I rarely make veggie burgers in an attempt to replicate meat. Instead, I like to highlight a vegetable! These beans-and-greens burgers use Swiss chard in two ways. You’ll incorporate the greens into the patties and quick-pickle the stems to create a tangy, crunchy and colourful topping. The burgers turn out best if you chill them overnight in the fridge before you cook them. Feel free to make the pickled chard stems and the yogurt sauce in advance as well. –Jeanine Donofrio
White Bean and Swiss Chard Burgers
Jeanine Donofrio's nutrient-packed veggie burgers are topped with lemon dill yogurt and pickled chard stems.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Swiss chard stems removed and set aside
- 3 cups cooked butter beans drained and rinsed
- ½ medium yellow onion grated on the large holes of a box grater (⅓ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- avocado oil for the pan
- 6 hamburger buns
Pickled Chard Stems
- stems from 1 bunch Swiss chard chopped (1¼ cups)
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt
Lemon Dill Yogurt
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp chopped fresh dill or ¼ teaspoon dried
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- desired fixings sunflower sprouts, lettuce, avocado, sliced cucumbers, etc
Instructions
- Roughly chop the chard leaves, place in a steamer basket and set over a pot filled with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover and steam for 1 minute, or until the leaves are wilted. When cool to the touch, squeeze the excess water out of the leaves and chop finely.
- In a large bowl, combine the chard with the beans, onion, garlic, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne. Use a potato masher to mash until the mixture holds together but still has some visible bean chunks. Add the egg and fold until combined. Then fold in the panko. The mixture should be cohesive and a little wet.
- Form the mixture into 6 patties. Place the patties on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap, and chill overnight.
- Make the pickled chard stems: In a lidded jar, combine the chard stems, onion, lemon juice and salt. Shake to combine and chill until ready to use.
- Make the lemon dill yogurt: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, dill and salt. Chill until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom with oil and cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned, working in batches and reducing the heat to low as needed. Transfer the burgers to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. If desired, warm the buns in the oven during the last few minutes of cook time.
- Assemble the burgers on the buns with the yogurt sauce, pickled chard stems and desired fixings.
