I’m back with yet another veggie burger recipe. Bonus: this one comes with an edamame hummus recipe and I suggest you pair the two! I’ve been hesitant to try edamame hummus; edamame is something I overdid in college. I would boil up a pot of the bean pods, sprinkle on some salt, and dunk them in soy sauce as a snack at least a few times a week. If I’m being honest, I probably loved them so much because they satisfied my incessant cravings for salt. But, much like another favorite (and very weird) college snack – canned corn – I ate so much edamame that eventually it lost its appeal.
While preparing for a picnic this Saturday, I decided to take a shortcut and buy packaged hummus – something I rarely do (packaged hummus tends to come with additives and all kinds of other flavor enhancers). I found myself paralyzed by the number of hummus options at Trader Joe’s – but landed on edamame hummus. Something about it was intriguing, and boy did it deliver (just ask my friend, who proceeded to scoop out every last drop from the container).
The burger is inspired by Bareburger’s Farmstead, which comes wrapped in a collard green with hummus. It has plenty of protein to keep you full – you won’t even notice the missing bun! Don’t believe me? Check out this list of quinoa benefits, including protein and fiber to keep you full.
Serves about 4-5 people.
Edamame Hummus
Ingredients:
1 cup of cooked edamame beans
2 tbsp of tahini
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
Salt
Directions:
After cooking your beans, combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Add water by the teaspoon if needed to reach a thinner consistency. Salt to taste.
Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa
1 cup of gluten free or regular oats
1 red bell pepper
1 cup of chopped yellow onion
1 cup of chopped carrots
1/2 cup of raisins
3/4 cup of peas (I used frozen)
Olive oil, salt, cumin
1 head of Boston lettuce (or any green that will be flexible enough to use as a wrap)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Defrost peas if frozen. Cook quinoa according to directions on bag or box and set aside.
In a large saute pan, heat a couple of teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and pepper at once and saute thoroughly. I let mine get a bit charred by stirring less frequently, and I think it brought out a really nice flavor.
In a large bowl, combine the peas, quinoa, raisins, and oats.
Then, add in the cooked vegetables and a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir thoroughly and either use an immersion blender or food processor to blend – almost fully, but maybe leave few chunks here or there. If the batter seems too wet, add another 1/4 cup of oats. If too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water – you want it to be thick enough to stay together.
Take the leaves of your lettuce and carefully separate them, rinse, and dry. These will be your buns. Spray a baking tray with oil or Pam.
Meanwhile, use a spoon to scoop big chunks of burger batter into your hands and shape the patties. I made mine relatively large, about 4-5 inches wide and a couple of inches thick.
Bake in the oven at 400 for about 20 minutes, then flip the burgers and bake for 20 more minutes on the other side. Make sure the edges are thoroughly crisped and cooked, and the burger is sturdy.
You can also sear these using just a touch of oil and a saute pan. I put my pan over medium heat and added a tablespoon of oil. After spreading the oil, I placed two patties down and seared each side for about five minutes, until the outside was nice and crisp.
Serve your burgers in a lettuce wrap with lots of edamame hummus – enjoy!
