Bulgur Veggie Burger

blucoat's Note:

This recipe is a modified version from this month's Gourmet Magazine (June 2008). The burgers can be prepared on the grill or in a skillet. If you don't want to use a food processor, you can simply chop the onions finely and mash the beans and walnuts together before mixing in everything else by hand. Uncooked patties can be chilled, covered, up to 4 hours.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 burgers

• 1/2 cup chopped onion, divided in two
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for brushing
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 cup water
• 1 -1 1/2 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3/4 cup walnuts (2 1/2 oz)
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

1. Cook half of onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bulgur and water and cook, covered, over low heat until water is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in beans and soy sauce.
2. Pulse bulgur mixture, walnuts, garlic, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, a rounded 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining onion in a food processor until finely chopped.
3. Form rounded 1/2 cups of mixture into 4 (3 1/2-inch-diameter) patties. Chill at least 10 minutes.
4. While patties chill, stir together mayonnaise, zest, and juice.
5. GRILL DIRECTIONS: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas). Put perforated grill sheet on grill and preheat 10 minutes. Brush patties all over with oil. Oil grill sheet, then grill burgers on grill sheet, covered only if using a gas grill, carefully turning once, until golden brown, about 8 minutes total.
6. STOVETOP DIRECTIONS: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook patties, carefully turning once, until golden brown, about 8 minutes total.

Reviews

[jl_browning]

this was pretty good. I sub'd black beans for the pinto and pine nuts for the walnuts. Had a good flavor but was SUPER crumbly. I think next time I'll chill them longer. Also, it doesn't list the amounts for the mayo., or lime juice/zest. but it's 1/4 C. Mayo, 1/4 tsp. zest, and 1 tsp. lime juice (per the magazine). They wouldn't have been as good without the lime-mayo IMO. Good!!

[Heather U.]

These are delicious... so tasty and easy to toss together in the food processor. I'm kicking myself for not following the step of chilling the formed burgers before cooking because mine fell apart. I'm sure that chilling is designed to avoid that! I might also adjust slightly and add in an egg to help bind things together next time. Otherwise, the tastes blended really well, and were lovely when paired with avocado, tomato, and mayo on fresh Italian rolls. I can easily see variations of this with different beans (e.g., chick peas) and different herbs/spices. Yum! Thanks for posting.

[Mewnshine]

Great recipe, I'm a home brewer and substituted spent grain for the bulgur & water concoction in step one. I can't imagine a grill working, we cooked on stove-top with plenty of olive oil. I've substituted white beans for kidney beans, almonds for walnuts, parsley for cilantro - very forgiving and all wonderfully tasty.