Bean and Grilled Veggie Sliders with Coriander Cashew Sauce

I finally got around to making these Bean Burgers.

I'm a big fan of Burgers and a bigger fan of Bean Burgers. If I see a Bean Burger on the menu, you can be sure I'm ordering it. Regular Bean Burgers are usually just mashed beans shaped into a patty and fried. They are mushy and generally low on spice. So when I set out to make my Bean Burgers, I knew I wanted to add another element to it, another flavor, something that would make my Bean Burger tastier and juicier. TA-DA! Grilled Veggies.

Grilled veggies are the best, aren't the? Low on calories, high on health, super high on taste, and absolutely vibrant to look at. This burger was a marriage of two of my favorite things.

So let me tell you what's about to go down:

• A crispy golden SHALLOW FRIED patty made from beans, grilled vegetables, garlic, sauteed onions and cabbage, red chilli powder and oat flour. 
• A creamy VEGAN sauce made by blending cashews with garlic, coriander, lime and salt. Juicy creamy green goddess goodness.
• Tomato and Onion slices, just to UP the fresh quotient and to add crunch without any effort at all.
• Multi grain buns. 

Now tell me that isn't healthy!!

Just because it is healthy, does not mean it is losing out on taste or texture. The Bean Patty is everything it should be. It has beans that are hearty and filling. The grilled veggies are coarsely blended with the bean mixture and add a bite to the otherwise plain burger. With each bite you get a different mix of grilled vegetables, so you'll never be bored. I grilled my veggies with very little olive oil in the oven. I used a mix of colored capsicums or peppers and zucchini. The sauteed onions add a much needed sweetness. And the cabbage.. well, I had the cabbage, so I tossed it in. It adds to the texture, but can totally be skipped. Garlic, chilli and salt are a given, so no discussion there. Oat flour - I know this just upped the health factor, but that's not why it is there. The entire patty is made of only wet ingredients, there is nothing else to soak up the juices. Juiciness is needed, but excess of it will make the patty very soft and fragile. The oat flour was added to soak in the excess liquid and give enough strength to the patty, so I could shape it and fry it. This can be replaced with bread crumbs.

Next comes the coriander cashew sauce. Simplest sauce ever!! Soak cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes. Then drain and blend with chopped coriander and garlic. Squeeze some lime juice, add some salt and pepper. Done!!  There is literally no cooking involved here.

I made sliders instead of burgers, just coz they are so much fun to eat. You can make regular burgers with the same recipe, just adjust the quantities.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Beetroot and Cauliflower Burger - Burger made from beetroots and cauliflower served with an eggless mayo.
• Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich - Sandwich inspired by the Panera Bread sandwich of the same name.
• Breakfast Bruschetta Duo - Two bruschettas, one topped with avocado and olives and other with tomato and onions.
• Grilled Paneer Sandwich - Sandwich made with rye bread and grilled marinated paneer along with a home-made tartar sauce and lettuce.

Bean and Grilled Veggie Burger with Coriander Cashew Sauce

Bean and Grilled Veggie Burger with Coriander Cashew Sauce is a vegan burger with a patty made from grilled vegetables and red kidney beans and has a sauce made from coriander and cashews.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            International
Prep Time:     1 hour
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:                8

Ingredients:

Bean and Grilled Veggie Patty

3/4 cup Red Kidney Beans, cooked
1/2 cup Mixed Vegetables, chopped (Red Capsicum, Yellow Capsicum, Green Capsicum, Zucchini)
2 Onions
1/4 cup Cabbage, sliced (Optional)
2 tsp Garlic minced
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 cup Oat meal
2 tsp Olive Oil
4-5 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Coriander Cashew Sauce

18-20 Cashews
1 handful Coriander leaves
1-2 Garlic cloves
1 tsp Lime Juice
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

To assemble the Bean Burger

8 Multigrain Slider Buns
1 large Tomato
1 Onion

Method:

Bean and Grilled Veggie Patty

To grill the vegetables, lay the chopped vegetables onto a baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil on them. Sprinkle salt, mix well. Grill for 15-20 minutes until slightly charred.
Heat 3 tsp of Oil in a shallow pan and add slices onions. Saute until the onions have browned slightly. Remove and keep aside.
In the same pan, add 1 tsp of Oil and saute the cabbage, (if you are using it) until it wilts slightly.
Grind the oatmeal to powder.
In a food processor or a mixer, add the beans, grilled veggies, garlic, sauteed onions and cabbage, read chilli powder, oat flour and salt. Pulse until the mixture sticks together but it still coarse.
Form 8 patties and keep aside.
Heat the remaining Oil in a small pan and add the patties one by one carefully. Do not crowd the pan and I suggest frying them in batches.
Flip the patty when one side browns. Cook until both the sides are brown and crispy.

Coriander Cashew Sauce

Soak the cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes.
Blend to a smooth paste along with the coriander, garlic and a little bit of water.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper. Mix well.
To assemble the burger, heat the burger buns and spread the cashew sauce on the lower bun.

To assemble the Bean Burger

Place the patty on the lower bun and top it up with sliced tomato and onions.
Add a big dollop of the cashew sauce and place the upper bun.
Serve hot.