Every May 28, on International Burger Day, one of the most iconic foods in the world is celebrated.
While this food was initially invented in Germany, its popularity has spread like wildfire throughout the world.
Let's be honest, there is nothing yummier than a juicy burger with your favourite sauce.
Here are some of the top burger recipes to try in the comfort of your home.
Chickpea burger with coconut onion rings and garlic and herb yoghurt sauce
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For the chickpea patty
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained
1 red onion, chopped
1 tbs fresh minced garlic
100g toasted walnuts
40g almond flour
70g rolled oats
200g cauliflower rice
1 tbs Spanish smoked paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cumin
For the coconut onion rings
2 large onions
¾ cup cornflour
1 tsp fine salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 eggs
½ cup full-cream milk
2 cups desiccated coconut
1½ cup canola oil
Garlic and herb yoghurt sauce
1 cup plain yoghurt
5g fresh dill
5g fresh coriander
5g fresh parsley
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbs fresh garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
Plus:
6 hamburger buns, buttered
Butter lettuce
Tomato slices
Method
For the chickpea patty: Place chickpeas, red onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and cauliflower rice into a large food processor and pulse until well combined but still chunky. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. In a separate food processor bowl, pulse together the toasted walnuts, oats, almond flour and salt.
Add the oats mixture to the chickpea mixture and combine using your hands, making sure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Shape the chickpea mixture into six burger patties and lay them on the baking tray. Cover with another layer of baking paper and refrigerate for 1 hour. (This helps them firm up). Heat a large non-stick pan on medium to high heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the pan is hot, cook the patties for 8 minutes on each side, flipping them slowly and carefully.
For the coconut onion rings
Fill a pot with oil and heat on medium heat. Slice onions into 1cm rings and place in a bowl of iced water. In a separate bowl combine cornflour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, eggs and milk until smooth. In another bowl place the desiccated coconut. Once the mixture is ready, remove the onion rings from the ice water and pat dry. In batches, coat the rings with the cornflour mixture and then the coconut. Set aside on baking paper. Once all coated, make sure the oil isn’t too hot (otherwise it will burn the rings). Cook the onion rings for 3 minutes on each side. Set aside once all is cooked.
For the garlic and herb sauce
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
To serve
Toast the buttered hamburger buns in a pan. Slice tomatoes thinly. Spread the yoghurt sauce on the bottom bun, then place lettuce, two tomato slices, a chickpea patty, two onion rings and more yoghurt sauce and cover with the top bun. Serve with sweet potato fries.
Recipe by chef Charmaine Lehabe.
“Since 2009” burger
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the patty
600g beef mince
1 onion, finely chopped
20g fresh parsley, finely chopped
60ml Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs Dijon mustard
1 large egg
½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
½ cup dried breadcrumbs
2 tbs of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
For the tomato relish
1 can of whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, torn
10ml sugar
Salt and pepper
½ tsp vinegar
Plus:
4 large burger buns
Sliced dill cucumber
Lettuce
Cheddar cheese, grated
Mustard mayo (5 tablespoons mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of wholegrain mustard, mixed)
Method
Mix all the ingredients together for the beef patty, ensuring everything is well combined and the ingredients are evenly mixed. Using your hands, shape the patties into 150g balls, and set them aside on a plate to rest in the fridge.
While the patties are resting, make the tomato relish by heating up 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until the onion is clear and glossy. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.)
Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the onions but do not stir – rather let the sugar melt (about 30 seconds). Add chopped tomatoes and seasoning and stir for about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat and let the mixture cook on a gentle heat for about 15 minutes making sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once cooked through, add the basil and then turn off the heat and let the relish develop its flavours. Remove patties from the fridge, brush with oil and cook to preference in a griddle pan or on the braai. (Brushing the patty with oil rather than putting the oil into the pan will avoid splatter.) Once cooked to preference, top your patties with the grated cheese and melt in the oven or cover the pan with a lid for a few minutes.
Once patties are cooked, let them rest for about 2 to 3 minutes before building your burger. Toast burger buns then spread with the mustard mayo.
Add lettuce, then patty, and top with sliced dill cucumbers and tomato relish.
Recipe by chef Nadia Pillay.
Lentil and mushroom burger with mushroom bun
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the patty
400g white button mushrooms
2 x 400g tin brown lentils, rinsed and drained
½ red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tbs smoked paprika
¼ cup flour
¼ cup breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Avocado salsa
1 large ripe tomato, diced (or use a handful of colourful cherry tomatoes)
½ red onion, diced
2 small-medium sized avocados
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
Freshly ground pink peppercorns, to taste
Salt, to taste
To serve
8 large portobello mushrooms
2 large carrots, peeled & peeled further into ribbons
2 cups mixed lettuce
Sesame seeds
Side suggestion – sweet potato fries & mayo
Method
For the patty
Blitz mushrooms in a food processor until finely diced.
Add mushrooms to a hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
Cook out all of their water. Work in batches if necessary to not overcrowd the pan.
Scrape mushrooms into a large bowl.
Add the lentils to the dry hot pan and toast them until dry.
Add to the bowl of cooked mushrooms.
In the same pan, add a fresh drizzle of olive oil and cook the onion until soft.
Add the garlic and paprika and cook for a minute until fragrant.
Add to the bowl of mushrooms and lentils.
Add the flour, breadcrumbs and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything well together. Mash some of the mixture against the side of the bowl. Keeping some of the lentils whole and some more mashed gives the patty a great texture.
Divide the mixture into 4. The patties will be around 180g each.
Fry patties in a little drizzle of olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
For the salsa
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and lightly mash together.
Season well.
To build the burger
Place the 8 portobellos on a wire rack on top of a baking tray.
Sprinkle with a little seasoning and roast for ± 7 minutes at 200˚C until tender.
Brush with a little BBQ sauce or any brown sauce to give them a glazed and shiny look.
Slice a little off 4 of the portobello “bottom buns” so they sit flat.
Top with a generous pile of greens and carrot ribbons.
Place a lentil and mushroom patty on each one.
Top with a generous amount of avocado salsa and finish with the top portobello bun.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds for a burger effect and serve alongside some crunchy sweet potato fries.
Recipe from the South African Mushroom Farmers' Association.
You can read the latest Food digimag here.