Farro Burgers with Avocados
| Serves | 6 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Farro |
Chef Frederick Guerrero
Little Bear
Los Angeles
Chef Frederick Guerrero combines grains and beans to make these vegan burgers. Farro provides a meaty texture, while red and green bell peppers add specks of color and mushrooms, chipotle and cumin boost flavor. The plant-based burgers are topped with an aioli made with tofu to keep them totally vegan.
Ingredients
Tofu aioli
6 oz. silken tofu
1½ oz. roasted garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. light miso
1 tbsp. capers
1 tbsp. water
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
Burgers
4 oz. farro
10 oz. canned red beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil, as needed
3 oz. red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 oz. green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 oz. onion, finely diced
6 oz. mushrooms, finely chopped
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1½ tsp. soy sauce
¾ tsp. chopped Italian parsley
¾ tsp. chipotle powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. vegetable base
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 whole-wheat buns
Butter lettuce leaves
2 roasted red peppers, sliced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
Steps
1. For tofu aioli, combine all ingredients in blender container; blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water if needed to achieve mayonnaise consistency. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours for flavors to blend.
2. For burgers, in medium saucepan, combine farro and lightly salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes until cooked through. Strain farro and place in a large bowl.
3. Blend half of the beans in a food processor until smooth. Add to the bowl of farro along with the whole beans.
4. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add red and green bell peppers and onion. Cook until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and add to bowl with farro and beans.
5. Add another 1 teaspoon olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Remove from heat and add to farro mixture. Add panko, tomato paste, soy sauce, parsley, chipotle powder, cumin and vegetable base to farro mixture. Mix until well combined; stir in the flour. Shape mixture into 6 patties.
6. Heat olive oil on a griddle over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned, crispy and heated through.
7. Serve burgers on whole wheat buns spread with tofu aioli; top with butter lettuce leaves, roasted red pepper slices and 3 to 4 avocado slices.
Photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission