As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m pumping the breaks on the blog for a bit so I can tend to other food-related projects. Now, that’s not to say I’m not constantly working on the blog (recipe testing testing is a mutha) – I am. I’m just working on other food thangs. Spreading them wings – frying flee like a bird.

Today’s long overdue recipe comes to you from a place near and dear to my heart: My stomach. I guess technically there are other organs that are closer to my heart (I’m looking at you pancreas!) but I digress.

Down at the Vegicano Test Kitchen™  we eat a lot of sandwiches and the like. These dishes rarely make the blog. As it stands now, I try to stay away from posting too many recipes (not somehow) related to Mexican food. I have too much Woody Allen-esque anxiety to do that.

So. Today. In honor of the fact that I haven’t posting as much as I should have. I would like share one of those recipes with you today: Soyrizo Burger.

The patty is made from cooked soyrizo, cooked brown rice, panko bread crumbs, a little chickpea flour and spices; Everything working together to build both texture and taste – It’s a beautiful thing really. From there I add avocado (duh!) and bit of slaw to round out the flavors. (You can melt vegan cheese on the patty as I did or skip it all together)

Quick Note: Because of the variances in different brands of soyrizo the burger patty can require a little more manipulating to stay together. Some soyrizo brands have less moisture than others while some are quite oily. If you if you find that your burger is too dry add a couple splashes of water; too wet, add more chickpea flour (a bit at a time). 

Soyrizo Burger
Makes 2 large burgers or 3 – 4 small ones.

1 12 Oz Package of Soyrizo
1 Cup packed (cooked) Brown Rice – Divided
1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Vegetable Broth or Water
2 TBS Chickpea Flour
1 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
pinch cumin
pinch black pepper
Salt to taste

1 TBS + 1tsp Canola oil – seperated

Sliced Avocado
Simple Slaw (Recipe Follows)
Vegan Burger Bun or (Kaiser) Roll
Vegenaise (optional – to dress your burger)
Vegan Cheese (optional)

1. Heat tsp of oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
2. Remove soyrizo from casing; add to pan.
3. Break up the soyrizo in the pan until broken down. Stir.
4. Brown soyrizo for about 5 minutes – stirring intermittently
5. Remove from heat. Set aside. Allow to cool.
6. In a food processor add 1/2 (packed) brown rice and a 1/2 cup of the soyrizo. Process until the mixture is thoroughly mixed (about 1 – 2 minutes).
7. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
8. Add your remaining rice, soyrizo and remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until fully incorporated and starting to ‘stick’ together – this could take a few pulses.
9. Add soyrizo/rice mixture to a large bowl and test the mixture. Be sure and taste the mixture to make sure the salt level is on point.

Note: The mixture should be firm, not too wet (though not dry) and should form a patty relatively easy. If you find that your mixture is either too wet or dry – offset the mixture with more chickpea flour a little at a time (knead into mixture with your hands) or add a few splashes of water respectively. 

10. Form Patties (your size preference), place on a plate and store uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will allow some of the moisture to dissipate and help hold the patty together.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

11. Heat 1 TBS in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
12. Sear each side of the burger for about 2 – 3 minutes each side until browned.
13. Place Burgers on baking pan.
14. Bake for 5 minutes. (Bake for 8 minutes straight if you are NOT using vegan cheese – see next step)
15. Add vegan cheese to the top of each patty (optional) bake for another 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Dress your burger up with Vegenaise (or vegan mayo), Avocado and slaw (recipe follows)

Simple Slaw

1 (heap) cup Shredded (Purple or White or combination of the two) cabbage
2 TBS Grated Carrots
2 tsp Vegenaise
1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
1 (heap) tsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. In a medium bowl add your cabbage, cover in lemon juice, vegenaise and nutritional yeast.
2. Using a spoon or fork lightly toss all of the ingredients to incorporate evenly.
3. Salt & Pepper to taste.