Mediterranean Mung Bean Burgers (vegan, gluten-free)
Recipe Key
These vegan burgers are inspired by my love for the flavors of the Mediterranean. They’re delicious, easy to digest, quick to prepare and super satisfying.
There are many benefits to eating mung beans.
Many people are not too familiar with mung beans but they’ve been part of traditional Ayurvedic diets in India for thousands of years. Mung beans are considered “one of the most cherished foods” in this ancient Indian traditional form of medicine.
Mung beans are recommend by nutritionists and holistic health coaches because they are high in protein and easy to digest. I like them because they cook in 15 minutes and they won’t give you gas.
As I continue to heal my digestive system, I only eat beans once in awhile. Since mung beans are so tiny, they are one of the few beans my system can tolerate. I love eating beans. They are rich in fiber and help increase digestion and detoxification. Fiber makes our feces soft. This makes it move easier through the digestive track. It helps reduces indigestion and acidity.
Beans have been shown to be one of the most protective foods against blood sugar problems. (1) They are digested slowly stabilizing your blood sugar. They make you feel satisfied and reduce cravings.
Mung beans have a high magnesium content. You need magnesium to control stress and repair muscles, especially if you’re outside playing tennis, hiking or kayaking.
They’re also high in B6 which increases serotonin uptake.
It’s best to soak the mung beans overnight for easier digestion. Soaking helps eliminate some of the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that are naturally present within all legumes and beans. Soaking makes them easier to digest and also releases more of their nutrients.
What makes these extra special are the Mediterranean flavors from the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic parsley and oregano.
I chop the onions, garlic, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and parsley by hand to have more texture, but to make it easier you can put it all in the food processor and pulse to chop. Don’t let it get too small.
Since this is vegan we’re using a ‘flax egg’ to bind it together. It’s easy, soak 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds in 3 tablespoons of water.
It’s key not to over cook the mung beans. You want them to be tender but not mushy. Drain the water and let cool. Process them in a food processor until you get an almost smooth texture. If you don’t have a food processor, mash them with a fork or potato masher. Don’t use a blender, they get too mushy. Put into a bowl.
Another easy feature, they’re baked.
Since it’s going to be Memorial Day weekend soon, I tried to make them on the grill but it failed. They fell apart even with twice as much flax egg, oh well!
To shape the mixture into patties, I use a ‘jar cover’ to get nice burger shapes. Scoop the burger mixture into the cover, pat it down and shake it out. The sides come out nice and straight. All the burgers come out close to the same size. Or you can also just shape them into patties by hand.
Place the burgers on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly oil. I have these old steel baking sheets that I’ve been using for years. They’re not too pretty and don’t go in the dishwasher but they’re so well seasoned, I love them.
These Mediterranean Mung Burgers are the vegan version of my Mediterranean Turkey Burgers. They were both a huge hit in the Nourishing Foods Spring Cleanse. Many of the members emailed me to say they love them so much they eat them regularly. I enjoy both versions.
They are one of my favorite vegan dishes.
Tasty
Savory
Quick and Simple
Easy to Digest
High Protein
To keep them gluten free I serve them on salad greens topped with sauerkraut and my 5 Minute Avocado Herb Sauce, which is like a green ketchup. They’re great with roasted sweet potato fries. You could also serve them on a gluten free bun or wrapped in a lettuce leaf with sliced onions, avocado and tomato.
If you give these burgers a try, let us know what you think! Leave a comment and rate it – it’s super helpful to me and other readers. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #eat_well_enjoy_life on Instagram so we can see it.
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If you like this recipe, try these other vegan burgers:
Grilled Black Bean Burgers with House Sauce
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Mediterranean Mung Bean Burgers (vegan)
These vegan burgers are delicious, high in protein, quick to make and super satisfying.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup organic green mung beans, soaked overnight*
- 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed, ground
- ½ cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon organic sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼–½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1 tablespoon organic tomato paste*
Instructions
- Rinse soaked mung beans a few times and put into a medium saucepan. Cover with 1½ inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium/low for 15 minutes until beans are tender but not mushy. Drain and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- In a small bowl, combine flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
- Put beans in a food processor and process until smooth texture forms. Alternatively mash beans with a fork or potato masher.
- Put into a medium sized bowl. Add olives, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, spices and tomato paste. Mix thoroughly. Taste to adjust salt.
- Add flax “egg” to the mixture. Mix to combine.
- Form into 4-6 burgers and place evenly on a parchment paper lined or lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.
- Cook for 20 minutes, remove from oven, flip, and cook for another 5-10 minutes. The burgers should be lightly browned when done.
- Serve warm or room temperature over salad greens with my 5 Minute Avocado Herb Sauce.
Notes
Instead of chopping everything by hand, use the food processor (it’s easier) Place the processed beans into a separate bowl. Add onions, garlic, olives, sun-dried tomatoes to the processor. Pulse to chop. Add parsley and pulse a few more times. Don’t let it get too small.
If you don’t have time to soak the mung beans, cook for 25 minutes. If you can’t find mung beans, the recipe can be made with a 15 ounce can of cooked organic cannellini beans.
I like tomato paste in a tube. It stores for months in the refrigerator.
I make 6 burgers from the recipe because I like them small, but 4 divides better between 4 people.
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I love these! They are even extra special with the five minute avocado sauce. Give them a try
Thanks Colleen, yes the 5 minute avocado sauce elevates them to a whole new level. Thanks for sharing. Happy Cooking!
I kept the beans whole and combined them with all the other ingredients except for tomato paste and flaxseed for a wonderful bean dish.
Hi Bethany
I love your variation, thanks for sharing.
I am not sure how to rate this recipe. I followed it to a T but used an actual egg instead of the flax… Nothing stuck together so If you’re going to make this use flax, or double the eggs. I guess it’s more my fault than anything but I came out with cous cous instead of patties.
Hi Josie, I’m sorry your mung burgers didn’t stay together. It’s possible the mung beans weren’t cooked enough. Usually when they are mashed they stick together pretty well even before adding the flax. Thanks for sharing your experience.