Vegetable Burgers

Vegetable burgers are a great alternative to classic meat burgers and can be prepared with various kinds of vegetables, according to personal taste. So, here’s a recipe for making delicious Italian-style vegetable burgers.

Ingredients

• 400 g of mixed vegetables of your choice (e.g., zucchini, carrots, eggplants, spinach)
• 200 g of potatoes
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Aromatic herbs to taste (basil, parsley, thyme)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• (Optional) Mozzarella or string cheese for filling

Preparation

1. Start by boiling or steaming the potatoes. Once they are ready, mash them to a purée.
2. In the meantime, wash the selected vegetables, cut them into pieces, and cook them in a pan with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper, until they are tender but not mushy.
3. Let the vegetables cool, then chop them finely so that they blend into a uniform mixture.
4. In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables with the potato purée, grated Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, chopped aromatic herbs, salt, and pepper. If you wish, you can add some cubed string cheese for a melting heart.
5. Mix all the ingredients well until you have a uniform mixture that can be shaped.
6. With damp hands, form burgers from the mixture and place them on a plate.
7. Heat some oil in a non-stick pan and cook the vegetable burgers for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown and crispy.
8. Serve the vegetable burgers hot, if you like, with a side of salad or hamburger buns.

Curiosity

Vegetable burgers can be customized in many ways. For example, for an extra touch of flavor, you might add chopped olives or chili pepper to the mix. In Italy, it is also common to stuff vegetable burgers with a heart of mozzarella or provolone to make them even more delicious. Moreover, these burgers can be easily adapted to be vegan by omitting the egg and cheese or substituting them with plant-based alternatives.