Weeknight Cooking

The Veggie Burger That Turns Into 3 Different Meals

October  5, 2017

Making weeknight dinners on a tight schedule is my thing (see: my book), and I never stop searching for simple, adaptable, satisfying zingers that lift me up at the end of the day. My favorite recipes are both familiar and surprising, highly adaptable, and have pieces that can be made ahead of time, leaving us with slightly re-jiggered leftovers for tomorrow's lunchboxes and dinner.

These vegetable burgers fulfill all of my weeknight dinner criteria. To prove it to you, I’ve outlined ways you can adapt this recipe to satisfy your tastes (or what you have in the cabinet), ways to prepare pieces of it beforehand (nothing better than getting a head start), and ideas of how to transform leftover burgers into a second (and equally exciting) meal.

Photo by Elizabeth Cecil

You'll taste a golden-brown crust—psst: don't rush to flip them—and a filling of creamy lentils spiked with caramelized cauliflower. At first, you won't notice the subtle heat from the red pepper flakes, but give it a few chews and it comes through nicely. Add fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it all up.

How to Adapt

Spice: Swap the red pepper flakes for curry powder, cumin, or chili powder.

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Legumes: Replace red lentils with chickpeas.

Join The Conversation

Top Comment:
“I'm excited to try this, and to get your book, which seems well designed and a worthwhile addition to what's become rather a crowded field. Perusing via Amazon's "Look Inside" tool, I especially liked your lists of practical, easily understood tips. I hope you contribute more to Food52. ;o) ”
— AntoniaJames
Comment

Fresh Herbs: Try basil or parsley in place of cilantro.

Photo by Elizabeth Cecil

Flavor Additions: Fold chopped roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, or sundried tomatoes into your burger mixture.

Sauce: Slather your buns with your favorite sauce from pesto to spiced mayo, greek yogurt, BBQ sauce, mashed avocado, or hummus.

Toppings: Almost any raw veggie makes a good burger topper—red onion, cucumber, sprouts, tomato, lettuce, avocado, slaw, carrot ribbons.

Photo by Elizabeth Cecil

What to Make Ahead

Cauliflower: Roast the cauliflower and store in the fridge.

Lentils: Cook the lentils, drain, and store in the fridge.

Patties: Make the burger mixture, form into patties, and store on a baking sheet until mealtime.

Photo by Elizabeth Cecil

Tomorrow

Lettuce Wraps: Roughly chop a leftover burger and crisp in a pan. Fill individual Bibb lettuce leaves with a scoop of deconstructed burger and top with shaved cucumbers, fresh cilantro leaves, shredded carrots, and fresh mint. Squirt over lime juice. This is best assembled just before eating.

Poached Eggs: Serve leftover burgers over beds of greens, topped with eggs.

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A New Way to Dinner, co-authored by Food52's founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is an indispensable playbook for stress-free meal-planning (hint: cook foundational dishes on the weekend and mix and match ‘em through the week).

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • susan g
    susan g
  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • Sarah Waldman
    Sarah Waldman
Sarah Waldman is a food writer and recipe developer living on Martha’s Vineyard. She is the author of, Feeding a Family: A Real-Life Plan for Making Dinner Work.

5 Comments

susan G. October 6, 2017
I'm on an ongoing quest for a veggie burger to all to my rotating favorites. This looks like the next candidate. If the cauliflower isn't structural, what could substitute?
 
susan G. October 6, 2017
add, not all (attn: editors -- where's that edit button?)
 
Sarah W. October 10, 2017
Hi Susan - good question. You could really add any roasted fall vegetable you like in place of the cauliflower. I think sweet potato, brussels sprouts, and roasted carrots would all be delicious! Good luck ;)
 
AntoniaJames October 5, 2017
I'm excited to try this, and to get your book, which seems well designed and a worthwhile addition to what's become rather a crowded field. Perusing via Amazon's "Look Inside" tool, I especially liked your lists of practical, easily understood tips. I hope you contribute more to Food52. ;o)
 
Sarah W. October 5, 2017
Thank you Antonia! Yes, please try these burgers - they really hit the spot. I appreciate you checking out my book! I love developing recipes for Food52 so I hope to be here again. Have a lovely weekend.