I’ve been on a veggie burger kick lately. They’re just so easy to heat up for lunch. Served on a homemade bun, or on top of a big green salad, they make the perfect midday meal. And while I love store bought ones, they’re expensive and full of preservatives. So I have a repertoire of different veggie burgers in my freezer and pull out whichever one I’m in the mood for. It’s a good system, I suggest trying it.
These burgers are loaded with brown rice and split peas. They taste a little like split pea soup, actually. Which is a great kind of soup, if you ask me. And I love the burgers that taste like it. Mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic. Can’t go wrong with these flavors.
Whenever I make a veggie burger recipe like this, I double it. I’m doing the same amount of work and stocking my freezer at the same time, it’s a great trick. So below is my doubled recipe.
Split Pea Burgers, Adapted from Alton Brown:
I made 25 1/3 cup-sized burgers
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 ounces of mushrooms , chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth (I used 4 cups homemade and 2 cups water)
- 2 cups (1 package) dry split peas
- 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the peppers and onion and season liberally. Saute until softened, about 7-10 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute another 5 minutes.
4. Add the peas, broth, rice, coriander, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let cook for 1 hour.
5. Remove from the heat and mash all the ingredients together (Alton uses a food processor. I didn’t want to dirty mine, so I really just mashed it).
6. Add the panko and mix well.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
9. Shape the patties (it’s easiest if you wet your hands a bit) and dredge in panko.
10. Place under broiler for 3-4 minutes per side. Serve immediately or freeze for later use
