The ULTIMATE Veggie Burger Recipe With Homemade Ketchup, Pickled Cukes & Onion Relish (100% Vegan)

You will undoubtedly fall in-love with our Ultimate Veggie Burger recipe with all the trimmings…and we mean ALL the trimmings. Homemade dill pickles, homemade onion relish, homemade tomato ketchup and a homemade vegan patty! Filled with so much goodness, it’s the guilt-free burger you have been looking for! Packed with fibre and plant-based protein, this feel-food meal will leave you nourished and keep you coming back for more.

Sure, it will take some time to cook all the healthy trimmings but there’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you made it all from scratch. It leaves no doubt as to the quality and freshness of the final product – no surprising nasties you get from purchasing the store-bought versions – making it an ideal meal to serve to the little kid (and big kids) to enjoy. As an added bonus, you have left over trimmings so you can make more healthy burgers during the week!

For the time poor individuals, we suggest making the ketchup, onion relish and pickles in advance as they keep for several weeks. You can also make the patties in advance as they can be frozen (they will last for 3 months). To freeze, place formed patties on a tray covered with baking paper making sure to leave space between the patties to avoid sticking together. Freeze for an hour or two before removing from the freezer, placing it into an airtight container, stacking the patties with a layer of parchment in between.

Our patties are simply seasoned with salt and pepper, as you should find the tomato ketchup sauces and caramelised onions boost the flavour sensations. But you needn’t stop there. Add your favourite spices, maybe crushed nuts to add texture, chillies for some heat – there are no rules! It is THE Ultimate Veggie Burger after all. By the way, this recipe serves 2 but feel free to adapt to however many mouths you are feeding.

Ingredients For Pickled Cukes

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 3 small Persian or Kirby pickling cucumbers (Kirby or Persia or Japanese variety)
• dill spears, a small bunch
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 2 tsp maple syrup (optional)

How To Make Pickled Cukes (AKA Dill Pickles)

1. Thoroughly wash, boil and dry your pickling jar (we used a 350ml volume jar). Add the crushed garlic, coriander seeds, salt and chilli flakes to the jar.
2. Combine vinegar, water and maple syrup (if using) in a small heavy based pot, bringing it to a rolling boil. Remove from heat to cool.
3. Meanwhile, chop the ends of the cucumber then slice into spears. Cut the dill sprigs to the same length as the cucumber. Combine cucumber and dill to snugly fit in to the pickling jar, on top of the garlic and spices.
4. Pour the warm brine into the jar to cover the cucumbers. Allow to cool at room temperature, then seal with the jar lid and refrigerate. This will keep for a few weeks.

Ingredients For Onion Relish

• 2 medium red/white/yellow onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 rosemary sprig
• ¼ – ½ cup good quality olive oil
• a pinch of sea salt

How To Make Easy Onion Relish

1. Heat olive oil in a small pot on medium heat.
2. Peel and slice the onions into circles and add to the heated pot with the herbs and sea salt. Mix to coat the ingredients with olive oil, lower the heat to low and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring every so often, until the onions have browned and caramelised.
3. Cool onions, then store and in a washed and sealed jar. This will yield 1 cup and will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

• 1 tbsp good quality olive oil
• 4 large tomatoes, organic if possible, chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• knob of ginger, peeled and crushed
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 4 cloves (spice)
• ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
• a good pinch of salt & pepper
• 1 – 1¼ cup filtered water
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 – 3 tbs coconut sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

How To Make Homemade Tomato Ketchup

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot, on medium heat.
2. Roughly chop the onion, fennel, ginger and garlic then add to the heated pot with the coriander seeds, cloves, cayenne if using and season with salt and pepper.
3. Gently fry the ingredients, lower the heat and pop on the lid. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes, giving it a good stir every now and then.
4. Add the tomatoes and water to the pot when the vegetables are soft. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer until the liquids have reduced by half.
5. When the sauce is almost ready, bring the vinegars and sugar to a simmer in a separate small pan, until all the sugars have dissolved.
6. Mix the vinegar mixture into the tomato sauce and add parsley. Remove from heat and blitz the ingredients with a hand-held blender or in a food processor, until smooth.
7. Optional step: for a super smooth texture, push the ketchup through a fine sieve.
8. Cool, then pour in to an airtight jar. This will make at least ½ a litre and will keep for at least 3 months in the fridge.

Ingredients For The Ultimate Vegan Patty

• 5 – 6 Portobello mushrooms
• ½ cup dried black beans, soaked overnight and cooked for 45 mins to an hour or 1 cup canned black beans
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley
• ½ – 1 cup almond meal
• sea salt & ground black pepper
• 1-2 tbsp virgin coconut oil, for frying

To serve

• 2 wholemeal or gluten free buns
• crisp lettuce, ideally romaine or Cos
• sliced beef tomatoes, seeds removed

How To Make The Ultimate Vegan Burger Patty

1. Rinse your black beans and bring to a boil in a pot with water covering at least an inch above the beans for 45 mins to an hour until soft. Rinse then set aside.
2. Meanwhile, wash the mushrooms, remove stems from the caps (these can still be cooked), lay on an oven tray covered with baking paper, cup side down and pop them under the grill/broiler at 175C for 5 – 10 minutes until soft. You can also steam the mushrooms for 5 – 7 minutes (or until tender). Once the mushrooms have cooled, roughly chop them.
3. Put mushrooms, beans, ½ cup of your almond meal, parsley, sea salt and pepper and pulse in a food processor until the mixture comes together. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour until you get a firm consistency: when rolled into a patty, it should hold its shape. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Heat a frying pan on medium heat with coconut oil. Cook the patties for at least 5 – 6 minutes, flipping gently to cook the other side.

How to Assemble: on your toasted bun, spread the homemade ketchup, and then layer the veggie patty, followed by the onion relish, sliced tomato and crisp lettuce. Serve with homemade pickles on the side.