Directions
The vegan burger: we finally got there. After hundreds of carnivorous recipes, we decided to try one of the most celebrated and loved recipes in the vegan world: the meatless burger.
A hamburger without meat or even fish, it’s crazy just to think about it! But the question is interesting: how does a vegan make a delicious and juicy hamburger without meat?
A nice challenge, but in reality, the answer is simple: everything can be vegan. There are many meat substitutes, starting with legumes like lentils, black beans, peas, and chickpeas.
You will have to put in more effort and work to make your burgers at home, but this way, you will practice a lot and be 100% sure of what you will eat.
Of course, preparing a vegan hamburger is a longer process, but if you substitute tofu for meat, you are halfway there.
But don’t worry, it’s not complicated. With this recipe, you will prepare amazing burgers, and even your carnivorous friends will want to join your vegan barbecues this summer!
Ingredients for vegan lentil and black bean burgers
For 1 hamburger
- 150 grams of black beans
- 50 grams of lentils
- 2 spring onions
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 small potato
- 100 grams of tofu
- 1/4 of bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 40 grams of breadcrumbs
For the dressing
- red or black cabbage, it depends on the mood
- 1 red onion
- 1 chili
- 3/4 bell pepper
- 1 salad leaf
- a splash of ketchup
How to prepare the lentil and black bean burger
Few tips before starting. The trick to a perfect vegan burger is tofu. Buy the softer one and then blend it until it becomes a cream. If you have the driest one, add a drizzle of warm water if it is too dry.
Remember that tofu is the binder that holds all the ingredients together. The doses can be changed at will, and you can substitute the vegetables and legumes you prefer to find your taste.
If you use dried legumes, put them to soak the night before and then boil them, or if you are in a hurry, go with the classic jar. No one is scandalized if done at home.
After blending the tofu, wash, dry, and chop the vegetables for the hamburger.
Gently fry the garlic in a pan with olive oil, add the cumin, toast over low heat for 2 minutes and then stew the lentils, beans, grated potato, and diced pepper—season with fennel seeds to add a touch of freshness.
After about ten minutes, remove from the heat, add the tofu and breadcrumbs, season with salt, pepper, and oil, and make burgers or a large one.
The Zyliss burger press is an essential tool to prepare the perfect burgers if you want to save time and effort. It is reasonably priced and impeccably built. Very easy to wash then.
That said, let’s get back to our vegan burgers. You can keep them in the freezer wrapped in plastic wrap and cook them as needed: it’s a great way to have burgers ready to be grilled.
For the seasoning: roast the pepper, peel it, and then blend it—season with salt, pepper, and a dash of vinegar.
Cut the red cabbage and red onion into thin slices and season with oil. If you want to make the onions more delicious, caramelize them with sugar and vinegar on the plate. If you wish, you can use raw cabbage or black cabbage.
Now prepare the grill for the burgers and bread. Grill the hamburger for 4 minutes on each side if it is small, for 6-7 if it is larger. When there are 2 minutes left, heat the bread too.
When everything is hot, spread the pepper sauce on the bread, add a salad leaf, the vegan burger, more sauce, the onion, and purple cabbage, and finish with the bread.
Which wine to pair with the vegan lentil and bean burger?
Let’s uncork a thick, fragrant white wine like the Chardonnay Maleto from Palazzona di Maggio. Prosecco, Champagne, and Franciacorta are excellent companions if you are looking for bubbles.
If you want to combine a cocktail, let’s go for the classic with a well-frozen Moscow Mule.
