ISO your favorite veggie burger

[Kay Henderson]

I am not a vegetarian. However, when serving a mixed grill to a group which includes vegetarians, I like to offer a choice.

I used to have a deal with a local restaurant which had the best veggie patties I ever tasted. Unfortunately, they are no longer open.

If you have a favorite recipe (or even a favorite frozen brand), I would greatly appreciate learning about it.

Thanks!

Kay

[karen w]

My family likes the Morningstar Farm Chipotle Black Bean burgers. Otherwise, I am not too fond of most store bought veggie burgers. I get them at Costco. They are large but filling and good for you. I doctor them up with toppings like avocado, cheese, salsa, sliced tomatoes, onions or whatever I have on hand.

For homemade, I have one on my list to try one that was just posted by Anna on her website (cookie madness) for a walnut and chickpea burger. It looks interesting and tasty. Cooking light also has a decent one that I made awhile back with pinto beans. It was called Southwestern falafel with chipotle avocado spread.

Karen

[charley]

I like MorningStar Farms Grillers Original. Nice with a slice of tomato or avocado on a multi-grain English muffin.

[amarante]

The Boca ones are pretty good - especially when they are doctored with all the fixings.

For non-traditional, I like the Dr Praeger Veggie ones that I buy at TJ. They have Indian spices and I used to like them on a bun with some mango chutney.

[Joanie B]

Kay, I had a BB thread bookmarked from earlier this year, check out the link to the NY Times article on homemade veggie burgers gobluem82 posted (I haven't tried any of these yet):
http://community.cookinglight.com/sh...d.php?t=142085

I'm a Boca burger girl, myself, if I eat one from the grocery store.

Used to eat them, but for the last 15 years or so I have had a black bean aversion (got frighteningly sick from a local diner black bean burger, yep!) so I can't even read a recipe with black beans in it w/o swooning. But I made these lentil burgers, posted by kworkman, several times thru the years and really liked them. I never used the sesame seeds, just subbed with more sunflower or pumpkin seeds. I pan fried them, don't know how they'd grill up, sorry, ma'm. Here's the old thread from 09!:
http://community.cookinglight.com/sh...d.php?t=127701

Hee, Kim said in that thread she had 13 veggie burger recipes she was going to try--wonder if she ever made it thru them all?!

[Sheila in MD]

Not a veggie burger but I like to do grilled portobellos for vegetarians at something like that...assuming they like mushrooms that is!

Sheila in MD

[gobluem82]

Kay, I had a BB thread bookmarked from earlier this year, check out the link to the NY Times article on homemade veggie burgers gobluem82 posted (I haven't tried any of these yet):
http://community.cookinglight.com/sh...d.php?t=142085

I did make the Curried Lentil, Rice and Carrot Burgers from this article for DD's graduation party. They tasted great, but like many veggie burgers, these had a tendency to fall apart. I made them as sliders, and I think they would be even more likely to fall apart if they were made into larger burgers. I also cooked them using a combination of skillet and oven baking as the recipe suggests. I haven't had good luck grilling homemade veggie burgers.

Trader Joe's makes a masala veggie burger that is pretty good if you're looking for something a little different.

[whocares]

My new favorite is the Trader Joe house brand that are in the freezer. The masala version is good too.

[AngelaM]

Skinnytaste.com has black bean burgers I have made. They were pretty easy and turned out really yummy. I used my Mom's Tupperware hamburger press to make sure they were shaped nicely and even.

The good thing about them is they stay frozen until ready to cook. That said, the directions say to pan cook-not sure how they would hold up on a grill. You may need to read the reviews and see if anyone has done that yet.

[heavy hedonist]

Tofurky brand has some awesome sausages.

[Valerie226]

My family likes the Morningstar Farm Chipotle Black Bean burgers. Otherwise, I am not too fond of most store bought veggie burgers. I get them at Costco. They are large but filling and good for you. I doctor them up with toppings like avocado, cheese, salsa, sliced tomatoes, onions or whatever I have on hand.

I like these too, but DH thinks they're way too spicy so be cautious unless you know guests like some heat. I think they'd hold up on an grill. DH likes a "tomato basil" frozen burger, Morningstar farms I think. I'd look but don't have any right now.
I like grilled portobellos but have not seen any big sandwich size mushrooms in a long time... they were popular for a long time but have disappeared from my local stores.

[Heather C]

My husband loves these ... they're good for nonadventurous eaters also they don't fall apart.

I'm thinking of subbing quinoa for the bread crumbs next time.

(If you make these and end up liking them their recipe for chickpea cutlets is a favorite of mine.)


Black bean burgers from veganomicon
Ingredients:
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1/2 tspn cumin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tblspn tomato paste
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small onion, grated
• 2 tblspns olive oil
• hamburger buns


Directions:
1. Mash the beans with a fork in a mixing bowl. You don't want to puree them; just get them mashed so that no whole beans are left, but you should leave some half beans.
2. Add the chile powder, cumin, water, tomato paste, cilantro, garlic and onion and mix together with a fork.
3. Mix in the wheat gluten and bread crumbs and then proceed to knead with your hands, until the mixture is firm and uniformly mixed.
4. Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
5. Divide the burger mixure into six equal pieces and roll each piece into a firm ball.
6. Use your palm to flatten the balls into a patty about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Pour a thin layer of olive oil into the pan.
8. Cook patties three at a time for 5 minutes on each side, gently pressing down on them with a spatula. Spray with olive oil before turning over.