Enjoy this Wild Rice Pecan Burger with Creamy Sunflower Chive Spread that’s chock full of wholesome ingredients. This plant-based version is made with pecans, wild rice, and chickpeas, topped with a creamy sunflower chive spread and toppings to satisfy your burger cravings.
Recipe and image courtesy of the American Pecan Council.
Ingredients
For the Wild Rice Pecan Burgers
- 1 cup cooked wild rice
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas
- 1 cup raw pecan halves
- 1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3 minced, or pressed, garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 5-6 cranks fresh black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium Tamari
For the Creamy Sunflower Chive Spread
- 3/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 3/4 cup filtered water
Optional Burger Toppings
- Sliced avocado
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Whole grain buns
Preparation
Ahead of Time:
- 1 Cook wild rice and soak sunflower seeds in water for at least 4 hours (can soak longer in a jar in the fridge, ie. several days).
To Make the Veggie Burgers:
- 1 Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 6 or 7 times. Then stop and scrape down the sides and give it a stir. Pulse another 4 to 5 times or until it holds together, but there are still bits and pieces left whole to give it texture.
- 2 Heat a ceramic nonstick skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. If using a traditional skillet, add a little oil to keep the burgers from sticking.
- 3 Form 8 small (or 4 large) equally sized balls from the mixture and shape into patties about an inch thick. Place in the heated pan, and do not touch for 10 minutes. Check and make sure they have browned well before carefully flipping and cooking an additional 5 minutes to brown the other side too. Transfer to a plate for serving.
To Make the Spread:
- 1 Rinse and drain the soaked sunflower seeds and add to a blender with the remaining sauce ingredients. Puree until smooth, then taste for seasoning. (Make adjustments with salt and lemon juice if needed.)
To Build the Burgers:
- 1 Spread each bun half with the creamy sunflower chive spread and layer with a patty, sliced avocado, red onion, and sprouts, if desired. Serve immediately.
- 2 Makes 8 small burgers of 4 large burgers. Leftover cooked patties store well in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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