Educators, Dietitians, Nurses, Mental Health & Fitness Professionals
Menu Planning & Recipes

Pecan Mushroom Burgers
(or loaf)

Servings: 8
Printable version

 Ingredients:

  •  2/3 c. bulgur
  •  ¾ tsp. salt, divided
  •  1 c. boiling water
  •  6 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  •  8 oz. white or brown mushrooms, stems trimmed, and chopped
  •  1½ cups chopped onion (1 large)
  •  1½ Tbl. balsamic vinegar
  •  3 oz. pecan halves
  •  1 large egg, lightly beaten
  •  ½ c. fine dry breadcrumbs
  •  Freshly ground pepper to taste
  •  8 whole-wheat buns

Directions:

1.   Place bulgur and ¼ tsp. salt in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over, cover and set aside until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing out excess liquid.

2.   Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and remaining ½ tsp. salt; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Immediately transfer the mixture to a plate and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3.   Toast pecans in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, 4- to 6-minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

4.   Combine the vegetable mixture and pecans in a food processor; pulse briefly until coarsely chopped. Add egg and the bulgur; pulse briefly, scraping down the sides if necessary, until the mixture is cohesive but roughly textured. Transfer to a bowl; stir in breadcrumbs and pepper. Mix well.

5.   With dampened hands, form the mixture into eight ½-inch-thick patties, using about ½ cup for each. (Patties can be individually wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.) Loaf: Instead of making into patties, spray a medium sized casserole with cooking spray and press the bulgur-mushroom mixture into similar to making meatloaf. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 60-minutes.

6.   Using 2 tsp. oil per batch, cook 4 patties at a time in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until evenly browned and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Meanwhile, split and toast buns, if using, to serve the burgers on.

Nutrition:  (Serving size: 1 patty [not including bun], or 1/8th loaf)
calories
: 203       protein: 5.1g        total carbohydrate: 19.8g       total fat: 12.3g
sugars
: 3.1g       sodium: 282mg        saturated fat: 1.5g         dietary fiber: 4.1g