One of my goals for August (and onward) is to start making big batches of veggie burgers. I’ve been relying far too much on boxed frozen veggie burgers and the cost really starts to add up. I usually buy Amy’s California burgers and they cost between $6-8 for 4 patties, depending on the grocery store. Plus, homemade veggie burgers are just so much better.
On Sunday, I made a double batch of Our Perfect Veggie Burgers and this week I made a double batch of Spicy BBQ Chickpea Burgers. I’ll be bringing a bunch of them to Eric’s big 3-0 birthday party on Saturday. There should be about 40 people!
I must say, these BBQ chickpea burgers are a new fav. The prep is a bit quicker than the other ones and I enjoy them just as much.
(Edited to add: After defrosting the Chickpea BBQ Burgers this weekend, the burgers did not hold well together. They seem to have too much moisture after freezing. I would recommend using the Our Perfect Veggie Burgers recipe, as I have had good results when freezing these.)
Using the Spicy BBQ Chickpea Burger recipe, I doubled all of the ingredients and made 16 patties. I’ve also been making beans from scratch to save more money. I soaked 2 cups of uncooked chickpeas overnight in a huge bowl of water. Once they have soaked, it’s only about 35 minutes or so to cook them on the stovetop (throw in a piece of kombu for easier digestion). You can also make big batches of beans and legumes on the weekend and freeze them for quick weeknight dinners. I’m slowly starting to get into the habit of doing this on a regular basis!
While the chickpeas and brown rice cook, prep the veggies: fresh parsley, red onion, shredded carrot, red pepper, jalapeno, and garlic.
Place everything into a huge bowl. My biggest bowl still was not quite big enough for this double batch, but I managed ok!
Stir in the pepita and sunflower seeds, along with the other ingredients like ground flax, seasonings, breadcrumbs, etc.
Because I made two big pots of chickpeas and brown rice, I decided to throw the rice and chickpeas in the food processor instead of mashing by hand like I did the first time. This saved a lot of time!
Stir it all up – you can even get in there with your hands to mix it up really good! Season it all to taste. Don’t be shy with the salt – this huge bowl of batter needs a good dose to make it all pop. I used 1-1.5 tsp fine grain sea salt.
Now shape the batter into about 16 patties and place on a very large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cover with wrap.
Clear out room in your freezer and place the baking sheet right in. Freeze the patties for about 45-60 mins or so.
[my freezer needs an intervention…]
Once the raw patties are frozen, place them in a freezer safe bag. If there are any ice crystals on the burgers, scrape them off first. I use Ziplock BPA-free large freezer bags (with the zipper). Don’t forget to wash the bags out and re-use when you are finished with the burgers!
I cut a piece of the parchment to place in between the layers so they don’t stick. Take a straw and suck out the air and seal quickly. Easy!
This is my first time freezing veggie burgers like this (I used to wrap them individually), but I’ve read this method should keep them fresh for up to 1 month in the freezer. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge before pan-frying.
It took me just under 1.5 hours to prep 16 veggie burgers – a lot less time than I thought and I saved quite a bit of money too.
While we’re on the topic of make-ahead foods, what are your favourite dishes to prep in advance? Let me know in the comments!
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It’s now day 9 of The August Challenge and I’ve been documenting my daily feats on the August challenge page to stay accountable. Time is a flyin’! There are so many great comments on the page with many of you sharing your stories. You know, I had my doubts about this challenge from the get-go (if I could even do it and if you’d be interested), but I’m really happy with how things are going. August is shaping up to be a great month! And don’t worry if you are starting late, jump in at any time. I’m already considering doing this into September because I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would.
We just had baby #3 a couple of months ago, and I had two double batches of “Our Favorite Veggie Burger” in the freezer for when baby came! I’m down to the last two frozen burgers (they’ve kept wonderfully!)… it’s time to freeze a new batch!
Love ALL your recipes! :)
Hey Michelle, Congrats on baby #3!!! So glad the burgers helped you through a busy time (well it sounds like every time is a busy time with 3 children…kudos to you!). Hope things are going well.
these look so delicious! i’m a huge fan of cook once, eat ten times. i only cook for my husband & i now, but anyone who looked in my freezer would think i’m cooking for a huge family. to me, this method just makes sense. makes life easier when i am working too!
I made a batch of these a month ago and I Love having the best Veggie Burger I ever had ready at will. I will deffinatly make a double batch next time to freeze!
As a few others have said, your timing is perfect! I just said to my husband this morning that we need to make a big batch of veggie burgers asap since we’ve spent too much on Licks burgers over the bbq season. I love your freezing method, definitely less wasteful than individually wrapping each one (as I normally do).
My favourite foods to freeze ahead are mexican dishes…. mostly sweet potato burritos and chickpea quesadillas. I always wind up making way too much, so it’s great to be able to freeze some and enjoy them later.
Glad you found it helpful Katie :)
For freezing burritos – I assume you freeze the filling on its own in a container or bag?
I assemble the burritos before freezing. I use homemade flour tortillas and fill them with half black bean mixture, and half mashed sweet potato (plus a little cheese), close up the tortilla, and package them individually in aluminum foil so that I can throw them straight into the oven when I’m rushed or too lazy to cook. Once warm I usually throw a little salsa on top. Pretty tasty!
that is SUCH a great idea…cant believe I havent done this!
How amazing! They look delicious. Great tutorial- I’ll be trying this soon! Family is coming next week and I’d love to have a bunch of these in the freezer. Thanks for sharing!!!
I’m guilty of relying on frozen veggie burgers too – and I really need to stop! Homemade ones are so much cheaper and tastier.
I like to make and freeze soups and chili ahead of time because they keep so well!
Have to try one on Saturday :)
how helpful! and those look like terrific burgers:)
I freeze everything! I am stocking up on peaches right now, while they are at the peak of ripeness. I put three bags way today. I will be super glad in December. :)
Thats such a great idea…I always forget to freeze fruit!
This has absolutley nothing to do with veggie burgers, though the burgers look really awesome and I’ll have to try them. I wanted to get your opinoin on something. I noticed Coconut Sugar at the store the other day and purchased some. It says it is used 1:1 like regular sugar, though I tried it and find it isn’t anywhere near as sweet as regular sugar, but still good. I have read a lot of articles lately about the dangers of sugars and i am trying to use less, as well as find acceptable alternatives. I wondered if you have ever used coconut sugar and if you find it an acceptable alternative to sugar? I am trying to find a sugar that has a very low fructose level. I appreciate your comments. Thanks
This look so good! I had a “slap the forehead” moment when I read that you suck the extra air out of the bag with a straw. Never thought of it, how simple!
Freezing big batches of veggie burgers is one of my favorite quick meal tricks! I’m looking forward to trying out this version. :)
I want to reach into that mixing bowl (or your freezer!) and help myself to that rainbow-bright assortment of goodies, mmmm! Those sunflower seeds and bright colors are calling my name!
I LOVE your veggie burgers! I always freeze a bunch when I make them. My new favorite is making lasagna rolls and freezing them. That way I can take out just enough for me and my husband without having to bake a whole lasagna! Gotta love the ideas from pinterest :)
Best prep food: salads — I layer them in a container or bag with the heaviest ingredients on the bottom (usually 3 bags for a week), and then just shake it up at the office, add some dressing and I have lunch.
I love that idea!
Great idea for prepping ahead. I need to do this sort of thing before I return to work full time next week–the school year is about to start and my meal-prep time is going to become much less than it’s been.
OK, on behalf of hungry vegans everywhere who actually cannot cook worth a damn (that is, me: I can’t seem to concoct anything that tastebuds beside my own find acceptable) I have to thank you heartily for this veggie burger recipe!! It has never failed me yet, and best of all, my very fussy boyfriend eats them with relish (literally and figuratively). I have a batch sitting in the freezer and I feel very smug about it. Normal, blah-tasting burgers are so pricey! So, thank you for all your trial-and-error efforts in this regard.
Ah, these look delicious!
I hardly ever freeze any kind of food… actually, I guess that’s because of my REALLY small freezer place. But I am enjoying the fresh stuff much more anyway, so that’s fine!
Great post!! Incredibly useful!!! Thank you!!!
You are a genius! I really need to start making meals in advance like this! So glad for the recipe too…I never seem to be able to bring myself to buy the veggie burgers at the store. They’re so expensive and full of preservatives and who knows what else!