Because who among us doesn’t like a burger?
Nobody, that’s who – and now thanks to the abundance of vegan offerings the world has provided us with, even those strictly following a plant-based diet can enjoy a hearty meat-free patty.
But like all kinds of food, finding a decent vegan burger can sometimes prove challenging… and making your own can often be even more of a difficult feat.
Enter The Happy Pear: the lads have only gone and created a vegan burger recipe (featuring delicious vegan mayo) that is equal parts delicious and accessible.
Featured in their new cookbook, The Happy Pear: Vegan Cooking For Everyone, the high protein burger is made of black beans, sweet potato, and a load of veggies.
The gorgeous recipe also contains a load of seeds, quinoa, and psyllium husks, ensuring that you’re still getting all your fibre and good nutrients while you enjoy some tasty vegan goodness.
One for the BBQ, for sure. As long as the sun comes out.
You’ll need (makes 5 – 6 burgers):
- 1 × 400g tin of black beans
- 200g roasted sweet potato
- 2 red onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp oil
- 300g cooked quinoa
- 100g cashew nuts
- 2 tbps ground flax seeds
- 6 tbps water
- 2 tbsp psyllium husks
- 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Panko breadcrumbs
- A little non-dairy milk (to help breadcrumbs stick)
Method:
(Wholefood burgers don’t try to mimic the texture and bite of a traditional meat burger, but rather are based around whole plant foods, making it a much healthier burger in terms of nutrition and fibre that can be just as tasty as its meat counterpart.)
1. To roast the sweet potato, bake in the oven at 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6 for approx. 25 minutes, until softened and starting to crisp on the outside. Drain and rinse the beans.
2. Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions, then set aside. Finely chop the cashew nuts. You can use a flax ‘egg’ to replace hen’s eggs as a binder in vegan cooking. Soak the ground flax seeds in the water and leave to coagulate for 5 minutes or so. The ground flax will soak up all the liquid and form a gloopy, glue-like consistency that works perfectly as a binder. Set aside.
3. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan on a high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, mash the beans, sweet potato, fried onion and garlic using a potato masher. Add the quinoa, cashew nuts, binder (the flax ‘eggs’ and psyllium husks), coriander, lemon juice, tamari/soy sauce, cumin seeds, salt and pepper.
5. Mix really well until thoroughly combined. The mixture should be nice and firm and easy to shape into burgers. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed. Shape into 120g to 150g burgers.
6. Heat another splash of oil in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Dip each burger into non-dairy milk and then into the panko breadcrumbs. Then add to the hot pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely charred and cooked through. (Cook the burgers in batches or in two pans if necessary so that you don’t crowd the pan.)
7. Alternatively, you could bake the burgers in the oven. Rub each side of the burgers lightly with oil and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven at 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6 for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.
8. Assemble the cooked burgers with whatever buns, sauces and toppings you like!
Vegan mayo
You’ll need (makes 350ml):
- 150ml soya milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 150ml neutral-tasting oil, like sunflower, groundnut or grapeseed
Method:
1. Put the soya milk, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder and seasoning into a blender or food processor and blend for 1 minute.
2. With the motor still running, slowly add the oil in a thin, steady stream until the mayo emulsifies. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or lemon juice if needed. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
The Happy Pear: Vegan Cooking For Everyone is available to buy now.
