Description

These Smoky Grilled Vegetable Burgers combine a flavorful mix of cooked rice, garbanzo beans, toasted walnuts, and a blend of smoky spices. Perfectly grilled and served with BBQ sauce, creamy guacamole, fresh tomato slices, and crisp lettuce on soft brioche or sesame buns, these burgers offer a delicious vegetarian alternative with a satisfying texture and rich smoky flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

Burger Patties

2 cups cooked Mahatma white rice (slightly overcooked for extra stickiness)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, finely minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup toasted walnuts, crushed into coarse meal
15 oz garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 large egg white

Toppings and Serving

1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
1 cup fresh guacamole
1 large tomato, sliced
6 leaves of crisp green leaf lettuce
6 high-quality brioche or sesame buns

Instructions

Prepare the Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cooked white rice, minced garlic, finely minced onion, and crushed toasted walnuts. Add the drained garbanzo beans and mash slightly to combine. Incorporate the all-purpose flour, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, soy sauce, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and egg white. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients form a cohesive mixture that can hold shape.
Form Patties: Using your hands, shape the mixture into 6 equal-sized patties. Each patty should be compact but not overly compressed to avoid toughness.
Preheat Grill or Skillet: Heat a grill or a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat the surface evenly.
Cook the Patties: Place the patties onto the grill or skillet. Cook each side for about 5-6 minutes, or until a golden crust forms and the patties are heated through, turning carefully to avoid breaking.
Toast Buns: While the patties cook, brush the brioche or sesame buns lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toast them on the grill or in the skillet until lightly browned and warm.
Assemble the Burgers: Spread Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce on the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Place the cooked vegetable patties over the sauce, then top with fresh guacamole, a slice of tomato, and a leaf of crisp green leaf lettuce. Crown with the top bun.
Serve: Serve the smoky grilled vegetable burgers immediately while warm, accompanied by your favorite sides or a fresh salad.

Notes

For a vegan version, substitute the egg white with a flaxseed or chia seed binder.
You can replace walnuts with pecans or almonds if desired.
Ensure the rice is slightly overcooked for better stickiness and binding of the patties.
Adjust smoked paprika amount for desired smokiness level.
These burgers can also be pan-fried if a grill is unavailable.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: American

Keywords: smoky grilled vegetable burgers, vegetarian burgers, grilled veggie patties, smoky BBQ burgers, healthy veggie burger recipe