How to make easy veggie burgers for the whole family
Meat-free burgers can be delicious, satisfying, and healthy, and are easy to prepare and cook.
Choosing the ingredients for these veggie burgers
This recipe uses ready-cooked butterbeans as a basis for the texture, as they are very easy to mash with just a fork.
Ground coriander and cumin together are excellent for adding flavour to the otherwise flavourless beans. Each is a great storecupboard staple great for other recipes, too.
If you have any fresh coriander then chop some of that up to add too!
Alternatives to butter beans in this recipe
Other pulses such as chickpeas and red kidney beans would work well but take more effort to mash by hand. They don’t have a strong taste themselves either, so the added flavours are crucial.
Making the veggie burgers spicy
If you find these are tasty but you would like them to be a touch spicier then simply add a pinch of chilli powder or even some finely diced fresh chilli, or as much as you can manage!
Adapting this recipe for different quantities
The recipe makes eight burgers to serve four people. You could easily adapt this and make more or less however they also freeze well so why not just pop some in the freezer?
Preparation is about 20 minutes, and frying is a further 10-15 minutes. If you are making more then this could increase depending on the size of your frying pan!
Equipment Needed
All the equipment should be items you have already. You need a large bowl, a strong fork, a sieve or colander, a coarse grater, and a vegetable peeler.
A sharp knife is needed for the onion and can be used with the carrot if a vegetable peeler is not available.
A wooden spoon will mix the ingredients, and a medium plate is easiest for coating the burgers in flour.
A large frying pan should cope with all eight burgers at once, and a heatproof spatula will be needed to turn the burgers.
Additional Twists
As mentioned, other cooked pulses can be used but need more effort to mash.
A tablespoon of tomato puree (from a tube, not passata) could be added to the mixture to give a slightly sweeter taste and reddish colour.
Instead of the coriander and cumin, a combination of basil and parsley could be used, though a good quantity would be needed to give sufficient flavour. A couple of cloves of peeled and finely chopped garlic would be good, too.
To introduce a different colour, a deseeded green pepper, finely chopped, could be added.
If cheeseburgers are a favourite of the family, a thin slice of vegetarian cheese, such as Cheddar, can be placed on each burger as soon as they are turned over. It should then be melting nicely when the burgers are done.
Serving Suggestions for Butterbean Burgers
These burgers are at their mightiest served sizzling straight from the pan – though they are very good at room temperature too.
They fit into fairly small bap rolls (especially nice if rolls are seeded) and can take relish or sauces just like meat burgers. Then a substantial side salad or homemade chips will make the dish more filling.
If the burgers are served hot, without buns, then fries or a baked potato, together with a good serving of vegetables such as peas, whole green beans, or sweetcorn, will make up a substantial main course.
If served at room temperature, the accompaniments might be coleslaw, potato salad, tomatoes, and a mixed green salad, possibly with some crusty bread.
Most drinks go well with this, including beer, red wine (if burgers are served hot) or white wine (if served cold), and sparkling mineral water or apple juice. Pomegranate juice is good too if you have any and fancy something a little different.
These Vegetarian Butterbean Burgers are really easy to make and taste great. They are satisfyingly substantial, and once they are a staple dish for a group, couple, or family, the recipe can easily be varied. They are sure to become a favourite.
Description
Tasty butterbean vegetarian burgers that are perfect for all the family.
Open the can of butterbeans and drain well through a sieve or colander.
Place them in the large bowl and mash well with the fork.
Trim the ends of the carrot and peel it. Grate it coarsely and add to the beans.
Peel the onion, chop it fairly finely, and then add it to the mixture.
Add 4 tablespoons of the flour, together with the coriander and cumin, a pinch of salt, and a good sprinkling of black pepper.
Crack the egg into the bowl, and stir all the ingredients until well mixed.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour onto the plate and spread it around.
Shape the mixture, by hand, into eight ball shapes, then flatten gently to make burgers.
Place on the floured plate.
Turn them over so that they are floured on both sides.
Heat enough low-calorie cooking spray in the pan to cover the base (keep an eye on it).
Place the burgers carefully in the pan and allow them to sizzle for 5-8 minutes until browned underneath.
Then turn them gently, adding a little more cooking spray if the base of the pan is dry and the burgers are starting to stick.
Fry for a further 5-8 minutes.
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