By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus 2 hours' refrigeration
- Rating
- 4(1,300)
- Notes
- Read community notes
These have a delicate texture and a wonderful savory taste. They’re a little tricky to turn, as they can fall apart. Don’t make them too thick and use an offset spatula, and it will be easier for you. They should be cooked on a flat griddle or pan; don’t try to grill them on a barbecue.
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Ingredients
Yield:6 patties
- 2cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1small onion, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 2 to 3large garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced
- ⅔cup finely grated carrot
- 3tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼cup finely chopped parsley
- 2teaspoons minced fresh sage or thyme
- ½cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1egg, beaten
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Whole grain hamburger buns and the condiments of your choice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
266 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 504 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium-size skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic and the grated carrot, and continue to cook for another minute or two, until fragrant and the carrot has softened slightly. Remove from the heat.
Step
2
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, puree the beans with the lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the onion mixture, the parsley, sage or thyme, the bread crumbs and the egg. Season to taste. Shape into patties, ½- to ¾-inch thick. Set on a parchment-covered baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Step
3
Heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy skillet or on a griddle over medium heat and brown the patties for 4 minutes on each side, being very careful when you turn them over. An offset spatula works well for this. Serve on whole grain buns, with the condiments of your choice.
Ratings
4
out of 5
1,300
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Peter
Really enjoyed this recipe. I don't have a kitchen, so I just ordered take out. Figured it was easier than reading a recipe then changing it entirely like most of the commenters lol.
Mike D in NC
This is going to sound crazy but try using instant potato flakes. They make a handy binder and thickening agent too.
Eila
I really enjoyed this recipe, but did make a couple changes: added about 1/4 cup parmesean cheese, and to season, added rosemary, a dash of lemon pepper, salt, and a dash of regular pepper.
Maya
If u look up similar recipes, they call for 2 of the
15 1/2 oz cans.
Mark from LaPorte IN
Try brushing some beaten egg white mixed with sesame on the surface of the burgers just before cooking. This coats the surface of the burger, providing some insurance against breakage during turning. Works for me . . .
Mike D in NC
I halved the basic recipe but used a whole egg, plain store bought breadcrumbs, diced banana pepper, diced vidalia onion and a 1 tsp of Red Curry powder. I used my immersion blender to puree everything yielding 2 rather large but thin cakes. I skipped chilling and I sauteed them in coconut oil. They held together just fine. With a dollop of sour cream and Major Grey Chutney, they were crunchy and golden on the outside with a lovely creamy curry infused texture. Delicious! A keeper for sure!
zucchini, chickpea and farro bowl
Mash beans rather than purée. Add Worcestershire sauce. Chill everything in a bowl before forming patties.
Liza
Update: Though I think these miss the mark as burgers, I keep in them in the freezer and defrost them in tomato sauce to eat with rice or pasta. Also nice crumbled up and cooked in oil with a little chipotle/adobo puree, also with rice or pasta. Convenient protein hit for vegetarians.
Bela
Yes would be nice to know the can size - I am guessing the 15 ounce cans because the recipe makes 6 burgers. If you used the large cans, you would need more egg and other ingredients, I think, but just guessing which we shouldn't really have to do!
Gabby
I didn't have any white beans or carrots so I substituted with black beans and sweet potatoes. I grated raw sweet potato, and microwaved it for 5 minutes with a wet paper towel over them and then followed the recipe as is above. Worked great.
AnnLouise
Added chopped sweet red pepper and chopped walnuts, doubled the carrots, dredged in self rising flour to make a crust. Delicious
Linda
I've made this a few times, really like it. Added white miso because I love the flavor, some sharp cheese I had in the fridge and coarsely ground oatmeal for that gluten free thrill.
Mussa
Followed recipe but made into balls, baked on oiled parchment lined sheet pan, then stashed in freezer.
Randy
Yes, I believe you can blame the beans for the texture. Butter (Lima) beans have a very distinctive pasty texture which is very different from the firmer texture of Cannellini (white Kidney) beans.
With a recipe such as this it is necessary to make adjustments as you go and tinker with it, trusting your senses and intuition. If the
beans you are using seem "pasty" then compensate by making the vegetables more coarse or even increasing the quantity of vegetables. MRS would approve.
Mark from LaPorte IN
Gabby. Great post. Jacques Pepin says that's what recipes are - a jumping off point for your own creativity. Except for baking, where success is based on precise measurements, most other recipes are an open door to experimentation, which usually yields improvements. Have fun!
Lydia
I made this recipe exactly as specified. It was very bland. I recommend making some tweaks to your liking.
Susan
I sprinkled the patty with panko to help hold it together in the skillet. Very hard to form the patty and move it to pan and flip it over. Once in the pan, four minutes per side, it had a golden, light crunchy crust. The taste was AMAZING. I added avocado, sauteed onion, melted swiss cheese on rye bread plus a little ketchup. Extra time, I will add a slice of tomato. A most delicious veggie burger. I like the idea of workig with frozen patties and i bet that would make cooking these easy.
Alison S
These are lovely - had no issues with binding/cooking. Added some chilli powder in for a bit of extra kick!
Rachel W
We enjoyed them. I actually did half in the pan and the other half in the oven (400 for 20 minutes then flip and then 20 more minutes). We liked the oven baked ones best. Still soft but a better texture for us.
Rachel W
Hi, can you recommend a baking temp instead of skillet please?Thanks! Rachel
Shanna
Very nice base recipe - used panko and added an extra quarter cup, felt like it needed a little more flavor, so zipped in a little grainy mustard and some Tapatio. Texture was lovely and delicate, flavor was good. Keeper - :)
Robin
Made them last night and tonight, still sticking really badly and falling apart when turned. Had to add a lot of seasoning too. Just bummed
sarah
Just don’t make this recipe—it takes a long time, the burgers don’t cohere together, we ended up needing to pan fry them first and then put them in the oven, they burned and my whole apartment smells like charcoal and they don’t even taste that great. Save yourself time and buy some veggie burgers at the store!
Grandmadoc
Bake in loaf pan.
Michelle
As others have said, the texture was a bit mushy and they don't make good burgers. They were pretty tasty otherwise, so I'll try them again as part of a grain bowl or with roasted veggies.
Anne
Yes they are a bit mushy. Veggie “burgers” are mushy!! I’ve never had one that wasn’t. I’m a bit perplexed by the comments saying the recipe is bland. If you taste before forming into patties you can adjust the seasoning (as she instructs) to your liking. I thought these were quite yummy.
ali
Delicious flavor but they fall apart massively. Hard to believe this recipe was really tested!
anjru
Really good, consistency like a crab cake. Might be better with a piece of lettuce for some crunch. Definitely needs a sauce too. I made the NYT Cooking fry sauce. Worked well!
Carol
I made these per recipe and my husband and I thought they were favorable but they had the consistency of mashed potato cakes. Don’t think I’ll make again, too labor intensive and too many dirty dishes for the end product.
Kathy
Easy to make, but mushy in the center. I even made them thin as I wanted to make sandwich. Where did I go wrong?
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