Dad’s Favorite Veggie Burger
It’s Father’s Day weekend, and the Jersey shore is buzzing with BBQ’s and beachside cookouts. Wafting the smell of burgers in the summer air over the sound of laughter and splashing, there’s not much quite like it. This veggie burger brings just as much sizzle, juice and taste of summer, and edges out meat counterparts as my Dad’s favorite. So bring the veggies and heat and let me see your grill! (Insert millennial Nelly reference here)
The cool thing about veggies burgers is you’re not limited to one ingredient, i.e beef. Combining ripe veggies and herbs with thickening agents like quinoa, breadcrumbs and an egg offer the perfect formula to a veggie burger. This concept can be used throughout the year to construct your version of a tasty veggie burger, no matter the season. Today we’re combining garden herbs with sweet potatoes, farmer market veggies and a summer citrus tangy twist.
Combine quinoa, eggs and bread crumbs with seasonal or fresh veggies
Ingredients (serves 4-5, or just one with leftovers) - tweak according to what you have or is in season
1/3 bag of quinoa
Bread crumbs
2-3 large potatoes (this recipe uses Japanese sweet potatoes) - you could also use squash or other starchy vegetables that are in season
A few large carrots - could also add celery
Red or white onion
Half a head of garlic - I’m a garlic lover so take that as you will
Fresh garden herbs (i.e. basil, oregano, chives, cilantro, parsley, etc)
2 eggs
A lime, for pop of citrus
Prep the Quinoa
Boil pot of water with salt and a little olive oil
Once boiling, add quinoa, turn down the heat to medium and let cook covered until it soaks up all the water
When fluffy and cooked, pop in the fridg to cool down while prepping the veggies
For the Veggies
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pan on low while prepping
The potatoes (starch) can be baked, boiled or pan cooked, according to your preference. Make sure to peel them before using in veggie mixture
For this recipe I coated the sweet potatoes and half head of garlic in extra virgin olive oil and baked on 380 for about 35 minutes, remove the garlic after about 15
While the potatoes are roasting, peel and dice the carrots & peppers and chop the onion. The carrots will take longer to cook than the onion so it’s okay if the onions chops are larger than the carrots.
Add everything to the pan and let cook down
Once the potatoes and garlic are cooked, remove skin from potatoes, chop and add to mixture along with roasted garlic
Squeeze in full lime
Potatoes added to the mix
Bring it all together!
Once the veggie mixture is cooked down, transfer to bowl and add extra virgin olive oil to make it silky
Lately have been loving this Sicilian extra virgin olive oil currently available at Trader Joe’s. So earthy and smooth!
Emulsify ingredients using a hand blender - Nutri-bullet works great
Add eggs, quinoa and breadcrumbs. Hand mix until the ingredients are fulled incorporated and the texture is thick and…god I hate this word… still slightly moist. Add bread crumbs to thicken as needed.
Place in refrigerator and preheat oven to 380
Once the mixture is cool shape into burger patties and place on greased pan
Cook 15-20 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown
If grilling right away, heat on grill just for a few minutes until lightly charred
If saving freeze/refrigerate depending on when you’ll use them. They are great right on the grill or pan once cooled!
Grab the burgers, a bev , the fam and friends. Grill and chill and Bon Appetito!
Here’s a happy Dad after a few veggie burgers
