Our pad thai gluten-free veggie burger is packed with chickpeas, broccoli, peanut butter, and citrus umami flavors. It’s an easy, flavorful burger that cooks up crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Vegetarian burgers don’t have to be boring and flavorless. While this may not sound new to you, it was a novel discovery for me.
I am lucky to be married to someone who loves to experiment in the kitchen and can take just about any recipe and tweak it into something we like. And now that we are hosting a vegetarian student, that means more vegetable-based foods.
We started by collecting veggie burger recipes, then tweaked our favorite to get it the way we like it. We call it a Thai veggie burger, and it’s now been added to our weekly menu plan rotation.
The combination of peanut butter, kaffir lime, lemon, soy sauce, and Thai red chili paste is perfect. See if you agree.
What you need to make our Thai veggie burger
- Chickpeas add protein and body to the burger
- Broccoli is great for getting veggies
- Egg helps hold it all together
- Gluten-free flour helps to bind and firm the mixture
- Lemon juice
- Gluten-free soy sauce
- Kaffir lime leaves add an aromatic citrus note
- Thai red curry paste is crucial to get that Thai-inspired flavor
- Peanut butter brings the pad thai flavor together
- Olive oil for frying and giving a golden brown color
Tips for making gluten-free veggie burgers
- Pulse the food processor until the ingredients are combined but still slightly textured. Overprocessing can make the patties too soft.
- Use as little gluten-free flour as necessary to firm up the burger mix, as it can reduce the bold spice flavors.
- Cooking the burgers too hot can brown the outside before the inside firms up.
- Oil the spatula when flattening the mixture in the pan to prevent the mixture from sticking.
Serving suggestions
Serve the burger on a gluten-free bun. I like mine with lettuce and tomato slices, but no ketchup or mustard, as I think it muddies the flavor. If you want a sauce, try our sweet chili sauce.
I like some cole slaw as well. It adds a cooling element to the chili sauce’s spiciness.
Even though this recipe is high in carbs, to me, the meal wouldn’t be complete without some chips on the side.
Some readers have asked . . .
Can I make the patties ahead of time?
Sometimes we prepare the gluten-free veggie burger mixture a day ahead and refrigerate it. We form the patties just before cooking. Or we make the entire batch and refrigerate it for later use.
What can I use instead of kaffir lime leaves?
If you cannot find kaffir lime leaves, you can substitute lime zest or lemon grass powder. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will still add a bright citrus flavor.
Can I use a different vegetable instead of broccoli?
We haven’t yet, but we plan on trying to replace the broccoli with chopped cauliflower, shredded carrots, or another ‘dry vegetable’.
Our gluten-free pad thai veggie burger recipe
Gluten-free Thai Veggie Burger
Our healthy gluten-free veggie burger is loaded with chickpeas, broccoli, peanut butter, and bold Thai-inspired flavors. It’s an easy, plant-based burger that cooks up crispy outside and tender inside.
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1½ cups broccoli
- 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour (use as little as possible)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
- 2-3 large kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Thai red chili paste
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour (use as little as possible)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add them to a food processor.
- Dice the broccoli and add it to the food processor.
- Remove the kaffir lime leaves' center spine and finely chop the leaves. Add this and all other ingredients, except the flour, to the food processor.
- Pulse the food processor to mix the ingredients, but do not over-process. It's best to use a textured mix rather than a smooth mix.
- Either pour the mixture into a large bowl or remove the food processor blade, then gradually add gluten-free flour, mixing by hand to ensure it is evenly incorporated. Stop adding flour when the mixture holds a patty shape.
- Preheat a pan to medium and add oil.
- Form patties by scooping 1/5 of the mixture into the pan and flattening with an oiled spatula.
- Cook on each side for about 10 minutes until lightly browned.
- Serve on a gluten-free burger bun.
Notes
The flour is used to firm the mix, so use as little as possible to keep the burger flavor robust.
If you would like the patty to hold together better, you can add an egg along with the other ingredients before pulsing the food processor.
For more "kick, use another teaspoon or two of the Thai red curry paste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 298Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 447mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 12g
Nutritional information isn't always accurate and it will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
If you enjoyed our gluten-free pad thai veggie burgers, please share it on social media and save it for later on Pinterest.
Will you try this pad thai veggie burger?
More recipes you might like
Looking for more veggie burgers? Start here: Gluten-free Veggie Burger Recipes: 15 Options We Love or check out one of our other Asian style recipes:
Leave a Reply