Many people would agree that few things smell better than a beef burger sizzling on the grill. That being said, there are those of us who would prefer not to eat red meat as frequently. We still want our burgers though! Here are a few great tasting alternatives to put on a bun:
Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burger
Grillable Veggie Burgers
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
I’ve also used ground chicken for this burger recipe I found at Allrecipes.com. I usually skip the cheese and dress this burger with veggies like sliced tomato and avocado.
Here’s a tip: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce can be found in the Hispanic section of most grocery stores. There are several in a can; I sometimes freeze the leftover ones. The sauce in the can is also great for flavoring mayonnaise, salad dressings, etc. Here’s what you’re looking for:
I was so excited to find this recipe from The Minimalist Baker for a grillable vegetarian burger. I’ve made vegetarian burger patties in the past from beans, rice, quinoa, etc. They are usually quite fragile and tend to fall apart in the fry pan. I’ve never attempted to put one on the grill because of that.
These had a meaty, dense texture and the spice combination along with the barbecue sauce made them mighty tasty. Here are my ingredients prior to mixing and my finished burger.
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms:
I am perfectly happy to brush a little olive oil on a big portobello mushroom, season it with salt and pepper, grill it and slap it on a bun but I saw this recipe for an enhanced version called Grilled Portobello Magic Mushrooms and had to try it. These were very good although I’m not sure why they are called “magic” mushrooms. I mean they made me happy, but not in an out of body kind of way.
So the next time you are grilling, think outside the beef and try one of these healthier option. Let me know what you think!