Eggplant burgers. "Meatless Monday" just got so much better!
Over the past few years, I have found myself eating less and less meat. At first, I decided to eat completely meatless and struggled to put together meals that were not PB&J, cereal, or salad. As time went on, and ironically after I gave up vegetarianism, I became better at thinking about meals as not meat+2 sides, but complete dishes and incorporated more alternative proteins such as black beans, lentils, edamame, and greek yogurt.
I am currently on the hunt for good veggie burger recipes. I love portobello burgers, since there is something also meaty about those yummy mushrooms, but I have also made some pretty disastrous attempts, such as an awful white bean burger I tried a couple weeks ago (I think I ended up throwing it out, I am sad to say). Anyway, here is my latest try, and I will definitely be keeping this recipe on hand. It’s easy and tasty. I saw this recipe on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate (burgers were the theme) and knew I had to try it, so when eggplants went on sale for $1 each this week, I considered it a message from the universe telling me, “game on” for this recipe.
Gather all of your ingredients.
First, peel the eggplant.
After peeling, dice the eggplant and put in a skillet with oil over medium heat for until cooked all the way through.
Place sautéed eggplant and all other ingredients, except oil, in a large bowl.
Mash together and then form into 3 patties. The mixture will be very wet and loose, but it will firm up once you get a crust on it from sautéing.
Place patties in a pan over medium heat with olive oil until a crisp outside forms (4 minutes or so), then flip.
The one on the left has a great, crisp edge to it that helps it hold together.
All cooked up and ready for toppings and buns.
Top as you see fit and enjoy
Eggplant Burgers
Adapted from The Farm Cafe
Makes 3 burgers
1 whole eggplant, peeled and 1 inch diced (large eggplant)
1 tsp onion powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 cup shredded medium cheddar
1/2 cup bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tbs olive oil
Garnish: caramelized onions, spicy brown mustard, roasted red peppers, salad mix
Sauté eggplant on low heat till grey and very soft.
Mix together eggplant and all the rest of the ingredients, except oil, let rest for ½ hour in refrigerator.
Form into 4 equal patties about an inch thick.
In a sauté pan, heat olive oil until shimmering hot, fry each side of patty till dark brown, about 5 minutes each side.
Serve on locally made sandwich bun with caramelized onions, spicy brown mustard, roasted red peppers and leafy greens.
