I have a very exciting new cookbook recipe for you! These are Indian-inspired cauliflower burgers made with fresh cauliflower, rice, and oats as the base, with lots of turmeric, ginger, and spice. Veggie burgers are a staple in my house, and I make them at least a couple times a week, but always with some kind of beans or lentils.
It’s nice to have a bit of a change from a very legume heavy diet with a real comfort food burger that’s still quite light, and this fits the bill. I served them with little naan buns – I just made my regular spelt naan recipe and formed little rounds that were a bit thicker than usual, then cut them in half for the burgers.
For some more great cauliflower recipes, try these roasted cauliflower tacos, an easy one-pot cauliflower potato soup, or go for similar flavours as the burgers with a cauliflower sweet potato curry.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cauliflower: note that the recipe calls for a gram measurement of cauliflower, not simply a head, so please measure it out to be exact.
- Turmeric: if you can’t get fresh turmeric, substitute half the amount in dried.
- Almonds: substitute almond meal for the ground toasted almonds (frankly, a bit fiddly in my opinion to do this extra step).
- Red pepper flakes: this is hot pepper, and can be omitted if preferred.
Recipe Notes
I was a bit skeptical of the holding power of these burgers when I was mixing up the patties, but they really turn out perfectly. Frying the burgers for a few minutes gives them a really great texture and outer crust, and then baking ensures that they’re cooked through and won’t crumble. It is a bit of work to get everything prepped and ready to go, but since you can make the mixture 24 hours in advance, you could do it the day before cooking.
I found that I preferred the size of the burgers when I made six or even eight, rather than four as the recipe originally called for. Four burgers using this mixture are very large. Make them the size you’d like but note that they are a bit easier to work with when slightly smaller.
As this is a recipe from a cookbook, the ingredients are slightly different from what might usually be featured on OE. When I make these, I usually use a lime and garlic mayonnaise rather than the cashew cream, for example.
How to Store
Storage: the burgers tend to dry out and crumble a bit when stored, but the burger mixture can be refrigerated for a couple of days in a sealed container and then cooked as usual.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the burgers after cooking, but the uncooked mixture can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Newsletter
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the chilling: this is key to the recipe and if the mixture isn’t chilled, it won’t hold together when formed into patties.
- Use a food processor: the cauliflower can be grated on a box grater, but it’s much faster, easier, and makes less mess to grate it with the grating attachment on a food processor.
More Burgers and Patties
Lentil and Greens Patties
Chickpea Sweet Potato Burgers
Swiss Chard Quinoa Cakes
Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
If you make these Bombay Burgers or any other vegetarian mains on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Reprinted with permission from Veggie Burger Atelier, copyright © 2017 by Nina Olsson. Published by Quarry Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group.
Bombay Burgers
Ingredients
Spiced Cauliflower Patties
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 80 grams finely diced onion
- 220 grams cauliflower grated
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 100 grams rolled oats
- 100 grams cooked brown rice
- 75 grams toasted almonds ground
- ½ cup fresh cilantro finely minced
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed other other light oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Lime Cashew Cream
- 200 grams cashews soaked for 1-3 hours
- Juice of a lime
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
- Pinch sea salt
- Water to thin
Sesame Carrot Salad
- 5 rainbow or regular carrots shaved into ribbons
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Spiced Cauliflower Patties
- Place a pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until translucent. Transfer to a large bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil and the cauliflower, garlic, turmeric, garam masala, ginger, salt, and red pepper flakes. Fry for 6-8 minutes, stirring. Transfer to the bowl with the onion.3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 80 grams finely diced onion, 220 grams cauliflower, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon grated fresh turmeric, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the remaining patty ingredients to the bowl and mix to combine. Working in batches, pulse the mixture in a food processor for a few spins until the rice and oats are broken up. Be careful not to over blend – you want a crumbly texture. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours, covered.100 grams rolled oats, 100 grams cooked brown rice, 75 grams toasted almonds, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons rapeseed, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon coconut sugar, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Divide the mixture into 4 (see note) equal portions and shape each into a patty. Place a pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Fry the patties for 4-8 minutes per side. Lightly season with salt and pepper and transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Assemble the burgers between warm buns or naan buns and serve topped with the lime cashew cream and sesame-carrot salad.
Lime Cashew Cream
- In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth. Set aside.200 grams cashews, Juice of a lime, 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup, Pinch sea salt, Water
Sesame Carrot Salad
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the carrot ribbons, vinegar, and sesame oil until well coated. Set aside.5 rainbow or regular carrots, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Notes
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Leave a Reply