Roasted Cauliflower + Cashew Burgers with Chipotle Mayo
This veggie burger is inspired by one of the best non-beef burgers I've ever had.
Deschutes Brewery here in Portland makes a mean Quinoa + Cashew burger. Like, I love a good ole' American cheeseburger, but that burger at Deschutes is out of this world good.
My version is slightly different but still seriously delicious.
I love adding cauliflower to things to get in some extra veggies, and this burger...oh, man. It's awesome with all that roasted goodness. Topped with tomatoes, avocados and that yummy chipotle mayo, this burger is a definite home run.
You won't even miss the beef! At least, that's what my dad said. Direct quote: "I was concerned when you said there'd be no meat, but this burger is unbelievable. I'd eat this all time." Enough said.
Enjoy!
Roasted Cauliflower + Cashew Burger with Chipotle Mayo
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS:
For the Burgers:
24oz cauliflower florets, larger pieces cut into smaller florets
1/2 cup ground cashews
1/2 cup dry quinoa (2 cups cooked)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp oregano, divided
1-1/2 tsp paprika, divided
1 tsp cumin, divided
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 eggs
salt + pepper
olive oil
burger buns - I recommend Dave's Killer Bread's 21 Whole Grains & Seeds buns
tomatoes, sliced
avocados, sliced
arugula
For the Chipotle Mayo:
1/2 cup mayo
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 limes, juiced
salt + pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place cauliflower florets directly onto a baking sheet and using your hands, toss together with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp of cayenne, and salt and pepper. Make sure all cauliflower is well seasoned.
Place in oven and cook until properly roasted, approximately 20 minutes.
While cauliflower is in the oven, cook the quinoa per the instructions on the packaging. I used a combo of red and white quinoa - I love a little pop of color!
Using a small food processor, grind up cashews until they have the texture of a powder. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs. Set aside.
When cauliflower is done cooking, transfer to a large food processor and using the pulse function, grind up until you have a mostly smooth but slightly chunky consistency. You want a little texture!
In a large mixing bowl, transfer ground up cauliflower, cooked quinoa, ground up cashews, garlic, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder and whisked eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until everything is well incorporated and mixed together.
Form your patties into six equal parts.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, carefully transfer 2-3 of the patties to the skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and repeat cooking process on the other side, again cooking 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining patties.
Prepare the chipotle mayo by adding all ingredients, except the salt and pepper, to a small food processor. Process until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Assemble burgers! I like to toast my buns, top the bottom bun with some of the chipotle mayo, followed by arugula, the burger patty, tomatoes, avocados, more arugula, and then more mayo on the top bun!