Monster Veggie Burgers

I adore veggie burgers and my love affair with them started a few years ago.  They are dense with crispy caramelized bits from being heated up in a skillet.  Sometimes they are loaded down with grains and they are always packed with protein.

They are also difficult to make.  I tried and tried but no matter what, I couldn’t find a combo that would hold together nicely.  It was too mushy and fell apart.

One day I was watching Guy make some veggie burgers (Yes I watch his show. Yes I think he’s fab. I fully embrace that with no shame.) and he used oats as a binder.

Well now.  I hadn’t done that before! I’ve also seen other versions of burgers have nuts and other grains added in so I decided to get back to experimenting and see what I could come up with.  I stumbled upon a combo that works for me and is now my favorite veggie burger.

Andrea’s Monster Veggie Burgers

  • 1 15oz Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2C Walnuts
  • 1/4C Pumpkin Seeds (optional)
  • 1C Oats
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1 Large Green Pepper, chunked
  • 1/2 Large Red Onion, chunked
  • 1 Jalapeno, sliced in half
  • 2tsp Garlic Powder
  • 2tsp Chili Powder
  • Big Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1/2TBSP of Olive Oil + extra for a quick brush

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet with some nonstick spray or olive oil.  Toss the garlic cloves, red onion, and green pepper with the 1/2TBSP of olive oil and place on baking sheet.  Roast in oven for about 10 minutes or until the veggies start to soften up.  Remove from oven.

In a food processor, place the beans, oats, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds and process for a couple of pulses.  Add in the seasonings, and the roasted veggies.  Pulse until you get  a smooth consistency.

Pour mixture into a bowl and start to form patties with it.  This should make four HUGE patties or six medium sized patties.  Place on a platter or plate, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge.  Allow the patties to set up for at least 2 hours.

When you’re ready to cook them, preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or oil.  Place patties on sheet and brush with a bit of olive oil on top.  Bake for about 15 minutes, till the tops are crisp and browned.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

I call these “Monster Burgers” because they are huge.  I used chickpeas because I think they provide a better texture to the burger and also give it more umph.  These are still soft and will smash down as you eat them but with the chickpeas they do hold their shape a little better.

The walnuts and seeds also provide texture and if you want to leave those out, you can.  The burger amounts will be smaller in size and not quite as dense.

You can bake them like I suggested or you can cook these in a skillet.  Just heat some oil over medium heat and cook the burgers about 4 minutes on each side.

We top ours with sharp cheddar, caramelized onions and green peppers, and BBQ sauce.

Yum yum!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

4 thoughts on “Monster Veggie Burgers

  1. Nicole says:

    I’m definitely trying these! I’ve only ever made veggie burgers with black beans and pepitas, but I have used oats as the binder. The last time I made them, I felt something was missing. I think the kick from the jalapeno and red pepper will be awesome.

  2. I want to try a veggie burger – so maybe I’ll try this. I like Guy’s cooking, but not all those gorge fest shows. Ugh! Too much food at one time.

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