A long, long time ago, before all mock meat was invented and brought to every supermarket, there was a humble veg burger. Made of simple vegetables, hence its name. I remember some awful ones, mostly flour, carrots and some peas, seasoned with an excessive amount of black pepper to hide all the flows. Served with lots of mayo and ketchup, these were my fix in the ’90s. And then I started cooking, and reading cookbooks, and travel. And I understood what a plant burger should taste like. Since we call it real veggie burgers, let’s make sure they taste like real veg. These burgers are naturally gluten-free, flavoursome, nourishing and so simply delicious.
Common problems with vegetable burgeres
- crumbly and falling apart
- tastless
- dry
- lots of added flour
- oily and greasy
Have no fear! These real veggie burgers solve all the above issues and you won’t be able to stop making them. Once you get a grip on the ‘base recipe’ you will be able to experiment and combine various veg, seeds and herbs. The only thing you have to learn is the right texture, but I got you covered! Read the blog for my top tips!
You are probably wondering how come these real veggie burgers keep the shape so well without any gluten? The secret is millet, perfect grain for the burgers, a small amount of potato starch just to bind everything. Crucial things to use your hands! Only with the hands you can really feel the texture and combine ingredients well. Have you ever seen how butchers prepare mincemeat? Always with hands, and that’s the secret to succulent burgers.
One of the things I love the most about them is that those real veggie burgers are BAKED NOT FRIED. It instantly puts them in the healthy food category, and you can be sure to feel light and nourished after having them. Add lots of salad and your favourite sauce, and you got a perfect vegan burger.
Top tips for these real veggie burgers
It may seem weird and unusual, this recipe calls for raw vegetables. They cook whilst the burgers are in the oven, releasing all the juices, so patties can are moist. It is also much healthier, as veg are not cooked twice, so they keep all the goodness.
Grating veg may seem a big ask, but trust me here, it is really worth it. All you need is a sharp grater or a food processor with a grater attachment or if you are lucky enough to have a Vitamix, use its amazing function (simply place the veg in a Vitamix and cover with water, blitz till coarse and drain well).
Toasting seeds gives an amazing depth and richness to the burgers, so be sure not to skip this step.
Cooking millet– make sure to rinse it at least twice with boiling water to get rid of the bitter taste. Then cover with more hot water, thumb above the level of millet. Put the lid on and cook till the water is absorbed, if millet seems a bit al dente, simply add more water and cook for a bit longer. For these burgers, using warm millet is great as it will bind even better, but if you are using leftovers from the previous day, it will work perfectly fine too.
Do not skip the oil– it is needed to elevate all the flavours, and since those burgers are baked, not fried, a bit of fat is a must.
Potato starch– add it bit by bit, we aim for as little as possible, just enough to bind. That’s why it is really important to mix everything with your hands and start adding starch at the very last moment. This way you will feel how much is needed.
BEET BURGER VIDEO HERE
SQUASH BURGER VIDEO HERE
CAULIFLOWER VIDEO HERE
How to eat the real veggie burgers
- perfect in a bun, with your favourite sauces and salads
- great in ‘naked’ burgers, wrapped in some lettuce
- suitable for BBQ
- taste great cold, so amazing to take on the road or to work
- freeze perfectly (after cooking)
- last in a fridge for 5 days
How to follow base recipe for real veggie burgers
It is so easy! Simply follow the below measurements and ratio for veg, millet, seeds and oil and choose your veg, add herbs and spices, and you are set. My favourite flavour combinations for those real veggie burgers are:
- beetroot- cumin, ground corianader, sweet paprika, fresh parsley
- cauliflower- ground meat/kebab/ gyros spice mix, fresh pepper, dill
- butternut squash- smoked paprika, chilli flakes, fresh coriander
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