Chickpea Mushroom Burgers with Mustard Green Pesto (vegan)

Chickpea Mushroom Burgers with Mustard Green Pesto (vegan)

Say hello to the only veggie burgers I plan on making for the rest of my life. True statement! We whipped these up on Memorial Day after spending the entire afternoon working in the dirt. Apparently, the farm didn't get the memo that it was a holiday and we still woke up with the sun and had to work all day. Whomp whomp..... These veggie burgers were a highlight though. And if you can believe it, I loved them so much that I made a double batch to freeze at 10pm that same night (an hour past this farmers bedtime!) Henry stayed up with me and was definitely hurting the next morning too. What I love most about these veggie burgers (aside from their unbelievable flavor) is the fact that they hold together while eating. I've had issues in the past with my veggie burgers crumbling and these guys stick together really well. They are crisp on the outside, moist on the inside and incredibly tasty. Smothered in a spicy mustard green pesto and these have quickly climbed the ladder as my favorite veggie burger to date. The idea of making mustard green pesto came to me while I was busy weeding our first (of four) mustard green plantings.  We're growing a lot of this spicy vegetable and I want our customers to have plenty of fun ways to prepare it. We've been enjoying it straight up from the field with a little dirt still on it. However, I think this pesto is a good place for newcomers to start! If you enjoy topping your sandwiches and burgers with mustard then you will think this pesto is killer! It has a slight bite but nothing overwhelming. You will end up with more pesto than you need for these burgers so try adding it to salad dressings, sandwiches, pizza, roasted potatoes or freeze for your next batch of burgers. Enjoy!

Chickpea Mushroom Burgers with Mustard Green Pesto

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6 patties

Ingredients

For the Burgers:
  • 1 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 cups mixed mushrooms (buttons, portobello, shiitake)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup chickpea flour
  • Additional grapeseed oil for cooking
For the pesto:
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 4 cups packed mustard greens
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1. Drizzle 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and lightly browned. About 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme and tamari. Cook until until tender and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Remove veggies from heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Lightly wipe down the pan since you'll be using it again.
  3. Add the chickpeas, chickpea flour and mushroom mixture to a food processor. Pulse until well combined but still clumpy. Be careful not to over-process. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary.
  4. Place chickpea-mushroom batter in a large bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to set.
  5. While batter sets clean your food processor. Place all of the ingredients for the pesto in the food processor and blend until smooth. Add more oil if the consistency is too thick. Taste test and set aside.
  6. Once chickpea "dough" has chilled form into 4-6 uniform patties.
  7. Heat a few tablespoons of grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot place patties in pan and fry until golden brown on each side. About 5-8 minutes per-side.
  8. Serve with regular hamburger buns or lettuce wraps. Enjoy!

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Taste test as you go *Cooking times may vary depending on your stove/oven

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