Spicy Cauliflower Burgers
OH YES I DID.
I most definitely DID make cauliflower burgers.
With cauliflower (as in the veg-e-ta-bel cauliflower) and quinoa and almonds and eggs and other non-meat stuff. I absolutely, for surely, deliciously did that. It is part veggie-burger, part rule-breaker. We are just straight up defying traditional food categories over here.
Guess what? Even regular-burger-loving Bjork loved these little babes.
Here’s what’s about to go down:
- a golden brown, cheesy, spicy cauliflower quinoa burger
- a layer of Magic Green Sauce ()
- a layer of cilantro lime slaw bcz crunchy is necessary
- a layer of creamy chipotle mayo compliments of Christmas gifting – one thing, though: do normal people get things like chipotle mayo for Christmas?
- a jalapeño cheddar bun, because who can even walk buy those in the grocery store without buying them?! be real with yourself.
- A VERY HAPPY EATER
These burgers are literally everything. Is that the right use of literally? Cool and fresh because of that avocado-based sauce and all the lime and cilantro in the slaw, but also a little fiery because those cauliflower burgers are packin’ the heat, just the right amount of crunchy thanks to the purple slaw, and a little smooth creamy because of the smooth chipotle mayo on top.
As with almost all meatless burgers that I’ve encountered, these tend to crumble a bit. See also: fails.
But I think with enough eggs and enough, umm, cheese (so maybe I just used cheese as a binder. Can we move on already?), they hold together beautifully.
Not only do they hold together, but they get a lusciously golden brown exterior that is screaming to be smeared with sauces and toppings and packed into a jalapeño cheddar bun.
Amiright, tho?
Here’s the deal: Over the last year or so, I’ve realized that I don’t really like to make healthy trades when it comes to cooking. Like, if you’re going to have a burger, just eat a regular burger. **With the exception of a few things, like cauliflower sauce instead of cream-based sauce. But in general, that’s mostly how I feel about it.
But friends, I truly, honestly, deeply and very seriously LOVE a good meatless burger. I might even love a made-from-scratch veggie burger MORE than a traditional burger. The texture? The flavor? It is so much more interesting and satisfying tha– okay, I’m getting glares. I’ll stop.
So around here we love veggie burgers, we also love cauliflower, and we mostly love quinoa except when it tastes a little dirty, but we forgive these things for the versatility and health factors, no? So this cauliflower burgers recipe is not so much a “healthy swap” for a burger and more of something that our type of food peeps truly love to eat.
It’s cauli-burger go-time!
Guys, the chipotle mayo is an important deliciousness factor – don’t skip it.
The brand we got for Christmas (which is linked here) is called Sir Kensington’s and I LOVE IT. It uses good, normal ingredients like cage-free eggs and tomato paste and chipotle powder, and it has a spot-on balance of creamy and spicy.
Chipotle Mayo: http://amzn.to/1UuDw4s
See also: chipotle mayo on oven roasted vegetables. Potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, you name it. It’s our winter obsession.
Author: Pinch of Yum Serves: 10 burgers
Ingredients For the Cauliflower Burgers
- ¾ cup quinoa cooked in 1 cup broth or water
- 1 head cauliflower (about 6 cups florets)
- 3-4 tablespoons oil, divided
- a few generous shakes of spicy seasoning - cumin, chili powder, cayenne, etc.
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs or ground almonds
- ¾ cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- a few good squeezes of lime juice
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup chopped purple cabbage
- magic green sauce
- chipotle mayo
- buns (may I recommend jalapeño cheddar?)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into florets, transfer to a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with spices to taste. Roast for 20-30 minutes. Let cool. Pulse through a food processor to form small pieces that stick together (see picture). We don't want PUREE here, but we do want enough mushiness to help it all stick together.
- Combine the cooked, pulsed cauliflower with the quinoa, breadcrumbs, Pepperjack cheese, eggs, salt, and another teaspoon or two of spicy seasoning (cayenne will make it hot-spicy, so just add a few shakes of that one). Form 10 patties.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat (nonstick works well here - then you really wouldn't need much oil at all). Add the burgers and cook until golden brown on each side, flipping very carefully to avoid breaking. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
- Toss the lime juice, cilantro, cabbage, and a quick stream of oil together. Season with salt.
- Arrange the burgers with: magic green sauce, the cauliflower burger, the slaw, and the chipotle mayo on top.
Notes In terms of level of spiciness, that is totally up to you! and it happens mostly at step two when you're mixing up the burger mixture. Don't be shy to add more spices or adjust - especially after you fry and taste one of them. Mine turned out a little bit differently every time I made them depending on what spices I used more or less of.
For a gluten free version, be sure to use the almond meal instead of the breadcrumbs. It won't hold together quite as nicely, but it's still delicious.
Cooked burgers can be kept in the fridge for 2 days but they freeze really nicely, too.
Nutrition information is for 1 burger out of a total of 10 burgers, not including bun, topping, etc.
3.5.3208
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