Creating Authentic Flavor for Asian Veggie Burgers
Most veggie burger recipes follow a similar format: You create a starchy base, add some flavor with spices or herbs, puree, shape, and bake them off. Most plant-based recipes use go-to ingredients like black beans, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. Yet, I was looking for something new. I needed to find a way to add authentic, bold Asian flavor to the basic veggie burger recipe.
Using Authentic Asian ingredients
Starting with the base of a regular veggie burger, I knew I wanted to start with some sort of grain and bean. Brown rice and edamame are traditionally found in Japanese cuisine. Along with these, shiitake mushrooms and green onions are traditional Asian ingredients. Putting them all together, I knew I would have a base with hearty texture. Plus, the mushrooms would add satisfying, umami flavor.
To add more flavor, it was time to look at the essential Asian stir-fry ingredients. Ginger, red chili flake, and tamari (or soy sauce) are the basics for flavoring an Asian stir-fry. By sautéing them in my Shiitake mushroom base, I knew I could add bolder, delicious Asian flavor.
These Burgers are Healthy!
The best part about using all of these whole ingredients? First, they pack authentic, bold Asian flavor. Second, and even cooler, is they’re packed with nutrition. Edamame has vegan protein and calcium. Brown rice has fiber and protein. Shiitake mushrooms add healthy B vitamins and other minerals. By skipping refined, processed ingredients, you get a low-calorie, nutrient-packed burger.
You’ll love this plant-based veggie burger recipe! It’s:
- Full of Bold Asian Flavor
- Satisfying
- Freezer-Friendly
Enjoy!
Chef Katie’s Healthy Cooking Tips for Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burgers:
Make them Sliders: These veggie burgers also make delicious sliders. Portion about ¼ cup of the veggie burger mix per slider. Reduce your cooking time to 30 minutes, flipping after the first 15 minutes. Serve them in lettuce cups, on slider buns, or in whole wheat pita pockets. They also make a great finger-food appetizer!
Tamari vs. Soy Sauce: Tamari is the gluten-free version of soy sauce. Use it in this recipe to ensure a gluten-free recipe. If gluten isn’t a concern for you, you can use either tamari or soy sauce.
Shiitake mushrooms, brown rice, and edamame come together with Asian flavors for this healthy veggie burgers 
Puree the base using an immersion blender or food processor. You want a fairly dry mix
Frozen Brown Rice: You can find pre-cooked frozen brown rice in most grocery stores. If you prefer to cook your own rice, ½ cup raw rice yields 1 cup cooked brown rice. Make a big batch of brown rice at once, and freeze extras in resealable plastic bags for use in recipes like this one.
Shiitake Mushroom Stems: The stems of shiitake mushrooms aren’t edible. You can save them and use them to infuse broth, vegetable stock, or soup. 10 ounces (4 cups) of shiitakes with their stems on yields about 5 ounces (2 cups) of de-stemmed mushrooms.
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oils. This recipe skips oil and uses parchment paper to keep the bars from sticking to the pan. This makes a healthy, low-calorie recipe.
Stir in some of the edamame and green onions after pureeing the base for this Asian Shiitake Veggie Burgers 
Bake these burgers on a non-stick baking mat for easy, healthy, oil-free cooking
Watch to Learn More:
Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burgers
- Medium
- Servings: 4 Burgers
- Ready In: 60 minutes
Serve with Baked Asian Yam Fries with Oil-Free Avocado Wasabi Vegan “Aioli”
If you love this, you’ll also love: 10-Minute Asian Shiitake Power Bowl, Asian Quinoa Fried “Nice”, and Black Forbidden Rice Bowl with Miso Cashew Sauce.
Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burgers
Equipment
- Baking pan
- Non-stick baking mat
- Immersion Blender or Food Processor
- Saute pan
Ingredients
For the Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burger Mix:
- 5 ounces (about 2 cups) de-stemmed shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 shallots sliced
- 4 scallions white and green parts divided, sliced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili flake
- 1 cup shelled edamame thawed, divided
- 1 cup frozen brown rice thawed
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown rice flour as needed
To Serve:
- 4 Sprouted English muffins whole wheat buns, sliced tomatoes, pickled red onions, Romaine lettuce, or Avocado Wasabi Vegan Aioli
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick Silpat baking makes
- To make the Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burgers base: In a wide saute pan, combine the shiitake mushrooms, shallots, white parts of the scallions, ginger, and red chili flake. Saute over medium-high heat until the mushrooms and shallots are brown. Add ¾ cup of the edamame, all of the brown rice, and tamari. Cook until the rice and edamame are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Cook off as much moisture as you can. This will help ensure that the veggie burgers hold together. While cooking, stir often to let the moisture steam off.
- Remove the Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burgers base from the pan. To puree, either transfer to a food processor or transfer to a mixing bowl (where you can use an immersion blender. Pure the veggie burger until smooth. Stir in the reserved edamame and green parts of the scallions. Taste to adjust seasoning. You want a mix that is very dry. If your base is too wet, add a tablespoon or two of brown rice flour.
- To portion and bake the Shiitake Mushroom Edamame Asian Veggie Burgers: Portion about ½ cup of the veggie burger mixture for each burger. Place on the pre-lined baking sheet, with an inch of room in between. Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping after the first 25 minutes.
- Assemble and top as you like. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 151 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 2 g | 4 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 2 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 347 mg | 14 % |
| Potassium 239 mg | 7 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 25 g | 8 % |
| Dietary Fiber 3 g | 13 % |
| Sugars 2 g | |
| Protein 7 g | 15 % |
| Vitamin A | 6 % |
| Vitamin C | 9 % |
| Calcium | 9 % |
| Iron | 11 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- San-J Tamari Gluten Free Soy Sauce, Black Bottle, 10 Ounce
- AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat Sheet, Set of 2
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