The recipe has come a long way since those days, and the latest version is this tender white bean number with double pesto—some goes in the burgers and some goes into a creamy sauce over top. These veggie burgers cook up like a dream. They’re sure to be a winner for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.
Pesto Is the Sauce of Summer
Pesto is my favorite warm weather condiment and I don’t skimp here: you’re going to fold some into your bean mixture and use the remainder (mixed with plain Greek yogurt) to dress your burgers. I went with a nut-free pesto here for simplicity and for personal reasons (my son is allergic to them), but you honestly won’t miss them a bit.
Making a Better Veggie Burger
If you’ve made homemade veggie burgers before, you know that sometimes they can turn out quite dry and crumbly. That’s not the case here: creamy beans are blended with an egg, breadcrumbs, and brown rice to hold everything together. Want to make your beans from scratch? Here’s how to make them on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker! Once the mixture is blended together, it needs to chill in the fridge for at least an hour before shaping the patties (this helps the patties hold together without crumbling apart on you). When planning your day, take this extra time for chilling into account.
Pan-Fry—Don’t Grill—These Burgers
While I know there’s always a temptation to grill veggie burgers like regular burgers, I always find veggie burgers tough to grill—they can so often stick to the grates and come apart. Instead, I prefer to pan fry these with a little oil in a nonstick skillet or well-oiled grill pan. Then we plate them up and head out to the yard—the best of both worlds.
More Veggie Burgers and Sandwiches!
Green Goddess Veggie Burgers Portobello Mushroom Burger Grilled Eggplant Sandwich
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves 1 clove garlic 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Few grinds freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt
For the veggie burgers:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to shape burgers if needed 1 cup small yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup) 1 garlic clove 1 (15 ounces) can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed 3/4 cup (85g) bread crumbs 1 large egg 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup cooked brown rice 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
To serve:
4 hamburger buns 1 large tomato, sliced Small handful lettuce leaves
Add the Greek yogurt to the small bowl of pesto (the sauce you’ve removed from the food processor) and stir to combine. Set aside. Pulse until just combined—you want it to remain slightly chunky, not completely pureed, otherwise it won’t hold together as well.
