Even though he occasionally eats meat, Lukas Volger champions veggie burgers. “I love them, but veggie burgers have a terrible reputation,” he says. To change the perception of this freezer staple as boring, over-processed and cardboard-y, Volger created 32 flavorful recipes using fresh, wholesome ingredients in his new book, “Veggie Burgers Every Which Way.”
Why make your own?
“Besides being healthier, [fresh burgers] just taste a lot better,” says the Brooklynite. “They taste like vegetables.” In order to avoid the generic mash of beans and grated things mixed up with rice, Volger starts his process with a single vegetable and lets that shine through the recipe, like his curried eggplant burger with roasted tomatoes.
Freezer shelf life
The burgers are best if you eat them the same day, but if you’re making a batch, Volger recommends shaping the burgers and freezing them uncooked. He says they’ll keep for a month. When you’re ready to eat, let your frozen patties thaw out completely in the fridge. Blot out any extra moisture with a paper towel, and if it’s too wet, fold in some bread crumbs.
