Looks as good as a beef patty and tastes even better!!

This post has been long overdue, I know. Sorry guys! I have been under the weather lately and had a hard time catching up with my blog posts but I am practically back in shape and I can’t wait to share more recipes with you.

These burger patties are inspired by several veggie burger recipes I came across online. They are extremely easy to prepare and super tasty. I seasoned them with traditional Moroccan flavours like cumin and ground coriander. They are super crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside and filled with Moroccan flavours, I couldn’t have enough of them!

I served them for dinner for Z - who is a very proud meat-eater - without telling him they were actually vegetarian. He did notice their consistency was unusual after the first bite (yes, it is not meat after all). So I had to tell him the truth but that didn’t prevent him from having another burger. It was the first time he had a totally vegetarian meal without complaining about the absence of meat. That’s how good they taste!

Enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Squash and Lentils Veggie Burgers Patties

INGREDIENTS

Makes 6 patties

50g coarsely ground rolled oats and more for dusting
2 teaspoons olive oil and for cooking the burgers
1 medium onion, finely chopped
300g squash cooked, drained and peeled (any type of squash works)
200g cooked brown lentils, drained (1 cup)
100g cooked black beans, drained (1/2 cup)
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste

For assembling and garnish

6 warm toasted buns
Pickles
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Red onion rings
Cashew butter and harissa salsa
Anything that will make you happy

METHOD

• Ground the oats in a nut grinder or a food processor to obtain a coarsely ground oat flour.

• Transfer the olive oil and the onions in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Cover with a lid and stir occasionally until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Leave for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions turn golden brown stirring occasionally. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together (cooked onions, ground oats, squash, lentils, black beans, egg, garlic, spices and salt) and crush with a fork until well combined and smooth. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to make this step easier. Make sure the black beans and the lentils are well drained before adding them, I like to press them through a sieve with a kitchen towel to remove all the moisture.

• To make the burger patties, divide the mixture into 6 equal parts and shape into patties. If the texture is too wet, add a bit of oat flour to the mixture.

• Sprinkle the patties with oat flour on both sides.

• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and start cooking the patties on each side for 4 to 5 minutes. Cover the burgers with a lid while they’re cooking. If you cook the patties in batches make sure there is about a tablespoon of oil in the pan every time you start cooking your patties.

• Once the burger patties are cooked assemble your burger and enjoy!