Peanut Burgers

Proper British-style nut burgers, the kind that 1970s vegetarian cookbooks got right before the frozen-patty industrial-burger era came along. Roasted peanuts and cashews bring the body and richness, sauteed onion and celery add the vegetable base, and yeast extract (Marmite or Vegemite) plus soy sauce do the umami work that meat would normally handle.

The result is a patty that holds together, browns properly in the pan, and tastes genuinely savory instead of saving its ambitions for “not bad for vegetarian."

Building a roux with butter, flour, and stock creates a thick binder that holds the nuts and breadcrumbs together as they cool. Skip the chilling step and you’ll have patties that fall apart the moment they hit the pan. Fifteen to 30 minutes in the fridge firms them up.

Coating in extra breadcrumbs before frying gives a proper crisp crust. The directions specifically call for a “greased” pan rather than an oily one, because these already contain plenty of fat from the nuts and butter, too much oil turns the crust soggy.

Fry just 3 minutes per side until golden and crispy.

Kitchen Tips

• Pulse the nuts in a food processor, leaving some texture, fully smooth nut paste makes dense, heavy burgers
• Use a flat spatula and gentle hands when flipping, nut burgers are more fragile than meat burgers
• Yeast extract (Marmite, Vegemite, or similar) is important here, it’s the source of deep umami, if you skip it add an extra splash of soy sauce
• Make the mixture a day ahead and refrigerate, the flavors improve overnight

Variations

• Swap herbes de Provence for smoked paprika and cumin for a Southwestern spin
• Use walnuts or pecans instead of cashews for different nut profiles
• Serve in pita bread with hummus and cucumber for a Middle Eastern style meal