I hope everyone and their homes stayed safe from the fires. It was very close to us but thankfully we are ok. Our community has been through so much I know we will get through this. We were out of our house for several days and the electricity was off so I had to throw almost everything in the refrigerator away. The root vegetables were all ok. I needed a little comfort food so I made these.

I really like to make vegetable burgers and fritters. I like how they are filling but not heavy.

I haven’t posted very many veggie burger recipes here because it seems like most of them have really long list of ingredients. Most recipes too have you use a food processor so it feels like a bit of an ordeal. This one you mash the beans with a fork. It comes together in a jiff and is really delicious.

I got the recipe here. Lots of great ideas on that site.

Makes 4 big burgers (or 6 smaller ones)

Olive oil
1/2 cup panko
3 shallots, or 1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup grated carrot (from 2 medium carrots)
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Two 15-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1 egg, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Burger accompaniments, as you like

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or plate, then return the pan to the heat.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet, followed by the onion. Cook until softened and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and carrots and stir frequently until the carrots are soft and a bit blistered, another 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, scraping up all the browned bits until the pan is dry.

Remove from the heat and add the toasted panko and beans. Use a wooden spoon or spatula (I used a fork) to very coarsely mash the mixture until a bit pasty and holds together—there should still be plenty of beans intact. Stir in the egg and pepper to taste.

Shape into 4 patties, or 6 smaller burgers (I got 6, they were plenty big) or 10 to 12 sliders. To cook the burgers, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and carefully cook until browned and slightly firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes per side. It may be necessary to cook in batches. Serve hot or at room temperature, with accompaniments as desired.

I am positive you could substitute any root vegetable for the carrots, parsnips, celeriac, rutabaga… even winter squash would work. Next time I would add a handful of hemp or sunflower seeds for a little texture.

Delicious meal and the leftovers are just as good as the first day.

Have a great week.

Mo