Saskia discovered these vegetarian aubergine burgers at an aunt's house, who was in charge of the vegetarians at the Christmas dinner table. And she did a great job – a solid ten out of ten! In fact, the meat-eaters were also curious to try, and they would have preferred an aubergine burger too. Unfortunately. But that's exactly a good reason to make this recipe again soon. Fortunately, it's incredibly quick to prepare.
Making vegetarian burgers
These days, supermarkets offer all sorts of veggie burgers, but honestly, they don't compare to homemade ones. Making them yourself might seem like a hassle, but it isn't at all. These aubergine burgers don't just look appealing; they're also easy to make. You can even prepare the ‘mince’ in advance. Then, at the crucial moment, all you have to do is form some burgers and pop them in the oven. Ideal if you're having guests. And are you looking for variety? Beetroot also works well, beans You can make your own vegetarian burgers very well from oyster mushrooms.
Please note: not all vegetables are equally suitable for making burgers. You need a firm base, something that provides enough structure and isn't too wet. Think of roasted or baked vegetables such as aubergine, pumpkin or beetroot. These can easily be pureed and bind well with some breadcrumbs or legumes. Mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms, also work perfectly: they provide that nice savoury flavour that is reminiscent of meat. Don't make it too wet and ensure enough herbs and spices, then you'll always be on the right track.
The tastiest vegetarian burger? You make that yourself, like this aubergine burger!
The most sustainable aubergine?
Aubergines are available all year round, but between April and October, you're most likely to find ones grown in Dutch greenhouses. Outside of those months, they usually come from Southern Europe, such as Spain. It's not a strange choice, as transport distances within Europe remain relatively limited. If you want to be absolutely sure, check the country of origin on the label in the supermarket, and with organic produce from Europe, you'll be completely in the clear with your aubergine. Tip from home: a great sustainable Dutch aubergine grower is Van Onselen Aubergines (also available from Crisp). They don't just grow classic purple aubergines, but also special varieties like tiger aubergines, fiamma, nasu, white and mini aubergines. Extra fun to cook with!
Homemade aubergine burgers
Kitchenware
- oven
- baking tray with baking paper
- frying pan
- cutting board and knife
- Immersion blender or food processor
- mixing bowl
- tablespoon
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 5 el olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 red chili
- 1 fluorescent Dried oregano or Herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper
- 100 g stale bread of toast
- 5-6 basil leaves
- small bunch of parsley
- 1 hi
- 30 g Parmesan cheese
- 1 lente-ui
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- Cut the aubergines into small cubes of about half a centimetre. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry the cubes for about 10 minutes until soft and golden brown.
- Add the finely chopped garlic, chilli pepper and oregano. Cook for another minute. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and let it cool slightly.
- Grind the bread with the basil and parsley finely in the food processor. Add this to the aubergine mixture.
- Whisk the egg. Grate the Parmesan cheese and finely chop the spring onion. Add all of these to the mixture and then briefly blend the whole thing with a hand blender or food processor until it reaches the desired consistency. If it's still a bit wet, add extra breadcrumbs. Do you prefer a bit more texture? Then blend it coarser. We personally prefer the puréed version.
- Form 4 or 5 balls from the mixture and flatten them into burgers. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the tops of the burgers with a little olive oil.
- Bake the burgers in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
If you like this, then these recipes will be for you too
- Also see: Tagliatelle with rocket salsa verde.
- Also see: Creamy salsify pasta.
- Also see: The tastiest stir-fry vegetables in five minutes.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
