Mexican Chili Burgers
Submitted by fdaniel
Vegetarian Mexican chili burgers made with seven-grain cereal, brown rice, tofu, green chilies, and cumin. Pan-fried golden brown with no meat needed. Makes 12 patties.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThese meatless burgers get their structure from an unlikely trio: seven-grain cereal softened in the microwave, cooked brown rice, and blended soft tofu that acts as the binder holding everything together. No eggs required (though egg whites work too), making this fully vegan if you skip the egg option.
The Mexican spice profile does the heavy lifting on flavor. Cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, chopped green chilies, and fresh cilantro give each patty a warm, savory kick that stands up to any burger bun and toppings you throw at it. Chopped Roma tomatoes and shredded carrots add moisture and texture that keeps the patties from being dry or mealy.
Five minutes per side in a sprayed nonstick skillet builds a golden crust on the outside while the center stays moist. The cracker crumbs help absorb excess moisture so the patties hold together during flipping. If the mixture feels too loose, add more crumbs. Too crumbly, a few teaspoons of water brings it back.
Chef Tips
- Blend the tofu to a cottage cheese consistency, not smooth like a puree. Some texture helps it bind the grains and rice.
- Let the seven-grain cereal cool before mixing in. Hot cereal cooks the tofu and makes the mixture too soft to shape.
- Make patties a consistent ½ inch thick for even cooking. Thicker patties stay raw in the center.
- These freeze well on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Once solid, transfer to bags and cook from thawed.
Variations
- Add a cup of canned black beans, lightly mashed, for extra protein and a more substantial patty.
- Top with pepper jack cheese, sliced avocado, and chipotle mayo for a loaded Mexican burger.
- Crumble the cooked patties and use as taco filling instead of serving as burgers.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small microwaveable bowl, combine 1½ cups water with the seven-grain cereal.
Cover, and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Grains should be softened.
Let sit to cool while preparing the remaining ingredients.
In a blender container, blend the soft tofu to the consistency of cottage cheese.
If tofu is too thick, add a small amount of water. If using egg whites, slightly beat them.
In a large mixing bowl, pour blended tofu or beaten eggs and add chicken seasoning, cilantro, green chiles, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder.
Mix well. Add the onions, carrots, rice, cracker crumbs, to matoes, and softened grain mixture.
Mix well. If mixture is too thin to form burgers, add additional cracker crumbs.
If mixture is too crumbly, add a few teaspoon ablespoons of water to hold mixture together.
Shape into 12 patties that are 4 inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick.
Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.
Add patties and sauté for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown.
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