Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Ingredients

3⁄4 cup dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
2-1⁄2 teaspoons salt
3⁄4 cup bulgur
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped fine
1 celery rib, chopped fine
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, chopped fine, and washed thoroughly
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound cremini or white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
1 cup raw cashews
1⁄3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Pepper
12 hamburger rolls

Instructions

Bring 3 cups water, lentils, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just beginning to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Drain in fine-mesh strainer. Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels and spread drained lentils over paper towels. Gently pat lentils dry with additional paper towels. Cool lentils to room temperature.
While lentils simmer, bring 2 cups water and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Stir bulgur into boiling water and cover immediately; let sit off heat until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in fine-mesh strainer, then use rubber spatula to press out excess moisture. Transfer bulgur to medium bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, celery, leek, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Spread vegetable mixture onto second baking sheet to cool; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Spread mushrooms on baking sheet with vegetable mixture; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Process cashews in food processor until finely chopped, about 15 pulses (do not wash workbowl). Stir cashews into bowl with bulgur, then stir in cooled lentils, vegetable-mushroom mixture, and mayonnaise. Transfer half of mixture to now-empty food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, 15 to 20 pulses (mixture should be cohesive but roughly textured). Transfer processed mixture to large bowl and repeat with remaining unprocessed mixture; combine with first batch.
Stir in panko and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and season with pepper to taste. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Divide mixture into 12 portions, about 1⁄2 cup each, shaping each into tightly packed patty about 4 inches in diameter and 1⁄2 inch thick. Place patties on prepared baking sheet (paper towels will absorb excess moisture).
6A. FOR THE STOVETOP: Heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook burgers, 4 at a time, until well browned, about 4 minutes per side (if browning too quickly, lower heat to medium). Repeat with additional oil and burgers. Serve. (Cooked burgers can be kept warm in 250-degree oven for up to 30 minutes.)
6B. FOR THE GRILL: For charcoal grill, open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. For gas grill, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill burgers, without moving them, until well browned, about 5 minutes; flip burgers and continue cooking until well browned on second side, about 5 minutes. Serve.
TO MAKE AHEAD: Patties can be prepared through step 5 and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze patties. For each burger to be frozen, add 1 teaspoon panko bread crumbs or 1⁄2 teaspoon plain bread crumbs to mixture before shaping. Thaw frozen patties overnight in refrigerator on triple layer of paper towels, covered loosely. Before cooking, pat patties dry with paper towels and reshape to make sure they are tightly packed and cohesive.

Ultimate Veggie Burgers

Ingredients

Instructions

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