Your favourite comfort foods as BURGERS

Hey, my name is Gal, I use they/them pronouns and I’m a vegan non-binary lesbian. I’ve been vegan for six and a half years and I am super passionate about creating delicious and droolworthy vegan food. On my Instagram page, I usually share my own tasty food creations and recipes whilst also posting reviews from lots of different restaurants that are either totally vegan or that serve vegan options.

Everyone loves a good burger, right? They satisfy that primal craving for handheld food whilst also being a pretty fulfilling meal. Burgers also have so much possibility: the myriad of flavour and texture combinations that can be achieved between two burger buns are endless. Although I am always down for any type of burger, over the years I have been looking for ways to spice up your classic vegan cheezburger. It took some thinking, but I realised that the only type of food that could potentially rival burgers is, in my opinion, classic comfort food. Anything from beans on toast to a big bowl of pasta, every and all comfort foods, I am down. So, to combine my love for classic comfort food with my desire for funky burger combos, I decided to put together three different vegan burgers based on some of your favourite comfort foods. So if you are looking for burger inspiration or you are just intrigued to see how your favourite comfort foods can become a burger, buckle your seat belts, and get ready for the burger tour of a lifetime.

Peanut butter and jam burger

First up is the peanut butter and jam burger. Everybody knows that a peanut butter and jam sandwich is a pretty popular comfort food choice. You got your sweetness from the jam and a smooth saltiness from the peanut butter, making a delicious snack that satisfies all your tastebuds. Now, I know what you’re thinking, you know this classic combo already works, but how can it work on a burger? Well, friends, let me show you how. This burger combo is comprised of a kale base, a crispy fried chickn burger patty, melted cheez, strawberry jam and smooth creamy peanut butter, all on a vegan brioche bun. Burgers are no stranger to a peanut butter addition but the jam might feel strange. Fear not, the savoury chickn patty and salty cheez pair perfectly with the sweetness of the jam, providing a taste sensation of dreams. With the added freshness from the kale, your mouth is in for a delicious treat. 

Crispy hoisin 'duck' burger

One of my absolute go-to comfort meals is a good Chinese takeaway. I have so many memories of a family movie night, all cuddled up with our favourite order. Even more nostalgic is ordering a portion of crispy duck pancakes with ALL the trimmings: hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onions. So, I took this mouthwatering memory, imagined it on a burger bun and the crispy hoisin 'duck' burger was born. You might think this is a little crazy, but trust me, it works! Take a vegan brioche burger bun and add some vegan mayonnaise and kale as a base. Then take a vegan beef burger patty, some crispy vegan duck pieces and spring onions and slap them all on your bun. For the finishing touch, drizzle hella hoisin sauce on top, sprinkle on some sesame seeds and you’re all set. The flavour combinations are ridiculously good, reminiscent of those oh-so-dreamy duck pancakes. Beyond the flavours, the texture contrast of the crispy vegan duck, the creamy vegan mayonnaise and the stickiness of the hoisin sauce are almost too good to be true. Oh, and if you have never tried it, vegan mayonnaise and hoisin sauce mixed together is something you will never stop thinking about. 

Pesto chickn cheez burger

Okay, so maybe it’s just me, but sometimes you just want to be curled up in front of the TV with a bowl of cheesy pesto chickn pasta. So now, replace the pasta for a burger bun and you have your pesto chickn cheez burger. On top of a vegan mayonnaise and kale base, add your vegan chickn burger patty, melted cheez, basil pesto, fried green beans and toasted pine nuts. Slap it all on a vegan brioche bun and realise that you may have just made your dreams come true. Pesto, chickn and cheez will always be a classic combo for me, the flavours were just born to go together. If you are feeling extra funky, you can even home-make your own pesto, giving the burger an even more homemade feel.

So there you have it, three of your favourite comfort food meals but as burgers! These burgers could be the perfect way to impress your burger-loving friends and family or could be ideas for a themed burger night. Whatever you do, let your taste buds guide you and don’t be afraid to try out even the wackiest sounding combinations. You never know where they might lead you?

By Gal Shomron