wild rice burgers
There is a restaurant in Duluth, Minnesota called Fitger's Brewhouse and inside you will find the best vegetarian burger. Whenever I go out there to visit family, that is the first place I want to go. I have gotten to a point where I just crave it. Unfortunately, the recipe is top secret. So, what I have done below is put my own twist on the famous burger. It turned out awesome! Very similar to the original. I made a huge batch of about 20 to freeze. I have cut down the recipe here to serve around 8. If you have the time, I would suggest doubling the recipe and freezing some. They are great to have on hand for those busy week nights. These patties are gluten free and vegetarian.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cracked wild rice, uncooked (the broken rice is more moist, less expensive, easier to blend, and cooks quicker. If you don't live in Minnesota, you can get it here on Amazon)
- 3 cups mushroom stock (if not available, vegetable stock or even just water would be fine)
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons of an all purpose seasoning (this would include paprika, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, etc)
- 1 tablespoon EVOO (olive oil)
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (regular cracker or bread crumbs can be used here if you are not gluten free)
- whole grain or gluten free buns
- toppings of your choice. I love grilled onions on here. Mushrooms or roasted bell peppers are great too.
- ketchup, aioli, hummus, or mustard are all good options to put on the bun*
*I have been obsessing over a ketchup I found at Whole Foods called Sir Kensington's. Best ketchup I have ever had, hands down. If you don't have a WF nearby, you can get it here on Amazon.
**As you see in the picture below, I have stuffed a bell pepper with the patty mix. This turned out delicious too. I just roasted this in the oven at 375 for about 30 minutes or until heated all the way through.
Instructions:
- Cook the wild rice with the mushroom stock. Once cooked, have it cool completely. To quicken this process you can stick the rice in the fridge.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, seasoning, and EVOO.
- Mix in the cheese until combined. Then add in the rice and bread crumbs.
- Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the mix and form a patty. I used a burger press, which really helped mold the patties and keep everything together. It is a really fun gadget! You can get something similar here.
- Heat some EVOO in a griddle over medium heat. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden in color.
- Enjoy with your favorite toppings and bun.