Update: Congratulations to Heather from North Carolina, the winner of this giveaway! Her favorite topping is “avocado and a roasted poblano pepper.”
Well today’s the day. Cook without a Book: Meatless Meals
For those who think a thick juicy beef burger is the one dish you could never give up, try my bean burger. Over the years I’ve made many grain, bean, and veggie burgers that just weren’t worth the effort. Not these. The only simpler vegetarian burgers you’ll find are the ones in the freezer case.
You can make these burgers with any small bean–white, black, pinto, black-eyed peas–but since I leave some of the beans whole to provide texture, larger ones like canellini and chickpeas are a little too big. Today I’m offering the simplest of the bean burgers in the book, but as with their meaty counterparts, the bean burger flavoring options are endless.
Now for the giveaway. Tell me your favorite burger toppings. (Mine are bold cheese and some form of onion, either raw or caramelized.) We look forward to hearing your responses by tomorrow night–Wednesday, October 26th at 9 PM ET. Winner will be announced on Thursday morning.
Let the burger brilliance begin!
- 2 cans (15. 5-ounces each) black, white, or pinto beans or black-eyed peas, drained, liquid reserved, 1 can left whole, 1 can fork-mashed
- 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard
- ¼ cup olive or canola oil
- 6 good-quality hamburger buns
- Toppings: green leaf lettuce, lightly salted tomato slices, red onion slices, ketchup
- Mix beans, breadcrumbs, eggs, pepper, garlic in a medium bowl, adding, if necessary, a little bean liquid for mixture to hold together without being wet. Divide into 6 equal portions and flatten into 4-inch patties. Mix mayonnaise and mustard; set side.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over strong medium heat.(Warm buns in a 300-degree oven, about 5 minutes.) Add patties and cook, turning only once, until a crisp brown crust forms on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Top burgers with cheese slices; cover skillet, turn heat to low, and let burgers continue to cook until cheese melts.
- Spread mayonnaise mixture over warm buns and dress burgers with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Serve with ketchup.
pickles and onions
CONGRATS on your new book. I’m sure we’re all excited to get one.
My favorite burger toppings are swiss, mushrooms and fried onions.
It’s definitely caramelized onions. Yum! This looks like a great book. Ken and I were just talking about trying some meatless recipes, so this will be perfect. Thanks for the chance to win.
Congrats! Can’t wait to see it! Me, I like a bacon cheeseburger with ketchup.
I’m excited that your newest book is out in the world now. Hooray! My favorite burger toppings are ketchup and dill pickles.
my fave burger topping is by far pimento cheese! yummy. 🙂
congrats on the new book!
Congratulations!! I love caramelized onions and a hot spicy mustard on a burger.
Pickles
Congratulations on the book. I can’t wait to buy it for my vegetarian mother (and myself). I love mustard, pickles and cheese on my burgers – and caramelized onions, when i have the patience to make them (or my husband is feeling inspired).
Congratulations on your book. I just put it on Reserve at my local Barnes & Noble. My favorite toppings are caramelized onions, dill pickles and cheese.
sauteed mushrooms, carmelized onion and swiss cheese
Favorite burger toppings are not at all healthy (or vegetarian), but blue cheese and bacon are my regulars! Congratulations on the book!
Congrats!!! I made a tomato onion marmalade with the last batch of small romas from the garden. It has been great with burgers.
love caramelized onions on a burger. Not much else required in my book, unless it’s a really fresh home grown tomato. Yum.
Congratulations on the cookbook release! I love burgers and all sorts of toppings…grilled onions, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, pickles. Not all at once but in different combinations 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!
I love any kind of cheese, carmalized onions & mushrooms & a crunchy fresh lettuce.
I am beyond excited for this book! Congratulations!!!
I like mustard, catsup, pickles and onion.
Congratulations on your latest book!! Maybe it will inspire me to go a little more meatless 🙂 Love the concept!
I am boring. Always need some cheese + lettuce+tomato + some kind of yummy condiment
Mine are caramelized onions and BBQ sauce!
Pickles!!
It’s probably sacrilege to say this on a vegetarian recipe post but my favorite burger topping is bacon. 😉
I do make bean burgers fairly often at home because my daughter is a vegetarian. Our family does enjoy them (and no, I don’t put bacon on mine). For black bean burgers, I love put some homemade blue cheese dressing on them!
Congrats on the new book! I can’t wait to dig into it!
My favorite burger topping is raw red onion AND carmelized onion. Double onion!
Congrats on the new book! My favorite burger toppings are red onions and guacamole.
This looks delicious! My favorite burger toppings are good cheese, caramelized or fried onions and BBQ sauce!
Hooray for the book! 🙂 My favorite burger toppings are a good slice of tangy cheddar and a thick slice of beefsteak tomato. Mmm, now I know what I wish I’d packed for lunch…
Congratulations Pam! I know it was a lot of hard work! I’m kind of with you on the onions – but a couple of weeks ago I had peanut butter and banana on a burger – it was surprisingly good!!
Congrats on the new book!!
my favorite topping has to be Avocados…so creamy & delicious…
a big slice of a Vidalia onion please!
A schmear of Boursin – cheese and herbs in one quick swipe!
lettuce, tomatoes, sauteed onions, ketchup, mustard, cheeses, pickles, peppers, greens, olives… is there even room for a burger?
Pickles, mustard (the good kind!), onions and a garden fresh tomato!
Congrats on the new book!
I love slices of avocado, cheddar cheese, spicy mayo and red onions on my burgers…mmmm.
cheddar and avocado!!
I can’t wait to see the new book!
Generally my favorite burger toppings are really simple: dill pickle slices and ketchup. But when I’m feeling really inspired it’s carmelized onions, Swiss cheese and bacon.
I’ve never been to B Spot, but a year or so ago another blogger wrote about the Thin Lizzy burger topped with “griddled” onions, cheddar, mayo and pickles. I made it at home and it was delicious!
I love caramelized onions and guacamole on my burger!
Love, love, love onions……either raw or carmelized. Other than that, the basic pickle and ketchup. NO CHEESE!!
American or Cheddar cheese and ketchup – so simple, I know… but it’s just the perfect flavor combo to me.
Bold cheddar, tomato, caramelized onions, lettuce and ketchup!
Cheddar cheese with lettuce and spicy mayo! 🙂
Congratulations on the new book – I can’t wait to check it out!
My favorite burger toppings are pickles, jalapenos, and pepper jack cheese!
These look so simple and delicious and I am so excited about your new book! Meatless, my favourite term!
As for my favourite burger toppings they would be many, but the top few are:
avocado, caramelized onions, garlicky, buttery mushrooms, a good hunk of brie, heirloom tomato slices with lots of pepper, and a good slathering of full fat mayo or garlic aioli.
Favorite toppings: bacon and swiss, carmalized onions optional.
Caramelized onion & blue cheese mayo!
I love cheddar and a fried egg! I love sopping up the runny yolk with my burger! Lettuce, tomato and a little ketchup, too, please!
Cheddar cheese, carmelized onions, and ketchup!
Asian sweet chili sauce. Or avocado and bleu cheese.
I love my burger with caramelized onion, roasted garlic, saute’d mushrooms &peppers, Swiss cheese and topped with crumbled bleh cheese
A really good spicy mayo! Thanks for the chance.