Earth Day presents an exciting opportunity to affirm Bon Appétit’s commitment to building a sustainable food system. A key part of that mission is our pursuit of a plant-forward future, harnessing the power of plant-based ingredients to combat the climate crisis. The goal of our Earth Day campaign this year is to demonstrate the meaningful impact of incrementally reducing beef even without taking it entirely off the plate.
The technique of swapping at least half of a classic burger patty with a mix of mushrooms, grains, legumes, and vegetables allows our chefs to integrate inventive flavor combinations, like the blended burger recipes below that were created by Executive Wellness Chef Chris Lenza as a part of our Plant-Forward Culinary Collaborative. The goal of this initiative, which was launched in 2019, is to strategize and train our chefs in reaching our ambitious plant-forward goals.
Join us in celebrating Earth Day with these inspired takes on blended patties for the health of the planet and ourselves.
Japanese-Inspired Edamame, Mushroom, and Beef Burger
Serves approximately 10
- 9 ½ ounces edamame (cooked), roughly chopped
- 9 ½ ounces extra firm tofu, crumbled
- 3 ¼ ounces cremini mushrooms, small diced (about ½ inch)
- 1 ¼ pound ground beef (80% lean/ 20% fat)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
- ¼ ounce fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ ounce fresh parsley, chopped
- ¾ ounce shallot, chopped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1 ¾ teaspoons tamari
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat grill to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, mix well to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.
With your hands, form the burger mixture into 4 ounce patties. Each patty should be formed to shape a uniform patty to ensure the burger cooks evenly.
Add patty to grill and cook on one side (about 4-5 minutes) then turn the patty and continue cooking until patty reaches an internal temperature of 155 F.
Remove patty from grill and serve as desired.
Middle Eastern-Inspired Pumpkin, Farro, and Lamb Burger
Serves approximately 10
- 14 ½ ounces ground lamb
- 5 ounces yellow lentils (steamed and fully cooked)
- 2 ¼ ounces farro (boiled and fully cooked)
- 7 ½ ounces fresh pumpkin or butternut squash, ½ inch diced
- 1 teaspoon za’atar
- 1/8 ounce fresh thyme
- ¼ ounce fresh garlic (whole cloves)
- 3 ¼ ounce onion, ¼ inch diced
- 4 ½ teaspoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Steam or boil the lentils and farro separately until soft. Remove any excess water and then refrigerate until completely cooled.
In a mixing bowl combine oil, squash, onion, and minced garlic. Add vegetables to a sheet pan or roasting pan. Roast in a 375 F. oven for 10 minutes. Rotate sheet pan and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Vegetables should be soft with a little firmness and slightly golden brown. Remove vegetables from the oven and let sit at room temperature for 10- 20 minutes to cool.
Preheat grill to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, mix well to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.
With your hands, form the burger mixture into 4-ounce patties. Each patty should be formed to shape a uniform patty to ensure the burger cooks evenly.
Add patty to grill and cook on one side (about 4-5 minutes then turn the patty and continue cooking until patty reaches an internal temperature of 155 F.
Remove patty from grill and serve as desired.
Southwestern-Style Salmon Burger
Serves approximately 10
- 1 ½ pounds salmon fillet, fresh (trimmed, deboned, and cleaned)
- 1 ½ ounces onion, ¼ inch diced
- 5 ½ ounces bell peppers (red and yellow), ½ inch diced
- 1 ½ ounces poblano pepper, ½ inch diced
- 4 ¾ ounces pinto beans (canned or cooked)
- 3 ounces sweet potato, ½ inch diced
- 6 ¼ ounces Yukon gold potato, ½ inch diced
- 2 ¼ ounces corn kernels
- ½ ounce fresh cilantro
- 1 ½ ounce cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice
- ¾ ounce olive oil
- ¼ ounce liquid smoke
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Roast salmon fillet in a 350 F oven until internal temperature is 135 F. Completely cool salmon. Flake cooked salmon with fork or hands and place in a mixing bowl.
Steam or boil sweet potatoes and Yukon potatoes until fully cooked. Remove excess water and place in a mixing bowl and mix with a spoon or masher until the consistency of mashed potatoes. Cool completely. This mixture will help bind the patty together.
Preheat grill to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, mix well to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.
With your hands, form the burger mixture into 4-ounce patties. Each patty should be formed to shape a uniform patty to ensure the burger cooks evenly.
Add patty to grill and cook on one side (about 4-5 minutes then turn the patty and continue cooking until patty reaches an internal temperature of 155 F.
Remove patty from grill and serve as desired.