Soy Burger

Soy burgers are a great vegetarian alternative to meat burgers. Let’s see how to prepare them with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 200 g of granular soy or soy flakes
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Parsley to taste
• Breadcrumbs
• 1 egg (or substitute with a “flax egg” for a vegan version)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Spices of choice (paprika, turmeric, cumin, etc.)

Preparation

1. Start by rehydrating the granular soy according to the instructions on the package (usually it involves soaking it in hot water for a few minutes).

2. While the soy is rehydrating, finely chop the carrot, onion, and garlic. Then, in a pan with a bit of oil, sauté the onion and garlic mixture until it becomes translucent, adding the carrot for a few more minutes.

3. Drain the soy and squeeze it well to remove the excess water.

4. In a large bowl, combine the soy, sautéed vegetables, chopped parsley, egg or substitute, salt, pepper, and chosen spices. Mix all the ingredients well to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

5. Add breadcrumbs as needed to get a moldable mixture. If the mixture is too moist, add more breadcrumbs. If it’s too dry, a bit of water or another egg or substitute.

6. With damp hands, form the burgers to the preferred size and let them rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes so that they firm up.

7. Heat a pan with a bit of oil and cook the soy burgers for about 5 minutes per side, until the desired browning is achieved.

8. Serve the soy burgers in a bun with the addition of condiments of your choice, such as lettuce, tomato, vegan mayonnaise, and ketchup.

Curiosity

Soy was introduced into Western diets as a vegetable-based protein alternative. Originating from Asia, it has been widely adapted in cuisines around the world for its versatile ability to replicate the textures of animal food (as in the case of burgers) but also for its nutritional properties, which make it particularly suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.