It’s strange not to be talking about pizza or breakfast for once.
I’m fairly certain I spent the last four days eating pizza and breakfast — and a suspiciously large amount of kettle corn. We bought a giant tub yesterday and finished most of it on the drive home, practically wrestling each other’s hands out of the bag. My car is getting a deep clean today.
Everything was delicious — the popcorn, the pizza and the breakfasts — but today I want to talk about these bean burgers.
My husband has started to eat more meatless dishes lately, which feels like a small miracle. He still reserves real dinners for meat-heavy plates, but he’s been happily grabbing a veggie sandwich or burger for lunch or as a snack. I’m not kidding when I say these burgers made him cheerful enough to eat one on the spot — especially paired with sweet potato chips, which obviously count as a vegetable.
These burgers sit right in the sweet spot of my bean-and-quinoa favorites. Over the years I’ve relied on patties like these for weekend dinners because the recipe yields plenty of leftovers for lunches. I reheat them, turn them into makeshift patty melts, pile them on salads or enjoy them plain with a dip. They’re versatile, satisfying and keep well.
This version is an autumn twist on my crispy quinoa sliders, with extra crispiness and a few seasonal surprises: sautéed Brussels sprouts and apples are folded into the patties. They’re cooked first, brightened with balsamic vinegar, and then combined with quinoa, chickpeas and a touch of smoked paprika. The result is savory, slightly sweet and plenty satisfying.
To finish the sandwich I made a light apple cider slaw. I’m obsessed with apple cider — so much so that I keep finding ways to add it to recipes — and the slaw gives the burgers a bright, tart crunch that I love. I lean toward oil-and-vinegar slaws because they act like a salad on a sandwich: tart, briny and slightly sweet, which pairs beautifully with the warm, crispy patties.
There are sautéed mushrooms on the burger too — garlicky, buttery and juicy — because the sandwich needed one more layer of texture and flavor. Mushrooms add a meaty richness that complements the beans and quinoa really well.
So yeah — savory patties loaded with roasted Brussels and apple, melty Havarti, warm mushrooms and crisp apple cider slaw on a whole wheat bun. They’re perfect for fall lunches, casual dinners or when you want something satisfying that isn’t a pound of beef.
Crispy Autumn Veg Burgers with Apple Cider Slaw
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
- 1 small apple, chopped
- 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced in half
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 6 ounces havarti cheese, sliced
for serving
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- whole wheat buns
apple cider slaw
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- a pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 head savoy cabbage, sliced and chopped
Instructions
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the leeks, apple and Brussels sprouts and stir. Season with the salt and pepper and cook until the veggies are slightly softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute, then remove from the heat.
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Transfer the cooked veggies to a food processor with the quinoa, chickpeas and eggs. Pulse until the mixture is in coarse pieces — don’t puree it — and the eggs are incorporated. Scoop into a bowl and stir in the flour and smoked paprika until combined. Form patties about 2 inches wide and nearly 1 inch thick; thicker patties may fall apart. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties (in batches if needed) about 5 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Lower the heat, add Havarti slices and cook until the cheese melts.
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For the mushrooms, heat a skillet over medium-low and add the olive oil. Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Assemble burgers on whole wheat buns with mushrooms and finish with the apple cider slaw.
apple cider slaw
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In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider, apple cider vinegar, honey, oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. This slaw can be made ahead and chilled; toss again before serving.
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Long live fall!