As a vegetarian, I’ve always had two main passions: seasonal produce and veggie burgers. As for the latter, I’m on a constant quest to find the perfect version (mind you, the word “perfect” is pretty much interchangeable with words like “craziest” or “most unpredictable”), and the BBC just might be onto something. (Onto me, perhaps? Seeing as how their recently posted veggie burger recipe is made from a spring-season vegetable.) Indeed, the BBC is onto many things with their extensive food blog, Good Food—a site I only recently discovered, and on which the Carrot & Sesame Veggie Burger recipe was posted. Check out the recipe below.
Carrot & Sesame Veggie Burgers
Ingredients:
- 750g carrots , peeled and grated
- 410g can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion , roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp tahini paste , plus 1 tsp to serve
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 100g wholemeal breadcrumbs
- zest 1 lemon , plus 1 tsp juice
- 150ml pot natural yogurt
- 6 buns, rocket leaves, sliced red onion, sliced avocado and chilli sauce, to serve
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
Method:
- Put a third of the grated carrot in a food processor with the chickpeas, onion, 2 tbsp tahini, cumin and egg. Whizz to a thick paste, then scrape into a large bowl. Heat 1 tbsp oil in your largest frying pan, tip in the remaining carrot and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring until the carrot is softened – it will become more golden as it is cooked. Add this cooked carrot to the whizzed paste with the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and sesame seeds. Add seasoning, then mix together well with your hands.
- Divide the mixture into 6, then using wet hands shape into burgers. Cover and chill until serving. Mix the yogurt with the remaining tahini and lemon juice, then chill.
- Fire up the barbecue, or heat a non-stick frying pan and brush the burgers with the remaining oil. Cook the burgers for 5 mins on each side, until golden and crisp. Meanwhile warm or toast the buns (or sit them on the barbecue alongside the burgers). When the burgers are ready, spread each bun with some of the lemony sesame yogurt, add the avocado, top with the burger, onion and rocket. Finish with a drizzle of chilli sauce.
For more veggie burger surprises, I suggest trying this one and this one.
Honestly, the best veggie burger I’ve ever had was [is] at National Mechanics. It’s ABSOLUTELY a must-try for every Philly vegetarian (or any non-vegetarian who just loves – loves – good food).
Their brief description is unembellished, but spot on:
It’s fresh and well-formed, and specifically not trying to be anything it isn’t – way unlike your usual ground-meat-mush-via-black-beans bun-filler. There’s no loss of flavor or texture. It’s substantial pub fare, but a straightforward, honest-to-god veggie patty.