The sixth of six recipes that create one epic seventh recipe, from Dustin Harder’s new cookbook, Epic Vegan: Wild and Over-the-Top Plant-based Recipes.

vegan | easy | gluten-free option | 10 ingredients or less | year-round

The sixth and final recipe to make the amazing (epic, really) Bacon Mac and Cheese BBQ Blue Burger from Epic Vegan is the burger itself. In the next recipe, we will be putting all these recipes together, and it’s gonna get messy in a good way!

There is a special burgeriness to these All-American Burgers, and I didn’t use the vital wheat gluten, which adds that burgery texture. It’s in the depth of flavor, and I think the key is the all-spice. Specifically, the cloves in all-spice - it adds an earthy note that balances the burger in a way that is often lacking in standard veggie burgers. This could easily become your new go-to burger!

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All American Burger

recipe

FROM EPIC VEGAN BY DUSTIN HARDER

vegan | easy | gluten-free option | 10 ingredients or less | year-round

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES | COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES | TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

Yield: 4 burgers (or 16 sliders)

Author’s Note: It’s important for me to offer a multipurpose recipe for vegetable-grain meat in this book so you can make delicious burgers, sausage patties, and meatballs to have on hand, even if your local grocery store sells the latest in plant-based meats. This recipe is so versatile with just the switch of some spices. Also, if frying isn’t your thing, I’ve included a general baking option.

Tip: If you don’t have vital wheat gluten, don’t stress; you can still make these meats delicious, though they won’t be as firm or have the same chew. Just add ¼ to ½ cup (30 to 60 g) extra bread crumbs until you get a doughlike texture. To create the “log” for the burgers and sausage, transfer the mixture onto a surface and form it into a ball. Push it down on the surface and roll it back and forth with your palms flat, forming it into a log shape with smooth sides, until you reach the desired length.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

• 1 cup (160 g) roughly chopped onion

• 1 cup (70 g) stemmed and chopped baby bella mushrooms

• 1 cup (125 g) crumbled tempeh

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon allspice

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• ¾ cup (140 g) cooked brown rice

• ½ cup (50 g) vital wheat gluten (see Tip for gluten-free option)

• ¼ cup (30 g) dried bread crumbs (gluten-free if desired)

• 2 tablespoons (28 ml) soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• Canola oil or cooking spray

Instructions

1. To make the burgers: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and tempeh; sauté for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, allspice, and thyme, and cook 1 additional minute, until fragrant.

2. Add the brown rice, gluten, bread crumbs, soy sauce, salt, and crushed red pepper to a food processor. Add the onion-and-tempeh mixture, and process on low speed until a ball of dough is just starting to form; do not over-process; there should still be some texture to the mixture.

3. Let the mixture cool slightly, then form the mixture into a 4-inch-long (10-cm) log (see Tip). Cut the log crosswise into 4 patties (1 inch [2.5 cm] thick) and form to desired shape.

4. Slider option: If you wish to make sliders, cut each patty into 4 sections and re-form into 16 slider patties. Cook following the directions for the burgers. Heat ¼ inch (6 mm) of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 patties and fry 2 to 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and crispy. Repeat with the 2 remaining patties. Serve burgers topped as desired.

   Baking option: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C, or gas mark 4). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prepared burgers, patties, or meatballs on the baking sheet and coat lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, and remove from the oven. Flip, spray again lightly with cooking spray, and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned and firm.

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Bacon Mac and Cheese BBQ Blue Burger Recipes from Epic Vegan by Dustin Harder: