Hummus and Mint Veggie Burgers

Every week, Caroline Wright creates simple, civilized recipes for Food52 that feed four -- for under $20, in under 20 minutes.

Today: A vegan veggie burger that even carnivores will love. 

From the many cookouts I've attended this summer, I've gleaned that people usually eat veggie burgers for philosophical or dietary reasons; it's a rare person who opts for one without feeling a sense of compromise or denial. But, I happen to love a good veggie burger -- and making them yourself presents an interesting opportunity to play with texture and common pantry ingredients.

This one was tossed together quickly as the result of a craving. It's a delicious sandwich that's as comforting as it is exciting. The burger is perfectly satisfying on its own, but a handful of chips or a salad would be a happy pairing.

This recipe also happens to be vegan -- just be sure to serve it with a vegan bun. If grinding your own flaxseeds feels like a hassle (and a vegan burger is not important), swap it out for an egg, and omit the water.

Hummus and Mint Veggie Burgers

Serves 4

2 tablespoons flaxseeds, finely ground
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup almonds
Five 2-ounce hamburger buns
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pitted Spanish olives
1/2 small zucchini, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh mint, packed
1/4 cup store-bought hummus, plus more for burger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sliced tomato
Arugula
Hummus

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

As a freelance food writer and cook, I first wrote this style of recipe as a column on my blog, The Wright Recipes, as an excuse to cook good food for my friends in a quick and simple way. 

Twenty-Dollar, Twenty-Minute™ Meals grew into a cookbook that was published by Workman in May 2013. The recipes found here are original, made especially for Food52 to once again celebrate simple food with friends.

Photo by Caroline Wright