Carolina Style Hamburger with Good Ol’ Homemade Chili (Vegan)

“Carolina Style Hamburger? Good Ol’ Homemade Chili?” I can almost hear what you’re thinking. “But I thought this was a vegan blog?” Well, yes, it is.  And, who says you can’t eat plant-based and still have a hamburger smothered in chili?  Well, if you said it, you’d be dead wrong!

Vegan Burger..Carolina Style with Chili, Slaw and Onions

Everyone loves a good old-fashioned family cookout. Just the other day, I was sitting on my back deck, enjoying the afternoon sun when I smelled the enticing aroma of my neighbor’s grill.  Now we haven’t grilled since switching to a plant-based diet but suddenly, I found myself craving a good old juicy, Carolina Style Burger. Complete with chili, slaw and onions.

These homemade patties will knock your socks off!

Not to be outdone by my neighbor. I headed to the kitchen to make my own burgers…plant-based of course. If I so say so myself, these burgers were so juicy and delicious that you could eat them all by themselves.  But, adding homemade chili to the mix makes you want to kick off your shoes and do a happy dance on the sands of a Carolina beach.

Chili Made Two Ways: Gardein Ground Beef Crumbles or Black Eyed Peas

I made two different versions of the chili. Both tasted terrific. But, the black-eyed pea version is the less processed version. Your choice. Or give them both a try.

Throw another burger on the grill!

I was too excited to try out my burgers to bother with getting the grill going, so I just browned my burgers in the skillet. Or, you could broil them in the oven.  I’m going to make up a few extra patties for the freezer. Grill them, add a couple of slices of onions and some homemade slaw. Now that’s good eating! Enjoy!

Carolina Style Mushroom and White Bean Burger

Full of flavor, juicy and delicious, this mushroom and white bean burger is in a class all its own.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe by Chef Milan Ross of Full Flavor Vegan.

• Author: Benita Walker Gibbs

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps only,  finely chopped (if you don’t have shiitake’s,just use your favorite ‘shroom)
• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 1//2 medium beet, grated
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 3 TB ketchup
• 1/2 tsp smoked salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 1/2 tsp crushed coriander
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 flax egg (directions follow)
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

• Toast walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds over medium heat, stirring frequently.  They should be fragrant and light brown. Be careful not to overcook. Transfer to a food processor.
• In the same pan, toast oats over medium heat. This should only take about 4 minutes. Place in food processor with walnuts and seeds.
• Add Herbs and Spices (smoked salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, kosher salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, coriander, red pepper flakes, dried thyme) to nut, seed and oats mixture. Pulse 6 -7 times in the food processor until you get a fine meal. Put into a large bowl and set aside.
• Spread beans on a foil or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Transfer to a 350 degree oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until beans are mostly split open and outer skins are beginning to get crunchy, about 35 minutes. Transfer mixture to the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture is coarsely chopped.  It’s okay if a few whole beans remain. Don’t over process. You don’t want bean paste.  Put in bowl with nut mixture. Set aside.
• Grate peeled, 1/2 medium beet in food processor.  Put in bowl with nut mixture.
• Lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil and heat to medium head.  Add onions, leeks and celery and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are soft. Add to mixture in bowl.
• Add cooked brown rice to bowl mixture.
• Mix 1 flax egg (I like to make a flax egg by combining 1 Tbs. ground flax seed and 3 Tbs. warm water and letting it sit until it gels.) After about 5 minutes add the egg and the ketchup to the mixture in the bowl.
• Mix thoroughly until a moldable dough forms.
• If using, fold in chopped parsley.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
• Form into burger patties and grill for 3-4 minutes per side.

Notes

• Burger patties can be made in advance and frozen for up to two weeks.
• Depending on the size of your burgers, this recipe should make about 8 large burger patties.

Good Ol’ Homemade Chili with Beefless Crumble

Perfect for your burger or your hot dog…vegan of course!

• Author: Benita Walker Gibbs

Ingredients

• 1 cup Ultimate Beefless Ground by Gardein
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
•  1/2 cup vegetable broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 TB coconut sugar or maple sugar (can omit if desired)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• Few drops of Franks’s Red Hot or other hot sauce, if desired.

Instructions

• In a medium sauce pan, saute onion over medium heat in a little oil until translucent (or dry saute if desired)
• Add Beefless ground and saute 2-3 minutes;
• Add in 1/4 cup broth.
• Mix together the spices and sprinkle evenly over the onion and beefless ground mixture. Mix together until spices are combined and broth is absorbed.
• Add ketchup and the rest of the broth.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and let chili simmer for about 10-15 minutes. If too thick, add more broth as needed.
• Stir in hot sauce, if desired.
• Taste and add additional seasoning as desired. (I generally increase the chili powder and pepper)

Good Ol’ Homemade Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

Protein rich and  perfect for your burger or your hot dog…vegan of course!

• Author: Benita Walker Gibbs

Ingredients

• 1 cup black eyed peas, drained and rinsed (I used freshly cooked, but canned is okay.)
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
•  1/2 cup vegetable broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 TB coconut sugar or maple sugar (can omit if desired)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• Few drops of Franks’s Red Hot or other hot sauce, if desired

Instructions

• In a medium sauce pan, saute onion over medium heat in a little oil until translucent (or dry saute if desired)
• Add Black-eyed peas.  Roughly mash peas with a fork (it’s okay if some peas are left whole) and saute 2-3 minutes;
• Add in 1/4 cup broth.
• Mix together the spices and sprinkle evenly over the onion and black eyed pea mixture. Mix together until spices are combined and broth is absorbed.
• Add ketchup and the rest of the broth.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and let chili simmer for about 10-15 minutes. If too thick, add more broth as needed.
• Stir in hot sauce, if desired.
• Taste and add additional seasoning as desired. (I generally increase the chili powder and pepper)