This California Burger is a big juicy vegan burger loaded with guacamole, fresh corn salsa and sprouts. It is lean and clean West Coast cuisine meets decadent burger.
Everyone deserves to bite into a thick juicy burger.
One that is packed with flavor, holds up to a bun, is moist, and can handle all the toppings your barbecue self can handle.
You know what it’s like to survive on a plate of potato salad and burger toppings when backyard barbecue season comes around. Because, well, burgers.
And I have nothing against a good potato salad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a side. My hungry self would like to dig into a burger that is so substantial it requires a two hand hold.
The number one thing I like about this California Burger? Vegetarians like it, vegans like it, and meat eaters like it.
Yes. I said it. And I have the meat eating friends to prove it. Basically if you are a human, this burger is for you.
When I think veggie burgers, I think Oh, the things we buy at the store, because making a veggie burger FROM SCRATCH seemed like a biggggg deal. I mean? How do we even do that? Where do we start? What is a veggie burger?
But don’t let your minds go there. It is easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Basically, the steps are:
- Gather your ingredients. Okay, I admit there are a lot, but FLAVOR! It is necessary.
- Throw the ingredients in a food processor. See, I told you this was easy.
- And then, form the mixture into patties, and bake.
- Take a victory lap around the kitchen because YOU just made your very own veggie burgers.
Then comes the fun part, add allllllllllllllll the toppings your heart desires, because this big, bad California Burger is strong enough that it won’t crumble, break, or turn to mush.
For my toppings, I went California aka guacamole, trendy little sprouts, and a corn and red onion salsa.
The guacamole balances out the subtle spice of the burger and gives that fatty (in a good way!) flavor bomb.
The corn and onion salsa is like sweet bites of corn heaven. It adds texture and Flavor with a capital F.
And the sprouts, perfect little bites of fresh crunch that you can pat yourself on the back for eating because HEALTH.
But of course, add whatever toppings you are currently feeling. Eat this California Burger on a salad, throw on some pickles, squeeze on some mustard. Do your thang. My burger is your burger.
California Burger
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
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Cook Time: 60 minutes
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Total Time: 80 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Category: Entrees
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Cuisine: dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, vegetarian
Description
This is a veggie burger so substantial, it requires a two hand hold. I like to make a double batch of this recipe and keep some in the freezer for whenever a craving strikes… Which is often. For optimal freezer storage, wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap and then place in a zip top bag.
Ingredients
- For the burgers:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil ((optional)*)
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 chilies in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey ((agave for vegans))
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic (, minced)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup gluten-free quick oats
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrots
- 1 white onion (, diced)
- 1/4 cup flaxseed + 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh corn
- 1/4 cup sliced scallion greens
- For the guacamole:
- 2 medium avocados (, mashed)
- 1–2 scallions (, sliced)
- 1 clove garlic (, minced)
- 1/2 jalapeno (, seeded and diced)
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Salt to taste
- For the corn salsa:
- 1 cup fresh corn
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- For serving:
- Sprouts
- Gluten-free buns
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and coat a cookie sheet with a good layer of oil. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flaxseed and water. Set aside.
- Add 1/4 cup of the black beans, and chilies into a food processor and process until a paste forms.
- Add in the flaxseed mixture, lime juice, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin. Process until combined.
- Add in the black beans and onion and pulse to combine, leaving these ingredients chunky.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Form the mixture into 4 patties and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, gently flip the burgers and turn down the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for another 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- While the burgers are cooking, stir together all of the guacamole ingredients and the corn salsa ingredients.
Notes
*For an oil-free burger, bake the patties on a silpat.
** For a vegan option, sub agave in for the honey.
Nancy J Treadgold says
These are by far the best tasting and textured vege burgers I have made, I wish I read the directions all the way through and realized they took an hour to cook… next time I will not cook them as long as mine came out a bit hard, almost too crunchy… but they were good and tasty..
★★★★★
Tina says
A yummy hit with my husband! I liked the crunchy outside and moist inside. I didn’t add any flaxseed because I didn’t have any, but everything else gave great flavors to the burger! Will make again.
★★★★★
Laurel says
I am so glad that you and your husband liked it, Tina!
Jill says
Do you use ground flaxseed out whole flaxseed?
Laurel says
Hi Jill, Great question! Sorry the recipe didn’t specify. I use ground flaxseed and will update the recipe now :)
Alexa says
Love the recipe! Is it possible to freeze the mixture if you don’t use all of it?
★★★★★
Alexa says
Never mind! Just saw the instructions to freeze :)
Laurel says
So glad you found it! I like to keep a stash in the freezer whenever I can :)