Wild Rice Veggie Burger Recipe

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Wild rice is unique in that it's not actually a grain but rather a type of seed or grass, meaning that unlike regular varieties like white or brown, you can actually consume wild rice raw. When looking for wild rice in stores, it's common to come across blends, which can be a mix of black, brown, red, and wild varieties. I used a blend for this wild rice veggie burger recipe, which was inspired by herby wild rice pilaf.

I'll admit this isn't the simplest recipe I've ever developed, but the results are impressive. Upon taking my first bite, I was met with a bright, fresh lemon and herb flavor that was distinctly different from other veggie burgers I've tasted before. With chickpeas as the bean base, cashews, flax seed, and a mix of vegetables, these burgers taste light and are loaded with fiber and nutrients. Veggie burgers can be mushy, but this wild rice burger had a lovely texture with just the right amount of moisture. Paired with a nutty tahini sauce, these veggie burgers are elevated without being fussy, and they're great for plant-based eaters and general burger lovers alike.

For the burgers, you will need wild rice or a wild rice blend. Make sure to rinse the rice well before using it in the recipe. You will also need baby bella mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, onion, shallot, garlic, carrot, and celery. Ground flax seed is a binder, but if you're not following a plant-based diet, you could choose to substitute an egg if desired. The remaining burger ingredients are raw cashews, canned chickpeas, lemon zest, basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, salt, black pepper, and breadcrumbs. Feel free to add extra lemon zest if you want a stronger lemony flavor. After washing the herbs, I recommend drying them well so they don't add extra moisture to the burgers.

For the sauce, grab tahini, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. To make the sauce vegan like the burgers, just sub vegan yogurt or cashew cream. Finally, you'll need arugula, burger buns, tomato, and avocado for putting the burgers together.

Place the wild rice and 1 ⅓ cup of water in a medium pot and bring the water to a boil. (If the packaging that your rice comes in calls for specific water measurements and cook times, follow those instructions to cook the rice instead.)

Once the water just comes to a boil, cover the pot tightly and lower the heat to low. Let the rice simmer for about 45 minutes, or until tender and the water is fully absorbed. Try to avoid removing the lid to check the rice as much as possible.

Remove the rice from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to steam, keeping the pot covered.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl or plate and set aside to cool.

While the rice is cooking, gently wipe the dirt off the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet on medium high.

Place the mushroom slices in the pan in a single layer and saute for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and browned on both sides. Besides flipping, don't disturb the mushrooms while they cook so they will brown. Work in batches if needed rather than overcrowding the pan.

Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside to cool.

Scrape the pan clean if needed and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Lower the heat to medium.

Add the onion, shallot, garlic, carrot, and celery to the pan and saute for 6-7 minutes, until tender and browned and all liquid has evaporated.

Transfer the vegetables to a plate and set aside to cool.

Place the flax seed in a small bowl and add 3 tablespoons of hot water. Mix with a fork and set aside to gel for at least 5 minutes.

Place the cashews in a food processor and pulse until just coarsely ground and texture remains.

Transfer the cashews to a large mixing bowl.

Drain the can of chickpeas and rinse them in a colander, letting them sit for at least a minute in the colander after rinsing to let water drip off.

Rub the chickpeas, still in the colander, with a towel to dry them as best as you can.

Transfer the chickpeas to the food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Do not over-process into a paste.

Transfer the chickpeas to the bowl with the cashews.

Once the mushrooms are cool, finely chop them and add them to the bowl along with the cooled rice and vegetables.

Add the flax seed mixture to the bowl along with the lemon zest, basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.

Add the breadcrumbs and stir until evenly dispersed. If the mixture seems too wet, stir in a sprinkle more of breadcrumbs. If it's too dry to hold together well, add a small amount of water or lemon juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning before covering and chilling for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Form 8 equal-sized patties from the mixture.

Place the patties on a baking sheet. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top of them, carefully flip them, and drizzle olive oil on the other side.

Bake the burgers for 35-40 minutes, until browned and crispy, flipping halfway. Remove the burgers from the oven and set aside to firm up for 5 minutes. Avoid touching the burgers to keep them intact.

While the burgers are cooking, make the sauce. Whisk together the tahini, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and ¼ cup water in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble the burgers, place ¼ cup of arugula on the base of each bun.

Top the arugula with a burger on each bun.

Spread about 2 teaspoons of sauce on each burger and top with a tomato slice and 3 avocado slices.

Close the buns and serve immediately.

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This recipe's sauce is made with tahini, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and water, and that creamy, sesame flavor works very well with the savory nature of the burger itself. I was worried the strong taste of the sesame seed paste might overpower the lemon and herb notes of the burgers, but I found that 2 teaspoons of sauce per burger was enough for a complementary, but not overpowering, flavor.

If you don't like tahini, there are plenty of other viable sauce options. A green herb sauce would taste terrific and also go well with the herbs in the burgers. To make a simple sauce, blend a handful of herbs with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. You have freedom in the choice of herbs, so choose whatever you like. Since the burgers only require a relatively small amount of herbs, you could use the rest of the bunch or package for the sauce and prevent possible food waste at the same time.

To make the sauce creamier, blend in some plain Greek yogurt. The burgers themselves are vegan, so if you prefer not to add dairy but still want a creamier sauce, you can use soaked raw, unsalted cashews instead. If you're short on time, I think the burgers would also be terrific sauce-free, with a simple squeeze of lemon juice instead.

When I first started pan-frying mushrooms, I ended up with a pool of water in the pan. There was no going back after I learned a proper mushroom-cooking technique, because crispy, browned mushrooms have an unbeatable depth of flavor from the Maillard reaction (which is only possible if you keep the mushrooms from releasing too much water).

First, wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth instead of rinsing them, so they don't absorb water. Use a high enough heat so water will evaporate and a pan, like cast iron, that can handle the heat. Heat oil, butter, or a little bit of both in the pan until it's nice and hot. Slice the mushrooms and arrange them in a single layer in the pan and let them cook for a few minutes undisturbed. Just touch them to flip them half way through. If you stir and move them around too much, they won't develop a nice sear from continuous contact with the pan. They should only take about 5-6 minutes to cook.

Another tip is to not overcrowd the pan. If you have more than will fit in a single layer with spaces in between, then work in batches. The space is important, as it gives the water released from the mushrooms room to hit the hot pan and evaporate. 

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