This easy homemade veggie burger recipe starts with ground nuts, providing protein and heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will enjoy these homemade veggie burgers. They are a delicious and satisfying option to incorporate into your weekly meatless meals. In addition, unlike ground beef, they are loaded with heart-smart, unsaturated fats.
Cook’s notes
- Be topping-savvy. What you put on your veggie burger can quickly turn a healthy meal into a not-so-healthy creation.
- Crunchy, nutritious veggies are a good choice. Try tomato, red onion, green pepper rings and/or lettuce.
- Serve these homemade veggie burgers on a bed of lettuce or other greens. Or, if you prefer a bun, use a whole grain roll, not a plain white bun.
- Go easy on any added cheese. Try a slice of lowfat cheese.
- Lighten up on condiments such as ketchup and mayo, and feel free to have a heavier hand with your favorite mustard. Or top with a few slices of fresh avocado.
- Serve these with a fresh fall salad.
Consider making a double batch of homemade veggie burgers and freezing some for later. Simply place the cooked patties in between wax or parchment paper, in an airtight container or bag. Freeze them laying flat. Be sure to label your container with the contents and a date.
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 peeled onion
- 1 small green or red pepper
- 4 eggs, beaten (or Egg Beaters egg substitute)
- 1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup of low-fat shredded Italian-style cheese
- Cooking spray
- Use a food processor to coarsely chop the nuts. Move the nuts to a large bowl, then rough chop the onion and pepper in the food processor.
- In the large mixing bowl, add the onions and pepper mixture, along with the breadcrumbs, eggs and cheese. Mix well.
- Form patties with ½ cup of mixture for each patty. Immediately drop them onto a hot nonstick skillet, sprayed with cooking spray (I find that using a ½ cup measuring cup to drop the mixture onto the skillet works best. Then flatten it out in the pan to make a patty). If you need a bit more moisture to form the patties, add another egg or a bit more Egg Beaters.
- Press down with a spatula, and cook the burger until crisp on one side. Then flip it over and continue cooking until warm in the center and crisp on both sides, about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve immediately, refrigerate to heat up later or freeze the patties.
Stacey Kendrick, MS, is a health educator with more than 20 years of experience in wellness and population health. She is a mother to two adult daughters. In her free time, she teaches healthy cooking classes, runs, gardens and enjoys backyard bonfires.
