This recipe is a copycat version of Houston’s Restaurant’s Veggie Burger, a favorite of mine. (Pictured here with Burpee’s Early and Often hybrid tomato, Purple Beauty Sweet Pepper, dill pickles from Picklebush cucumbers, and some variety of chicory, I think.) It is a big improvement over the frozen grocery v-burger, and the ingredients are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. My other favorite v-burger, from the famous (among vegetarians and quasi-vegetarians) Laurel’s Kitchen Cookbook is a bit pricey as the main ingredient is walnuts.
The buns are from a recipe I have been making for a while and find pretty easy (for homemade bread)–no kneading, for instance. They can be made with your preferred proportion of whole wheat/bread flour. I go half and half, but 100% whole wheat would work fine.
Houston’s Copycat Veggie Burgers
6 T. barbecue sauce
2 T. molasses
2 cups black beans
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 T. oat bran
2 T. finely chopped onion
1 T. finely chopped cooked beets
1 tsp. beet juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 T. picked jalapeno peppers (I used my roasted poblanos)
1 egg white
oil for grilling
buns and fixin’s (sliced fresh tomatoes, lettuce, sliced onion, pickles, sliced cheese, condiments of choice, etc.)
1. Mix up the molasses and barbecue sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mash beans. Add 3 T. of the molasses/bbq sauce mixture (reserving the rest to brush over the burgers) and the rest of the ingredients up to and including the egg white. This makes 6 good-sized patties for me, but you may make them any size you prefer.
3. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Grill on one side until nicely browned and burger-looking. Flip and brush the grilled side with the molasses/sauce mixture. For a cheeseburger, you can add your sliced cheese now and finish grilling the other side. Otherwise, just finish grilling the other side, no cheese. After the burgers are finished cooking and on the plate, feel free to brush on some more of the sauce on the other side and let the sauce soak in while you are preparing the fixin’s.
Homemade Burger Buns
2 packages yeast
2 T. honey
1/2 cup warm milk
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups bread flour
1 T. salt
2 c. water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
egg and milk wash
sesame or poppyseeds
Combine yeast, honey, and milk in a small bowl. Let sit until the yeast is softened, stir until dissolved. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, beaten eggs, oil and water.
Mix thoroughly, cover, and let rise for one hour. Turn dough out onto a large, well-floured surface. (You will need a lot of flour because this dough is VERY soft and moist.) Turn several times to coat with enough flour so you can begin to work with it. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of a large egg, do your best to form a roundish shape, and place 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds. Let rise 20 minutes.
Bake at 425 degrees F. for about 8-10 minutes. Makes about 20-25 buns.
For a veggie burger, that sure looks good! I haven’t tried one yet.
Wow! Those look really good. I’ve found I don’t really miss the beef if I put on lots of toppings, especially tomatoes! Thanks for sharing your recipes.
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If you just click on dayphoto you will get the college blog which is monitored by the tech guys. The http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com one is my personal blog.
Thanks,
Linda
I love cooking, but burger buns is not something I can ever get right. You make it so delicious, I want to give it a try again.
babette–Thank you so much! I think it rivals beef burgers, but I am biased.
mrs. mordecai–Give this one a try. I think you’ll like it. The bbq/molasses gives it a nice kick.
red icculus–It can get messy, but it is pretty foolproof and easy. I like that it makes a bunch and freezes well.
You read my mind! I’ve been looking for a homemade bun recipe!!!
Thank you! These look great!
christy
I’m glad! I hope you’re thinking of a strawberry cake recipe some time soon because I want one. Maybe you have one on there already–I’ll come look.
Girl! I have TWO strawberry cake recipes. Both from people over sixty. Yum.
I had a go at your veggie burger recipe – they were delicious!
Yea! I’m so glad, Michelle!
Ivory–Gimme gimme!
~giggles~
I haven’t made a cake in a while. I wonder if my daughter would like strawberry for her birthday cake next weekend?
I’m gonna go ask…….
All together now! Strawberry cake! Strawberry cake!
I am always on the hunt for a homemade bun recipe. that look delish. Thanks for participating in the SSF Blog Carnival.
I am always on the hunt for a homemade bun recipe. that look delish. Thanks for participating in the SSF Blog Carnival.