I first saw this recipe in The Karma Chow a super awesome vegan cookbook when we first dabbled with plant based recipes. It’s been a while inbetween burgers and since then I have I tweaked the recipe to taste and converted to the Thermomix.
There’s heaps going on in this plant based burger, heaps of veggies, heaps of flavour and some brown rice and breadcrumbs to hold the whole lot together. The original recipe calls for the frying of the patties but truth be told I have bad frying pan karma, so I prefer to bake mine instead, because it’s healthier, easier and I come from the Lazy Girl School of Cooking.
The patties are quite wet, even at the cooking stage, but don’t let that put you off, they firm up beautifully and have a really great texture. I served this burger to David in the dark, and half way through, he asked “what’s exactly in this? Because it’s amazingly good.” High praise indeed especially from Mr Carnivore himself!
While, these babies are never going to win any burger beauty contests, everyone will love these big, tasty wholesome patties of deliciousness! We like to eat them either on a bun with some pickles and salad, although they’re equally good sandwiched between two crisp lettuce leaves.
They’re easy to make, freezer friendly too and go great in lunchboxes but you’ll need a food processor or Thermomix (or ninja cutting skills) for this recipe.
Even the most hardened veggie-phobe will fall head over heels for these burgers.
Makes 4-6 patties
Ingredients
80-100g fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, roughly chopped (see TIP!)
1 red capsicum, deseeded and cut into large chunks
1/2 medium red onion, cut into quarters
60g baby spinach leaves
120g cooked brown rice
1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Mexican spice blend or chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
How to – Traditional
- Blitz the herbs, capsicum, onion and spinach in a food processor until well mixed and a liquid is formed. Scrape into a medium mixing bowl.
- Puree the rice and chickpeas in the food processor until you have a thick paste and add this to the vegetable mixture.
- Add the tomato paste, Mexican spice blend and salt and mix together with your hands. It’s messy but it’s fun! Add the breadcrumbs until the mixture sticks together. If the patties feel to wet, just add more breadcrumbs.
- With slightly wet hands, form patties and place on a plate/tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up. Meanwhile preheat oven to 190C/170C fan-forced.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the patties look dry, carefully turning the patties half way through.
- Serve in rolls or between lettuce leaves with veggies and condiments of your choice.
How to – Thermomix
- To make the breadcrumbs, break frozen bread into pieces and blitz for 20 seconds on speed 8. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Place coriander, capsicum, onion and spinach into TM bowl and blitz for 8-10 seconds on speed 7 until a liquid is formed. Scrape down lid, base and sides of bowl.
- Add rice and chickpeas to TM bowl and blitz for 5-7 seconds on speed 7 until pureed.
- Add the breadcrumbs, Mexican spice blend, tomato paste and salt and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4.
- Using slightly wet hands, form patties and place on a plate/tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to firm up. Meanwhile preheat oven to 190C/170C fan-forced.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the patties look dry, carefully turning the patties half way through.
- Serve in rolls or between lettuce leaves with veggies and condiments of your choice.
Other info
TIP! Add whatever herbs you have to hand – coriander, parsley and oregano all work well. If Mexican isn’t your bag, substitute paprika, or a very mild curry powder for the Mexican blend. The possibilities are endless!
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