Crunchy Taco Veggie Burger

The Crunchy Taco Veggie Burger is a mash-up of all your favorite taco ingredients in one tasty burger. Instead of ground beef, TVP is spiced up with lots of flavor to provide the base for this burger. The TVP is then mixed with a ton of vegetables and spices to create a satisfying burger  with a touch of heat. For a finishing touch, the burgers are coated in cornmeal immediately before cooking to create the ideal crispy coating.  After pan searing, two burger patties are then piled onto gluten free bread with a creamy salsa verde. Taco perfection!

Crunchy Taco Veggie Burger
Gluten Free
Makes 3 Servings (2 Burgers Per Serving)
Click Here for Printable Recipe



Ingredients--
Burger Patties--
TVP:
6 tablespoons Textured Vegetable Protein ( I used Bob's Red Mill, which can be found in the grains aisle of most grocery stores or online)
1/2  cup boiling water
1 tablespoon ketchup, check for gluten
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
Vegetables & Seasonings:
1/4 cup canned black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 of a medium zucchini, cut into large cubes ( don’t waste too much time chopping zucchini since it will be pulsed in food processor)
1/4 of a red bell pepper, cut into 3-4 pieces (will also be processed in food processor)
1/4 cup frozen corn, defrosted and dried
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, finely minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon liquid egg substitute
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt & Pepper
Breading:
6 tablespoons gluten free cornmeal ( I used Bob's Red Mill )
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & Pepper
Assembly:
6 slices light gluten free sandwich bread
Hot Sauce, to taste

Pea Salsa Verde--
3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 tablespoon canned diced green chilies
2 teaspoons lime juice
3 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable broth, check for gluten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Salt, to taste

1. Place TVP in a medium mixing bowl and pour boiling water on top. Let TVP sit for about 5 minutes, or until water is absorbed.
 

2. Once water is absorbed, stir tomato paste, hot sauce, paprika, and salt and pepper into TVP. Set aside.



3. Add black beans to a small food processor and pulse until relatively smooth. Add zucchini and bell pepper to food processor then puree until mixture is smooth.

4. Scoop black bean mixture into bowl with TVP (Wipe out food processor but don’t bother washing yet since you will need it for the pea salsa verde). Stir to combine black beans and TVP.

5. Add in remaining vegetables and seasonings ( corn, jalapeno, garlic, egg substitute, hot sauce, cumin, chili powder, thyme, oregano, coriander, salt and pepper). Stir until ingredients are evenly combined.



6. Line a large plate or container with parchment paper. Use a 1/4 cup to form vegetable mixture into 6 patties (don’t worry about shaping the burgers too much yet, you can do that right before cooking) and place on parchment lined plate.



7. Transfer plate to refrigerator and let burgers set for at least 1 hour.

8. While the burgers are in the refrigerator, prepare the pea salsa verde. Add peas, chilies, lime juice, yogurt and broth to food processor. Puree until mixture is mostly smooth. Add in parsley and pulse a few times, just until parsley is mixed into salsa. Scoop salsa verde in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.



9. Once you’re ready to cook the burgers (after at least an hour in the fridge), prepare the breading mixture. Place cornmeal in a small mixing bowl and add cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

10. Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and heat to medium heat. Place breading mixture and plate of burgers beside stovetop to make the breading process easier.

11. One a time, roll burgers in cornmeal mixture, then flatten slightly into a patty shape and place in skillet.



12. Cook burgers for about 4-5 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Use a spatula to flip burgers, then cook for 3-4 minutes more, or until golden and crisp on both sides.



13. To assemble burgers, lay bread slices on a flat surface and spread a layer of pea salsa verde on each piece of bread.



14. Place one burger patty on three of the bread slices.



15. Drizzle each burger patty with a dash of hot sauce.



16. Top each of the burgers with the remaining three burgers (so you have a double stack).



17. Close burgers with remaining bread slices and divide between three plates. Enjoy!




Nutrition Information--approximately 252 calories per serving (1/3 of the recipe; includes 2 burger patties, 1/3 of salsa, and 2 slices of bread)