Grilled Salsa Veggie Burger Recipe
Lizzy Briskin
Makes: 5 burgers
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
This Salsa Veggie Burger recipe is the perfect dish to bring life and zest to your next outdoor barbecue or picnic this summer. Vegan and gluten-free patties are infused with crisp, crunchy summer vegetables and have a hearty, satisfying texture thanks to brown rice and oats. Plenty of plant-based protein comes from black beans, for an all-around winning combination. Serve with sweet potato fries on the side or even a light salad with a simple vinaigrette.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup quick oats
- ½ white onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1 small tomato, roughly chopped
- ½ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more, for serving
- ¼ cup bread crumbs for dredging (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
- Gluten-free hamburger buns
- Toppings: Lettuce, tomatoes, and lime
How to Make Salsa Veggie Burgers
You can whip up your burgers in minutes with a food processor and a few pantry-staple ingredients. The key is to avoid over-processing the dough, which can cause your burgers to become gummy, instead of chewy and soft.
If you like an extra crisp crust on your veggie burgers, you can coat each patty in a coating of gluten-free breadcrumbs just before cooking. Avoid coating the patties before you chill them, as the breadcrumbs will become soggy instead of crisp and golden.
Ingredient Substitutions & Swaps
This is a fairly forgiving recipe to make with what you have on hand. If you don’t have all of these ingredients, try these simple swaps and subs:
- Swap out black beans for another canned or cooked bean, such as pinto, white beans, or chickpeas.
- Use another crooked grain, like white rice, quinoa, or farro instead of brown rice.
- Replace cilantro with another fresh herb, such as basil, oregano, or parsley.
- Corn can be swapped with diced sweet bell pepper for crunch and color. You can use fresh or frozen corn kernels.
How to Grill Veggie Burgers
You can cook the patties on the stove, grill, or even in the oven.
If you’re headed to an outdoor BBQ, add your burgers to the grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crisp and heated through. For the oven, place the burgers on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F.
Topping Ideas
The fun part of this recipe comes when it’s time to top and serve your burgers. The zesty, sweet, and savory flavor of salsa veggie burgers pairs well with your classic burger toppings like tomato and lettuce.
Buy why not add another layer of crunch and flavor with these other favorite vegan burger toppings:
- Homemade guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Vegan mayonnaise or aioli
- Hot sauce
- Quick-pickled red onion
- Sauerkraut or kimchi
