Name: Mushroom Risotto Burger
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked brown basmati rice; 1 lb white button mushrooms; 1 yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic (peeled); 1 medium carrot (peeled); 90 grams kale; 1/2 cup frozen peas (or canned); 1/4 cup nutritional yeast; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste); 5-8 tbsp tapioca starch (or tapioca flour)

This mushroom risotto burger is hearty and rich, with a “meaty” bite. It’s bursting with umami flavour, loaded with nutrients, and won’t fall apart like many other veggie burgers.

Bonus: it’s vegan and vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free, and a great way to use up your leftover rice!

Mushrooms are surprisingly similar in taste and texture to meat once cooked, making them an absolutely perfect ingredient for my “meaty” mushroom burger recipe.

I think you’re going to love these ones! Especially if you’re a mushroom lover like I am. (You may have noticed a ton of mushroom recipes on the blog!)

If you haven’t tried a veggie burger with mushrooms yet, please try this!

You won’t be disappointed.

It pretty much tastes like mushroom risotto, wrapped up in a bun with all your favourite burger toppings.

Hence, mushroom risotto burger!

mushroom risotto burger on white plate with pickles on the side

Except, it’s even a little healthier.

Yup!

Can you believe that?

Rather than use white arborio rice here (which is also known as risotto rice), I’m using brown basmati rice for a more nutritious and unrefined option. Win!

Ingredients

kale, carrot, mushrooms, peas, garlic, onion and bowl of rice on grey deck

Cooked rice
Button mushrooms
Yellow onion
Garlic
Carrot
Kale
Peas
Nutritional yeast
Oregano
Salt
Tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)

How to make a mushroom risotto burger

(This is a summary with step-by-step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Start by scrubbing your mushrooms, add them to a food processor and very finely chop them. If you don’t have a food processor, a shredder works well too.

Work in batches and scrape down the sides as needed.

Pulse until a very fine chop is reached, without pureeing.

Transfer the chopped mushrooms to a large skillet and dry sauté (without oil or water as the mushrooms will release their own liquid) for about 6 to 8 minutes. Or until all the liquid releases and evaporates.

While the mushrooms are sautéing, add the onion, garlic, carrot and kale to the same processor (no need to rinse it out first) and process until all the veggies are very finely chopped.

food processor with finely chopped kale, carrot, onion and garlic

Transfer the mixture to your skillet with the cooked mushrooms and add the peas, nutritional yeast, and the seasoning.

Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the veggies are soft. Then remove from the heat.

skillet with finely chopped sauteed vegetables

Of your two cups of cooked brown rice, add 1.5 cups directly to the skillet and blend the remaining half cup in a small blender. Add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to get it going.

Then add the pureed rice to the skillet, and four tablespoons of tapioca starch. Mix well.

Test the consistency of the batter, using your hands. Form a ball or patty to see how well it holds or if it sticks to your hands.

Add another 1-2 tablespoons of tapioca starch if the batter is too sticky and mix again.

hand holding up vegetable mixture with skillet of batter below

How to form your burgers

Start by rolling a ball in your hand, using a little less than ¾ cup of the mixture. Press the mixture firmly using both hands into a ball to ensure no gaps. This will help the patties hold together while baking.

Then, using your hands, press gently into a disc shape and place your patties on the baking tray, lined with parchment paper.

Since this recipe does not contain oil, do not press the patties down onto the tray, as they may stick during baking. Form it in your hands, and then place the patty down gently.

Bake your mushroom risotto burgers for 20 minutes, then carefully flip them and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Let them rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

mushroom risotto burgers on baking tray before and after baking

What toppings go on a mushroom risotto burger?

You may top this burger just like you’d top any other veggie or vegan burger!

Go classic with onion, pickles, tomato, ketchup, mayo and mustard.

Or, sauté some onions, peppers, and mushrooms. I love adding more mushrooms to this burger, because I can never have enough mushrooms!

For the sauce, I use some of my oil-free homemade mayo with a dash or two of sriracha to make a chipotle-style, spicy sauce. Amazing combo and highly recommend it. 🙂

mushroom risotto burger in bun with lettuce, onion, peppers, on white plate with pickles on the side

Storage

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat in the oven or in a skillet on the stove top.

To freeze, do so in a single layer until solid, and then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container, using parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

You may keep these frozen for up to 3 months and reheat in the oven or in a greased skillet.

Expert Tips and Tricks to get it JUST right!

For even bigger flavour, cook your rice in vegetable broth, rather than water. (If you don’t already have leftover rice in your refrigerator, that is.)
When chopping your veggies, make sure everything is very finely chopped. You don’t want large pieces of vegetables or your mushroom risotto burgers won’t hold very well and you don’t want these delicious burgers to fall apart. That’s why using a food processor is best, and quickest.
When you’ve made your batter, be sure to test the firmness and stickiness of your mixture. Just because a recipe calls for a specific amount of ingredients, there’s always potential for measuring errors, different brands of ingredients leading to different results, etc. So test it first. Test the batter by squeezing some of your mixture into a ball in your hands to see how well it holds. If it falls apart in your hands before baking, it won’t hold after baking either. Alternatively, if the batter is overly sticky, it may get stuck to the parchment paper on your tray, making flipping your burgers difficult. If the ball sticks to your hands, add more tapioca starch (or tapioca flour) until you have only a slightly sticky consistency.
When forming the patties, do so in your hands. Form a ball first, squeezing the mixture together to ensure there are no gaps. You want a dense burger so that it holds together while baking. Then gently press down into a disc/patty shape and place on the baking tray. Do not form the patty on the tray itself, you don’t want to press the mixture into the tray, or it may get stuck to the paper while baking.

More vegan mushroom recipes

More vegan burger recipes

I do hope you give these delicious burgers a try. They have quickly become a family favourite here!

If you tried this recipe, please let me know in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don't forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube to see more delicious food.

Buon appetito

Rosa

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