Homemade veggie burgers are easier to make than you might think – and the flavor combinations are endless! These brown rice and walnut burgers are a great basic recipe that goes well with any topping. Here, I’ve topped them with GO VEGGIE’s new sriracha deli slices and a crispy, tangy carrot and celery slaw.
When I was enrolled in cooking school last year, one of my favorite units was on homemade veggie burgers. It wasn’t because I love them (although I do!) but I loved how once you learned the basic formula, you could combine ingredients to make a burger with just about any flavor you can imagine.
March is National Nutrition Month, so I thought it would be a great time to share on of my favorite combinations.
To build a veggie burger, choose a grain (oats, wheat, rice, barley, etc), a plant-based protein (beans, nuts, or tofu), vegetables , and a binder. You can also add fresh herbs, spices, or acidic elements like hot sauce or tamari to round out the flavor.
I like my veggie burgers to be rich and hearty, but I also like them to taste like vegetables. For these burgers, I used a base of brown rice and walnuts – I love the hearty texture and rich flavor this combination gives the burgers. Then I added carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and fresh cilantro for flavor.
Since any burger is only as good as the toppings you put on it, I thought long and hard about how I wanted to finish these. I was really excited to try GO VEGGIE’s new sriracha deli slices, so those were a given. At first, I didn’t realize that the deli slices were different from the singles, but it turns out they are! The deli slices are drier, with a texture more similar to cheese that’s sliced off the block. They’re lactose and soy free and have 40% less calories and 40% more calcium than dairy cheese. The sriracha flavor has a subtle peppery flavor that isn’t too spicy.
To complement the flavor of the sriracha slices, I made an easy slaw inspired by banh mi. Shredded carrot and thinly sliced celery adds crunch, while grated cucumber has a cool, refreshing flavor.
For more homemade veggie burgers, try: Taco Veggie Burgers // Meatball Style Veggie Burgers // Chipotle Lentil and Cauliflower Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 carrot chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 slices GO VEGGIE deli style sriracha slices
- 4 sesame seed rolls
for the slaw:
- 2 carrots grated
- 2 celery stalks thinly sliced
- ½ English cucumber grated
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400ºF.
- Add the rice, walnuts, broccoli, mushrooms, carrot, and cilantro to a food processor. Process 20-30 seconds, or until the mixture is crumbly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Form the mixture into four balls; roll each ball in flour then press them into 1/4-inch patties (if the edges crack, simply press them back together). Place the patties on a baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are brown.
- Carefully flip the burgers and cook another 5 minutes. Top each burger with a deli slice and bake another 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Meanwhile, prepare the slaw by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Let rest 5-10 minutes while the burgers cook.
- To serve, place the homemade veggie burgers on the rolls and top with a generous portion of the slaw.