My little neighbourhood is small and chatty. I was pulling out dandelions in my front yard when an older man that lives a few houses down came right over in his bare feet and joked that I was wasting my time before he introduced himself.
So I finished up the little weeding session and poured myself an ice cold glass of water with a squeeze of lime, perched at my living room window for a minute. And what did I see next? John was digging the dandelions out of his front yard too. Didn’t he just say I was wasting my time?
I think making it better is almost always contagious if approached with warmth and casual grace. Whether it’s the front lawn, the state of your home in general, the everyday food and drink choices, considerations of the whole world when you buy biodegradable shampoo.
It’s those shiny bits of the everyday that make some of the more elusive and big things feel within reach. Will those tiny actions stop the west Antarctic ice sheet from collapsing? Well no, and I don’t think I’ll be bringing that topic up with the neighbours anytime soon either. I keep the focus small sometimes.
So as usual, plant-heavy meal preparation is the small focus strategy that reigns supreme. It keeps us feeling stronger in our immediate space, with a simultaneous awareness of how that choice can make an impact out there. Small and mighty.
Except this burger is huge. We enjoyed these one night with big piles of greens, and then I scarfed one in the more traditional way on some sourdough bread for breakfast the next morning. I had been thinking about Old Bay as the dominant flavour in a veggie burger. It’s generally more of a seafood spice, but I knew that it would mingle nicely with a chickpea-based patty and a creamy, lemony mayo-like accompaniment. I was so satisfied with how these came together. They punch all of the flavour and texture buttons for me, especially with a few slices of avocado in the mix. Maybe my neighbours will start asking for veggie burger recipes soon?
Chickpea & Cauliflower Old Bay Veggie Burgers with Cashew “Mayo”
Ingredients
Burgers
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- squeeze of lemon juice
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour
- 3 tbsp oat flour
- 1/3 cup chopped chives
Cashew “Mayo”
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- splash of white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp-1/3 cup filtered water
- salt to taste
Assembly
- buns, bread, or boston/butter lettuce wraps
- oil for sautéeing the burgers
- avocado slices
- red onion slices
- greens
Notes
- If you don’t have Old Bay in your nook of the world, you can make it yourself!
Instructions
- Set a large pot with an inch or two of water over medium heat. Place the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket. Once the water in the pot is simmering, place the steamer basket in and put a lid on top. Steam the cauliflower until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and run some cold water over it to prevent further cooking. Towel the florets lightly and then place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade.
- To the food processor, add the chickpeas, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, olive oil, lemon juice, salt + pepper. Pulse the mixture until you have a meal that clumps together when you squeeze it. You should still see little bits of chickpeas. Dump the chickpea and cauliflower mixture into a large bowl and stir in the flours and chopped chives until your mix is fully combined and the flour is absorbed. Taste the mixture for seasoning (hooray for no raw egg scares!) and adjust accordingly.
- Divide the mix into 4 equal portions and form patties with your hands. Place the patties on a plate and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let these set up in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Make the cashew lemon mayo. In a blender pitcher, combine the cashews, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water to start. Blend the mixture on high, adding more water and scraping the sides as necessary. Keep going until you have a creamy/smooth mayo-like consistency. Scrape the mayo into a container, cover, and place in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Heat a good slick of oil in a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Place the burgers in the pan, maybe two at a time maximum. Fry until one side is golden and then gently flip them over. Keep moving them around the pan to acvhieve maximal browning on the sides. Remove from the pan when the other side is golden. Keep warm on a parchment lined baking sheet in a low oven. Repeat with remaining burgers. Serve hot with lettuce wraps/buns, cashew lemon mayo, avocado, red onion etc.!
I was looking for a recipe for burgers to take to a friend’s house for Super Bowl and stumbled on this one, basically because I had all the ingredients at hand. Although I’d never made it before (always a worry when you plan on presenting it to “people”) I have made so many of your recipes and love your work that I felt confident that at worst it would edible and get me through. I followed the recipe and made the mayo too. My biggest surprise was how short a time it took to make. This was so easy peasy and such a great success that it is DEFINATELY going on my rota of meal successes for sooooo many reasons. Huge thumbs up and thank you Laura. Xxx
Wow! This sounds so yummy! Definitely my long weekend backyard burger plan!! ✌️
I will ABSOLUTELY be making these! anything Old Bay is my thing! It’s usually referred to as, “OldSpice” around here but that’s purely out of love! Thanks for the great recipe!
These are our absolute favorite veggie burgers, and I’ve tried making so many. They go so well in veggie wraps and with a fresh salad. My husband and I went vegan cold turkey one day when I read the book, The China Study. Your recipes have made that transition magical. I cannot imagine going back.
Look amazing! Just cooked these up and popped them in the freezer. Do you think baking will work??
I haven’t tried it, but it shouldn’t be a problem if you thaw the patties out fully before you slide them in the oven. I’m guessing 375 F for about 25 minutes, flipping them halfway would do the trick. Let me know how it goes!
-L
Do you think I can bake these instead of frying? They are in my fridge now waiting.
Definitely! You might have to flip them to get some even browning. And honestly, I’m not sure how long they will take if you’re baking. You should know just by looking at them and by feeling them for firm-ness. Would love it if you let me know how it works out :)
-L
I miss having neighbour exchanges like these sometimes, it was definitely easier to do in the small Italian town I grew up in rather than here in London! Anyhow, I at least have someone in the house with whom I share wisdom and meals, and these burgers look like they would make for the most amazing meal, and somehow I feel they need to be shared. Thanks for posting always such genius recipes! x
P.S. – Or how about mashed potato?
Hey Claire, I think between broccoli or mashed potato, the potato would fare better in this recipe. The broccoli kinda lacks the creamy-ness that really helps with this recipe. Of course, you can always try it and report back! ;)
-L
Hi, Laura! I am interested if you have ever tried substituting the cauliflower for another vegetable… broccoli, spinach, etc. I impulsively get the LARGE bags of broccoli at Costco every time (once a week!) and so am always looking for ways to use it up!!! Also, cauliflower never seems to make it past the hummus platter in our house ;) Thanks!
Hi Laura, just wanted to thank you for this recipe, we made these burgers, with a couple of modifications, for lunch and they were delicious! I also used whole rolled oats and a bit of almond meal for crunch. Also, we thought dividing the dough in 4 made extremely large patties, so we opted for 6. Cheers *silvia
Going to try these on the grill this weekend! Yummy and healthy :)
These patties on a bed of sturdy greens seem like an excellent airport/travel meal. :)
I LOVE your cashew mayo!! I always use veganaise, but I much prefer the idea of making some myself! I am definitely going to be making it this weekend. I’ve also been on the hunt for a good veggie burger recipe and this one looks great!
Hi Laura, I found your blog on Saveurs and what a lovely surprise. I started following you on pinterest and facebook. I can not wait for the next recipes!
I love this post. We pull out our dandelions too. But, our neighbor story isn’t as great, once our neighbors took it upon themselves to spread fertilizer/weed killer on our lawn, thinking they were doing us a favor. Super. Awkward. And very upsetting! Saving the world, one dandelion at a time.
What a fantastic recipe! And the neighbour story is so cute! I need to locate some old bay seasoning immediately. I’m a newbie to your blog and am loving it! Gorgeous photos, recipes, and stories. :)
YUM… these look ridiculously amazing. And your food photography is seriously impressive. I am so glad that I stumbled across your blog today. You most definitely have a new reader!! I think I am even going to add you directly to my blog roll– I am so impressed!! Xox
Can I come live with you? Because your little neighborhood (John, included) sounds dreamy. Beautiful storytelling (as always) lady. xo
I just want to thank you for this recipe. My 18 month old son has been diagnosed with many allergies and cant’ eat a whole lot on his elimination diet. I made these into “nugets” and he can not get enough! He just keeps saying “more, more”. We’re enjoying them too.
Yes!!! You read my mind lady. I’ve been wanting a new bean burger recipe to try. Thank you!
o.m.g i’m making these tonight
If my neighbors asked for a veggie burger recipe, I think I’d faint. But then any little thing can happen. These burgers look delicious. I love the idea of wrapping them up in big lettuce leaves.
can i use reg. flour in place of the oat and chickpea flour?
Hi Michelle, I think regular, all purpose flour would be fine. You might even be able to get away with using less of it too.
-L
Anything made with Old Bay is worth trying in my book!
I seriously JUST ate dinner, and this made my stomach rumble. I have recently become OBSESSED with chickpeas, so this came at the perfect time.
I love the sound of this burger, but like with most veggie burgers, instructions are to saute. I am curious if you would recommend baking this veggie burger as an alternative way to cook it? Or have a suggestion for a baked veggie burger recipe…?
Hi Colleen, I’ve never baked a veggie burger patty in my life! But I’ll try to help. I think if you bake them on a rack set into a cookie sheet, it would be do-able. Maybe set the oven to 375 degrees F and brush a bit of oil on the tops of the patties before putting them in. I’m guessing these would take 25 minutes or so with a little flip halfway through. If you try it, let me know any feedback. Curious!
-L
You’re not alone in the weeding. My brother forages dandelions to make dandelion honey (syrup). I’m not too fussed on it but he really likes it. Maybe worth exploring?
I love the flavors in this recipe! Your pictures are making my mouth water! Pinned
gahh! of course, the link worked AFTER my last comment. :) Sorry! and thanks so much for sharing!
Wow, this looks amazing! Did you include a link to the Old Bay recipe? If so, I’m not finding it/able to click on it. Thanks!!
These absolutely look amazing! I’m definitely giving these a try!
So… yeah, I’ve been thinking about these burgers all week. Thank you for that. Seriously, thank you. :-) I think they’re going to have to happen over Memorial Day, since everyone will be eating and dogs and I’ll just be left with pasta salad.
Aren’t neighbors the best? We actually talk to ours now (unlike the meatheads who we lived next to in our apartment). It’s pretty wonderful.
Well this looks amazing! Wish I had seen this recipe before I did my grocery shopping!
Yum! This looks delicious – Cannot wait to try it!
Love your recipes and photography! I’m wondering what kind of blender is shown there and how long does the mayo last?
Hi Ellen! Thanks for your comments. The blender is a 5+ year old Vitamix, which I will add has been worth the investment and then some for myself. And the mayo should be good in the fridge for 5 days if you cover it up. I would recommend a little stir each time you get it out. Side bar: this mayo is really delicious with sweet potato fries if you want to use some up :)
-L
These look so amazing. Love that cashew mayo!
Beautiful outlook on life and a beautiful burger to go with it!
Great recipe and beautiful pics as usual!
These sound fantastic. I love the punch you give it with the Old Bay spice!
This looks like such a flavorful veggie burger, especially with that cashew lemon mayo. I think this is something that would be even better than a standard burger – more complex and dynamic! Pinned.
Amen, Laura. I’d rather focus on small, tangible, good-for-us pleasures like cauliflower veggie burgers than the inevitable collapse of the ice sheet (yikes!). These burgers sound fantastic.
I love trying new veggie burger recipes! Pinning this to make it later. :)
Old Bay seasoning is a great idea! The burgers look delish!
I love this story and I love the sounds of this burger. Makin’ it better! xo
This sounds so yummy!! Love that burger recipe – it looks so easy!
These look great and I’ll definitely be trying the cashew mayo as I don’t like soya mayo.
Whenever I think of making bean or pulse burgers I always wonder if they will feel too dense. Your recipe looks light and crisp and your pictures are beautiful. X
these burgers look so yummy, i will definitely be making these !
Lauren x
I love old neighbors sharing their wisdom!