Umami Edamame Veggie Burger

Happy Memorial Day! It was pouring rain when I started writing this post. I can imagine there are a lot of outdoor celebrations being pushed indoors or canceled all together. Since it rained all morning the hubby and I didn’t go for our 3 mile run or to the grocery story to pick up burger buns. That meant I had to bake some buns myself, for the first time! It took a little while, but it was worth it for warm, homemade burger buns.

Vegan Burger Buns
Makes 4 large or 6 medium buns, Recipe adapted from Holy Cow!

· 2 tsp organic pure cane sugar
· 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
· 1/2 + 1 cup warm water
· 3 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 tsp salt
· 1/2 tsp baking soda
· 3 tbsp + 1 tsp canola oil
· 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional

Combine the sugar, yeast, and 1/2 cup warm water in a stand mixer bowl. Allow the mixture to proof for 10 minutes. You’re looking for a bubbly foam to start forming on the surface. Once the yeast has proofed, add the flour, salt, and baking soda into the bowl. Knead on low-speed for about 5 minutes, slowly pouring in the remaining 1 cup of warm water until the dough is smooth but slightly sticky. Add the oil and continue kneading on low-speed for an additional minute until the oil has been absorbed by the dough. If the dough is too sticky to form in your hands, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time.

Add 1 tsp oil to a large, clean bowl. Transfer the dough into the bowl and roll it around so it’s evenly coated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Punch down the dough. Take the dough out of its bowl and separate it into four equal parts and form the parts into smooth bun shapes. Place the buns on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet, at least a couple of inches apart. If desired, brush the buns with a canola oil and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Place the buns in the oven and bake 25 minutes. Once the buns are golden brown, remove them from the oven and place them on a rack. Allow the buns to cool before slicing them in half.

Umami Edamame Veggie Burger

While my dough was rising I began working on my Umami Edamame burgers, say that five times fast. My sister Sarah gave me some umami seasoning the last time we visited her family. It has a magical aroma, that is difficult to describe. According to Wikipedia “It can be described as a pleasant ‘brothy’ or ‘meaty’ taste with a long-lasting, mouth-watering and coating sensation over the tongue.” That sounds like something that needs to go into a veggie burger, now.

Umami Edamame Burger Patties
Makes 4 large or 6 medium patties, Recipe adapted from A Beautiful Mess

1 flaxseed egg (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp warm water)
3 cups cooked edamame
1 cup white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup brown rice
1 tsp umami seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Umami Edamame Veggie Burger mixture

Prepare the flax egg in a small bowl by combining the flaxseed meal and warm water. Place the flax egg, covered, in the fridge to set for 10-15 minutes. I use frozen edamame, which takes 5 minutes to cook in the microwave. In a food processor, blend together 2 cups edamame, onion, garlic, cilantro, 1/4 cup brown rice, flax egg, umami, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until a thick paste forms. Roughly chop the remaining 1 cup edamame and add it to a medium bowl with the paste and remaining 1/4 cup rice. Mix together until just combined. Using clean hands, form 4 large or 6 medium-sized patties. Cook them right away, or wrap them in plastic and freeze them for another day.

These Umami Edamame Veggie Burger patties are ready for cooking!

To cook, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Lightly dredge the patty in flour and place them in the pan. Cook for a few minutes on both sides until brown and crispy.

Umami Edamame Veggie Burger

I served our burgers with lettuce, slices of avocado, and vegenaise. They were so big, we didn’t need to serve anything on the side. My burger got a little messy, but they were even more delicious deconstructed and eaten with my fingers. The rain has finally stopped, so we can maybe go for a jog later this afternoon. I hope you have a restful Memorial Day. Let’s all take a moment to thank all the men and women who have sacrificed for our country. I hope that those lost will never be far from our minds. See you all next week!

xo angie