4 Burgers You Can Make Without Beef

Channel your inner Top Chef Junior with these four ideas for beef-less burgers! 🍔

Pork Bánh Mì Burger
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Sriracha Aioli
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce

Carrot and Daikon Pickles
1 large carrot, peeled, cut into matchstick strips
1 medium daikon radish, peeled, cut into matchstick strips
¼ up sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup water
½ cup rice wine vinegar

Burger
1 pound ground pork
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 cucumber, sliced
1 jalapeño, de-seeded and thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 baguette, toasted, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 4-inch buns

PREPARATION:
1) Sriracha aioli: Combine both ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2) Carrot and daikon pickles: Combine carrots, radish, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using fingertips, massage salt and sugar into vegetables until dissolved. Add water and rice vinegar. Set aside.
3) Burgers: Combine the pork, garlic, scallions, fish sauce, chili sauce, sugar, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix gently until spices are evenly distributed, but don’t overwork meat. Form into four balls.
4) Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Place burgers on pan and use a wide, stiff spatula to gently smash the balls into flat patties, about ¾-inch thick. Cook until the bottom of each burger has formed a brown crust, about 3–4 minutes. Flip each patty and cook through, approximately 3–4 minutes.
5) Assembly: Spread about 1 tablespoon sriracha aioli on the bottom of each baguette quarter. Place a burger on each baguette, topping with carrot and daikon pickles, sliced cucumber, jalapeños, and cilantro leaves.

Szechuan Lamb Burger
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Creamy Herb Sauce
½ cup cilantro, chopped
3 scallions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup Greek yogurt
Salt, to taste

Onion Saute
2 teaspoons oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced`

Burgers
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoon salt

Assembly
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cucumber, sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 fresno chiles or red jalapeños, de-seeded and thinly sliced
4 brioche buns, lightly toasted

PREPARATION:

1) Creamy herb sauce: Stir together cilantro, scallion, mint, lemon juice, lemon zest, and yogurt until combined.
2) Onion saute: Heat oil, then add red onions to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook until they begin to soften but still retain their color and crunch, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
3) Burgers: Combine the lamb, cumin, sichuan peppercorns, chile flakes, sesame oil, sugar, mustard, and salt in a large bowl. Mix gently until spices are evenly distributed, but don’t overwork meat. Form into four balls. In the same large saute pan used for the onions and peppers, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Use a wide, stiff spatula to gently smash the balls into flat patties, about ¾-inch thick. Cook until the bottom of each burger has formed a brown crust, about 3–4 minutes. Flip each patty and cook through, approximately 3–4 minutes.
4) Assembly: Spread about 1 tablespoon creamy herb sauce on the bottom of each bun. Place a burger on each bun, topping each with a spoon of onions, sliced cucumber, chilis, and cilantro.

Falafel Burger
Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS:

Falafel
2 (15-oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, chopped
¾ cup parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup bread crumbs
3 eggs
oil, for cooking

Spiced Green Tahini Sauce
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1 cup tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Pickled Red Onions
1 large red onion, sliced into rings
½ cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons whole coriander
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed

Cabbage Slaw
½ small purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Assembly
1 tomato, sliced
6 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted

PREPARATION:

1) Falafel: To the bowl of a 2-quart food processor, add the chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, spices, and eggs. Pulse the ingredients together until just incorporated, forming a wet paste. Don’t over-process. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs, mixing until just incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1–2 hours, or overnight.
2) Spiced green tahini sauce: Pulse garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, and 2 teaspoons salt in a food processor until similar in texture to pesto. Add tahini and lemon juice; process for 30 seconds. With motor running, gradually drizzle in ½ cup water and process, adding more water to thin if needed, until sauce is light green and the consistency of sour cream. Season with salt.
3) Pickled red onions: Place onions in a bowl. Heat vinegar, water, sugar, spices, and salt in a small saucepan over high heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, then strain and pour over onions. Press onions down with a spoon until submerged. Let rest until onions are softened and liquid has cooled, about 25 minutes.
4) Cabbage slaw: In a bowl, combine all ingredients.
Remove the chilled falafel mixture from the refrigerator and shape into 6 patties.
5) In a large nonstick skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Cook burgers in batches of 3 for 3–4 minutes each side, flipping halfway through. Once they are golden brown and crispy, transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
6) Assembly: Spread about 1 tablespoon spiced green tahini sauce on the bottom of each bun. Place a burger on each bun, topping each with a tomato slice, pickled red onions, and cabbage slaw.

Citrus Salmon Burger
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
Dill Citrus Aioli
1 cup mayonnaise
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons dill
1 tablespoon other fresh herbs, such as chives, basil, and mint
Salt and pepper

Burgers
4 fillets fresh salmon (1½ pounds)
Zest of 2 oranges
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chives, sliced thin
1 teaspoon salt
1 tomato, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
Butter lettuce
4 sesame seed burger buns, lightly toasted

PREPARATION:

1) Dill citrus aioli: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
2) Burgers: Cut salmon into 2-inch pieces. Transfer ⅓ of salmon to a food processor and process, scraping down sides, until mixture is very smooth and paste-like. Add remaining salmon and pulse 4–5 times until pieces are no bigger than ¼ inches (be careful not to make it too smooth). Transfer to a large bowl.
3) Gently fold in citrus zests, juice, chives, and salt. Shape into 4 burger patties.
4) Heat 1½ teaspoons of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium. Once oil is hot, add salmon burgers to pan. Sear for 3–4 minutes on each side until cooked through.Assembly: Spread about 1 tablespoon of dill citrus aioli on the bottom of 4 buns. Place one burger on each bun, then top with tomato, avocado, and butter lettuce.