Why does no one make veggie burgers from scratch? Why do we put up with frozen, packaged, rubbery patties, full of unrecognizable ingredients, that don't taste that great?

A year ago, I bought my girlfriend the cookbook Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger, and have been enjoying unbelievably delicious freshly made veggie burger suppers ever since.

The book has recipes for thirty kinds of burgers, five varieties of buns, ten sides (salads and fries) and eleven condiments and toppings. There are intro chapters explaining the function of beans, rice, and bread crumbs in the recipes, with suggestions for wheat and gluten free burgers and egg substitutes.

Volger maintains a blog full of recipes, and will soon release a second cookbook: Vegetarian Entrees That Won't Leave You Hungry: Nourishing Main Course Recipes For Every Night of the Week. Can't wait to get it!

Quinoa, Red Bean and Walnut Burgers

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

1 small potato (4 to 5 ounces), peeled and chopped into one inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch scallions, including an inch of the green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 cups cooked red beans

1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Bring 1 cup water to boil in a small saucepan and add the quinoa. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for ten to twelve minutes, until the water is absorbed. Let stand for five minutes.

2. Meanwhile, steam or boil the potato until tender. Mash with a fork.

3. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook just until fragrant, one to two minutes. Add the parsley and ginger and cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, cooked potato, parsley-scallion mixture, red beans, and walnuts with a potato masher or your hands. Add the salt and lemon juice. Shape into six patties. (Our patty yield has been higher than this - TJ)

5. In a large oven-safe skillet or nonstick saute pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the patties and spoon one tablespoon pomegranate sauce (see below) on top of each. Cook until the bottoms are browned, four to five minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until crisped  and slightly firmed, four to five minutes more.

Prep and cook time: 30 minutes. 

Pomegranate-Sesame Sauce (optional)(but recommended)(you might need to go to a European deli to the find pomegranate molasses)

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. Combine the pomegranate molasses, soy sauce, molasses, and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, six to eight minutes. It will thicken as it cools. This sauce will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Prep and cook time: ten minutes, not including time to cool.