bottom of the pan by scraping with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and mix in cumin, red pepper, and chopped parsley. Add vegetables to lentils and stir. Taste and add salt.

Earthy cumin is the backbone flavor of the burger

In a small bowl mix mustard, tahini, olive oil, and flax. Let sit for 5 minutes. The flax will become gummy and help bind the burgers. Pour over lentil and veggie mixture. Add 1/2 cup bread crumb. Stir the whole pot with your (clean) hands, crushing the lentils to help mixture form a sticky dough that forms into a ball. Add oil if it feels dry. Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Form patties using a 1/2 cup measuring on baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes. This ensures the middle won't be goo when they come off the grill, and helps prevent burger breakage too. Burgers are cooked and ready. Freeze and reheat on a grill, or return to an oven to warm through.