Sweet and Spicy Vegetarian Vidalia Chipotle Burgers

I recently set about preserving some leftover jalapeno peppers that were languishing at the back of my crisper by experimenting with smoking my own chipotles. (Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapenos.) The home-smoking process was a big success, and when I got a yummy Vidalia onion in my CSA box, I just knew I had to create some veggie burgers highlighting the Vidalia-chipotle pairing.

And they make a great veggie option for Memorial Day BBQs!

Vegetarian Vidalia Chipotle Burgers

Author/Source:

Kristi @ Onceamonthmom.com

Chipotle Vidalia Burgers, baked

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cups ground beef substitute
• 0.25 cups cooked quinoa
• 0.125 cups pumpkin puree (or other egg substitute)
• 1 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
• 0.125 cups masa or cornmeal
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 0.5 cups Vidalia onion, sliced and grilled
• 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers (I smoke my own and crush them, but you can also buy them dried at the grocery store)
• 0.5 cups yogurt

Directions:

Combine beef, cooked quinoa, pumpkin, breadcrumbs and seasonings in a medium bowl or baggie and mix. Form patties (about 1/4

Chipotle Vidalia Burgers, frozen

cup to 1/3 cup for sliders or 1/2 cup for burgers). Place masa on a large plate and coat patties on both sides. Heat a skillet or griddle to medium and add olive oil. Grill in batches according to your pan size (mine held three sliders in two batches) and cook 3-5 minutes per side. Cool on a paper towel-lined plate. Food process chipotle peppers until powedered and mix into yogurt (or sour cream). Serve each patty on a bun with leaf lettuce, topped each with a generous tablespoon of chipotle yogurt and a slice of grilled onion.

Alternate cooking directions: Don’t like to fry? Bake at 350 for 30 minutes on a greased baking sheet, flipping halfway through, or grill burgers for 5 minutes per side on a grilling sheet or sprayed aluminum foil.

Freezing Directions:

Combine beef, cooked quinoa, pumpkin, breadcrumbs and seasonings in a medium bowl or baggie and mix.
Form patties (about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for sliders or 1/2 cup for burgers). Place masa on a large plate and coat patties on both sides. Flash freeze on a cookie sheet. Divide among freezer bags and freeze. If desired, grill Vidalia onions, divide among pint freezer bags and freeze. And mix chipootle yogurt, divide among pint freezer bags and freeze, otherwise, wait until serving day to do so. To serve: Thaw. Heat skillet or griddle with olive oil to medium and fry burgers in batches. Top with chipotle yogurt and grilled onion.

Servings: 4 (6-8 sliders or 4 burgers)

**conversion chart image provided by Erik Spiekermann

This Post will be linked at:

• Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairytale
• Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist (Real Food)
  
• Just Another Meatless Monday at Hey What’s For Dinner Mom? (Vegetarian)
  
• This Week’s Cravings at Veggie Converter (Cheeseburgers)

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 28th, 2012 at 9:00 am and is filed under Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.