Name: Veggie Burger Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 medium red onion; 1 garlic clove; 1 can red kidney beans; 1 can black beans; 50 g walnuts; 50 g porridge oats; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp chilli powder; 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 125 g prepared puy lentils; 180 g mixed lettuce; 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 medium avocados, halved and sliced; 1/2 medium red onion, chopped; 120-160 g cheese of choice, cubed or grated; 150 g plain yoghurt; 50 g tahini; 50 ml water; 2 tsp parsley, chopped; 1/4 tsp garlic granules; 1 tsp sumac; 1 medium lemon, juice

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This veggie burger salad full of healthy pulses and wonderful flavours definitely makes the humble salad more exciting. Loaded with leaves, tomatoes, cheese and onions all dressed in a creamy yoghurt tahini sauce, really is a delicious and different way to enjoy your favourite veggie burger!

bowl of veggie burger salad and covered in yoghurt tahini dressing

I love a veggie burger and decided it was definitely about time to start trying to make my own. And these tasty burgers bursting with beans and lentils definitely tick all the boxes.

But rather than putting the burger in a bun or pitta bread (which is also wonderful), I wanted to make a lighter lunch or dinner recipe. This veggie burger salad is also gluten-free, can easily be made suitable for vegans, has a low carb count (if you don’t have to count for pulses) and can be a great meal for blood sugar levels.

The veggie burger pattie, salad and dressing are all incredibly easy to make, but you will need a food processor. All you have to do is a little chopping and blitzing to enjoy this really tasty, nutritional and healthy salad.

In this recipe, you’ll learn why a homemade veggie burger can be a healthier choice, how to make them, recipe tips for the best veggie burger salad, how to carb count for this meal and even variations on how you can serve this salad.

bowl of salad with veggie burger broken into pieces and covered in yoghurt tahini dressing

Are Veggie Burgers Healthy to Eat

On the whole yes they can be, as they often include plant proteins, pulses and vegetables which all support a healthy diet. However, no two burgers are the same and close consideration should be given to the processing and additional ingredients that have been added.

In this recipe, I opted to make my own veggie burger, But you could of course use a shop bought burger instead, for convenience. There is a wide variety of veggie burgers available in UK supermarkets, however, don’t assume that because they say vegetarian or vegan that they are healthy.

Sadly as with a lot of our food in the supermarkets veggie burgers are highly processed with a lot of added ingredients. Plus they vary hugely in enjoyable texture and taste profile. So make sure to read the labels and ingredients carefully to really know what’s in your food.

But you can read more on the benefits of eating a whole food diet and less processed food in the article below:

a pin for the benefits of a wholefood diet & diabetes management

The Benefits of a Whole Food Diet and Diabetes

Explore the potential benefits associated with eating more whole foods, and learn tips on how you can incorporate more whole foods into your diet.

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What you need to make a Veggie Burger Salad

For the veggie burger patties

uncooked veggie burger patties on a plate with the bowl of burger mixture

Tinned Beans

Cheap, full of fibre, nutrients and plant protein
I used kidney and black beans for their firmer texture

Red Onion and Garlic

Adds extra delicious flavour

Walnuts

High in fibre, Omega 3 fat and antioxidants

Porridge Oats

Naturally gluten-free however it’s in the processing that contamination with other cereals may occur.
Wholegrain, is full of fibre, essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Low GI so a lower impact on blood sugar levels

Paprika and Chilli Powder

I use a combination of paprikas and chilli powder to add a smokey peppery sweetness

Tamari or Soy Sauce

Tamari is a gluten free, has a richer flavour and is less salty than Soy sauce
Use Soy sauce if you’re burgers don’t have to be gluten free

Red Wine Vinegar

Adds a little acidity

Puy Lentils

Great source of protein, fibre and B vitamins
I like the Puy lentils by Merchant Gourmet

For the Veggie Burger Salad

bowl of chopped slald with dressing on the side

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Avocado

Red Onion

Cheese of Choice or Vegan Alternative

For the Veggie Burger Salad Dressing

Greek or Vegan Alternative Yoghurt

Tahini

Lemon Juice

Parsley

Sumac and Seasoning

Equipment Needed

Peeler

Spatula / Mixing spoon

Sharp Knife

Chopping Board

How to make Veggie Burger Salad

There are a few parts to this recipe but all are very easy thanks to the help of your food processor for the veggie burgers. Otherwise, it’s just a little chopping, mixing and shaking to bring this delicious salad together.

Making the Veggie Burgers

bean burger mixture in a ninja food blender

uncooked veggie burger patties on a plate.

Add your onion and garlic to the food processor first and give it a blitz. Then add all the remaining veggie burger ingredients, except the puy lentils, to the processor. Blitz again until everything is mixed but not to the point that it turns into a paste as you still want to have texture to the mixture. I find the pulse function helpful here and you may have to use a spatula to scrape down the sides in between pulses.

Now add your pulses and mix them in. You may find it easier to transfer to a bowl at this point as you can also weigh your mixture for accurate carb counting.

Divide the mixture between 6 and using your hands create 6 burger-shaped patties.

Place the veggie burgers on a plate in the fridge to chill or until you are ready to cook them.

To cook the veggie burgers – Place the patties in a hot non stick frying pan and dry fry for 5 minutes on each side

Making the Veggie Burger Salad

Simply chop your vegetables and add them to your bowl

Making the Veggie Burger Salad Dressing

Place all the ingredients into a shaker or bowl and mix really well until you have a deliciously creamy dressing

Recipe tips

Don’t over-mix in the food processor. You still want to see chunks of beans in your burgers. If your burger mixture feels too dry when blending, then you can always add 1-2 tbsp of water

Chill Time – Make sure you give your veggie burgers a little time to chill in the fridge. I find that it helps to firm up the pattie making them more stable for cooking. So this is a great recipe to make in advance

close up of a bowl of salad with veggie burger broken into pieces and covered in yoghurt tahini dressing

What goes well with a veggie burger salad

If your looking to pimp up your salad even more or want to add some more complex carbohydrates to your meal here are a few suggestions

Serve with Roasted Sweet Potatoes –Smoked Paprika Sweet Potato Wedges offer a really tasty and nutritious alternative to traditional white potato chips and wedges. They are bursting with flavour plus they boast a lower glycemic index.

Add toasted pitta – For some extra crunch you could add some toasted and cut pitta pieces into your salad bowl

Other Toppings to try:

Pickled Red onions – Add 1tsp of xylitol, 1/2tsp salt and 2 tbsp of cider vinegar to a bowl with sliced red onion. Leave to marinate for 5-10 minutes for delicious pickled red onions.

Pickled Red Cabbage for a nutritious, tangy and crunchy topping

Guacamole – Add guacamole instead of chopped avocado

Grated Carrots – a healthy and nutritious way to add extra crunch to your salads

Jarred Jalapenos or Spicy Peppers – if you want to add a little kick to your salad then add some crunchy brined peppers

Homemade Rainbow Coleslaw – Add a little extra crunch and flavour to your veggie burger salad but without the added mayo!

More Easy & Delicious Diabetic Recipes for BALANCED Blood SugARS:

How to store

You can make both the veggie burgers and dressing in advance, so along with any leftovers store them in the fridge.

The burgers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container or alternatively, you can freeze them. Just put them in a reusable freezer bag or airtight container for up to 6 months. Then defrost before cooking as per the instructions.

The yoghurt tahini dressing will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Diabetes Note

This tasty veggie burger salad has a lower carb count (if you don’t have to count for pulses) by omitting the usual burger bun and chips. Thanks to the fibre from the beans and vegetables this really is a kinder meal for blood sugar levels.

Carb Counting

The overall carb count for this veggie burger salad with the yoghurt dressing based on the ingredients we would count for is:

50g of porridge oats= 35g of carbs
150 g of Sainsburys Greek yoghurt= 6.3g of carbs

Now add all the carbs together – 35 + 6.3 = 41.3g of carbs

Finally divide this by the serving size, 4 – 41/4 = 10g of carb per portion

Please note this carb count amount per portion is based on the standard ingredients listed above and may differ depending on what you use and how much you choose to eat.

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