Make Ahead

Spinach, Mung Bean, and Millet Burgers

by:
April 21, 2014
4.7
3 Ratings
Spinach, Mung Bean, and Millet Burgers
  • Makes 4 burgers
Author Notes

Veggie burgers are on the list of things I probably NEVER order out at a restaurant, as they are usually filled with sodium and all sorts of non-nutritional fillers. Therefore, I prefer to make my veggie patties from scratch in my own kitchen, add whatever flavors I'm feeling in the mood for, and grill them, bake them, or fry them on the stovetop. I have a simple go-to recipe that requires a 1:1 ratio of beans to grains, allowing me to add whatever other seasonal ingredients I want. This time around I'm using spinach! It's everywhere at the markets for the next couple of months, and it's best you'll get it all year round! —Lindsey S. Love | Dolly and Oatmeal

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup cooked mung beans
  • 1/2 cup cooked millet
  • 3/4 cup fresh spinach, washed and stems trimmed
  • 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or chili powder)
  • Salt to taste
  • Olive oil for cooking
Directions
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor, and blend until mixture comes together. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
  2. Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the mixture chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to a day. (If you're pressed for time, you can skip this, but I like chilling them for as long as possible to let the flavors meld.)
  3. Make the veggie burger patties. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop the mixture to form a round patty. Using you hands, form the patties with 3/4-inch thickness and about 2 1/2-inch diameter. Repeat with remaining mixture and set the patties aside.
  4. Heat a 10-inch skillet over a medium-low flame. When pan is hot, add a bit of oil. Gently transfer the patties to skillet and cook about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until each side is lightly browned.
  5. Transfer cooked patties to a plate or platter lined with a paper towel. Allow the paper towel to soak up any unwanted oil.
  6. Serve the spinach burgers with toasted buns, over a salad or on their own! I also like serving them sriracha, tahini, or mustard.
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Lindsey S. Love | Dolly and Oatmeal
Lindsey S. Love is a food blogger living in Brooklyn, NY with her husband. Her cooking and baking focus on healthful gluten free and dairy free, with occasional vegan recipes. You can follow her at dollyandoatmeal.com for additional recipes.

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2 Reviews

Jana E.
Jana E. June 17, 2021
I thought the flavor of these was great! I did sautee the leeks and garlic in some oil before adding to the food process as I'm really not into raw alliums. My mixture was maybe a bit wet because of this and the "burgers" were a little too soft to eat as such, so I ate them as a starch base for a fried egg, with a fork. Next time I might add some extra millet to make them drier and see if that helps. I may also try making smaller balls and baking them, like I do falafel.
I'll also note I accidentally added curry powder instead of cayenne, then also added the cayenne - I liked the curry in these!
 
Olivia B.
Olivia B. April 1, 2016
This recipe sounds great and I was eager to try it out but I must've read something wrongly because the proportions seem so odd. Do you mean 1/2 cup mung beans, then cooked or 1/2 cup cooked mung beans? Same for the millet. Do I stir fry the spinach and leeks first? Or do I add them raw? I'm confused I guess. Thank you!