It can be tricky sometimes to meet the craving for a good meaty vegan burger without soy or gluten. Finally I think I’ve done it, and it’s easier than I thought it would be! The burger is deeply tasty, full of protein, and doesn’t fall apart like so many veggie burgers.
This all comes from investigating an interesting new ingredient: Methylcellulose. The secret to the texture of beyond meat, this binder has the unique ability to firm up when hot. Since discovering it, I’ve been taking a second look at all my burger recipes to see if it can improve their texture. Want a burger that tastes as good as any meat, full of protein, has a great structure, but still entirely plant based? Need to avoid gluten and soy? This is the best vegan burger recipe you’ll find!
Enjoy and let me know what you think.
- Makes: 6 Burgers
Ingredients
For the Burger:
- 1 Large Red Onion, finely diced
- 100g Mushrooms, diced
- 2 Tbsp ground Chia Seeds
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 230g Cooked Kidney Beans
- 100g Cooked Tricolour Quinoa*
- 50g Walnuts
- 80g Rolled Oats
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
- 1/2 Tbsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Tbsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
- 3g Methylcellulose
- 1/4 tsp Xantham Gum (optional)**
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Oil for cooking
For the Burger Sauce:
- 1/3 cup Vegan Mayo
- 3 Tbsp Ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha
- 30g Gerkins, small dice
Serving Suggestions:
- Gluten Free Burger Buns
- Your favourite vegan cheese
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Lettuce
Directions
Start by mixing the ground chia seeds with 6 Tbsp of water. Set to one side and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
in a large frying pan, saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic on a low heat until the onions soften and the mushrooms start to release their liquid. Put to one side.
Pulse the oats in a food processor until they start to resemble small breadcrumbs or a really rough oat flour, there’s no need to turn it into out flour as you still want some texture. Add all the ingredients to the food processor, including both the cooked onion mix and chia seeds to that put to side, and pulse until everything is just combined. Try not to over mix so your burgers will have some texture, the beans should be broken up but not a complete puree. Taste a small amount and season as needed.
The mix will be sticky so oil up your hands to stop it from sticking and form into burger patties. I generally find that about 1/2 cup is the perfect amount for 1 burger. Place your burgers on a tray and chill for at least an hour. When ready to cook, the burgers can happily be finished in the frying pan or oven.
While letting the burgers rest, make the sauce. Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl and taste. Add more sriracha for a bit more heat or more ketchup for a sweeter sauce. Place in the fridge till needed.
To oven cook, preheat your oven to 200 C (190 Fan/400 F). Brush the burgers with a little oil and cook for 15 mins. Turn all the burgers, brush with a touch more oil and cook for another 15 minutes, or until browned on both sides.
To pan cook, place a large frying pan on a medium to high heat with just a touch of oil. Cook the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side, or until well browned. I like to finish by adding a slice of vegan cheese to each burger. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the cheese to melt in the steam, it shouldn’t take much more than 30 seconds.
I prefer to serve these burgers on toasted burger buns smeared with the burger sauce, topped off with plenty of lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!
Notes
*Quinoa is an excellent source of complete protein and the mix of red, black, and white quinoa really does add to the texture of the burger patties. If you don’t have any to hand then regular quinoa should do just as well.
** If you don’t have any to hand you can skip the xanthan gum – it really does add to the texture but the burgers won’t be ruined it you leave it out.
Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, and soy free. If nuts are an allergen for you then you should get a similar result by substituting in sunflower seeds for the walnuts.
