In the past, veggie burgers have received a bad rap and with good reason: they're far too-often frozen bricks of stabilizers and unnecessary fillers.

However, when done just right, they exemplify all of the things we love.

Between eating out and store-bought, this homemade recipe takes first place. The hearty texture, incredible flavour, and overall ease of preparation make for an ideal summer dinner with the family. They’re a quick, convenient, and healthy way to load up on nutritional veggies without losing the taste of your usual decadent burger stack. Plus, it’s a sneaky way to get the necessary fiber, protein, and amino acids in without your fussy little eaters knowing. Once you’ve made them, it’s safe to say you’ll have high expectations for any other veggie burgers you might try.

With the help of Defy’s hand blender set, the ingredients are perfectly molded together in order for the shape to hold before, during, and after cooking. The easy to use pulse function and sharp blades allow you to efficiently combine all the ingredients in a couple of seconds. If you’ve got family or friends with certain dietary requirements, these could be your new crowd-pleaser.

Many veggie burgers are a chore to make, but these are totally fuss-free. As this recipe uses both the stovetop and the oven, Defy has the perfect combo for you.

The Slimline Vitroceramic Hob and the Slimline Thermofan+ Undercounter Oven are a match made in heaven master chef heaven. These two are designed to deliver incredible results at an affordable price. The hob offers faster cooking, immediate temperature change, and enhances both safety precautions and flavor control. The oven uses an innovative technology called Thermofan+, it optimizes your cooking time and enhances the flavor and succulence of every meal. Together, they offer an unprecedented cooking experience from the comfort of your very own home.

What you’ll need:

For the burgers:

●      2 x 400 g cans butter beans, drained and rinsed

●      2 cloves garlic, chopped

●      1 cup frozen peas, thawed

●      250g ready-to-eat barley

●      sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

●      2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the avocado smash:

●      2 avocados, peeled and stoned

●      ½ lemon, juiced

●      10 g parsley, roughly chopped

●      sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For assembly:

●      4 T Woolworths ciabatta rolls, halved and toasted

●      Woolworths vegan mayonnaise

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Place all the burger ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and pulse until sticky and combined.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 patties and chill for 10 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and carefully cook the burger patties for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
5. Transfer to the oven and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until heated through.
6. To make the avocado smash, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until chunky using a fork.
7. Top the bottom halves of the rolls with 1 T mayonnaise (or this vegan mayo for those wanting a vegan burger) then top with a few sundried tomatoes.
8. Place a cooked patty on the sun-dried tomatoes, then add the avocado and cucumbers.
9. Top with the top halves of the rolls.