For many of my mom friends, frozen veggie burgers are a mealtime staple. I informally polled some moms on the weelicious Facebook page to find out why they like frozen veggie burgers so much. The most common answers I got were, “My kids love them,” “They’re easy to prepare,” and, most frequently, “They’re healthy.”
That last answer is almost true. Compared to so many other packaged foods you can buy at the grocery, frozen veggie burgers seem really healthy (some brands are certainly better than others). The problem is that many are packed with sodium, additives, and fillers. They also can be pretty expensive, with the more “healthful” brands charging well over a dollar per burger. Paying that kind of money for something you can make so much better and for half the cost at home is beyond me.
This veggie burger recipe is nutritious, easy to make, and freezes beautifully, so you get all the convenience and great taste of store-bought brands, only considerably cheaper (approximately forty cents per burger)—and you know exactly what’s in them. And on those days when you’re in a hurry (doesn’t that seem like every day?), you’ll be glad to have a few of these stored in the freezer, ready to heat up and pop in the lunch box.
½ cup bulgur wheat
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup grated carrots
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon canola, vegetable, or olive oil
OPTIONAL ACCOMPANIMENTS
whole-wheat buns, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles
1. Place the bulgur wheat and 1 cup water in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 13 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
2. Place the bulgur in a large bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Place the pinto beans in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Add the pureed beans, cheese, carrots, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to the bowl with the cooked bulgur and mix thoroughly.
5. Divide the mixture to make 4 regular-size burgers or 8 mini burgers and form into patties (see Note below for freezing instructions).
6. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until the burgers are golden.
7. Serve with the desired accompaniments.
NOTE: The patties can be frozen before being cooked on a baking sheet for 1 hour and placed in a large ziplock bag or individually wrapped and frozen. When ready, defrost and continue with step 6.