Torontonians know that Fresh is a city staple for delicious plant-based food and drinks — burgers included. Rising to the top of the restaurant’s top-seller list is its new BBQ Ranch Burger, complete with a house-made grain patty and piled high with its iconic Quinoa Onion Rings. This burger is an upgraded take on the original BBQ Burger, loved by none other than the Jonas Brothers, so we’re giving you the exclusive details on how to make it at home.
There are so many elements in this burger mix that — depending on the water content in the tofu and veggies on any given day — it can turn out a little differently every time. If you’re having a hard time getting your burger mix firm enough to make nice, stable, easy-to-manage patties, just add a little more spelt flour, stir, and refrigerate until it firms up. If that doesn’t work, whiz up 1 cup of tofu in a food processor to make a paste and incorporate that into the mix.
If you’re not ambitious enough to make all these recipes, you can make a shortcut version with your favourite burger patty, BBQ sauce and ranch dressing from the store — or just visit your nearest Fresh and let them do the work for you!
Note: To make the original Fresh BBQ Burger loved by the Jonas Brothers, just leave out the avocado, smoked provolone and ranch dressing. Instead, add a layer of finely shredded napa cabbage on the bottom bun, and top with garlic mayo and a few hot banana chilies.
Related: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s Favourite Places to Eat in Toronto
ingredients
Fresh Grain Patty
Quinoa Onion Rings
BBQ Sauce
Ranch Dressing
Assembly, per burger
directions
To make the Fresh grain burger patty, put barley into a pot with plenty of water (about 5 or 6 cups). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender – from 30 to 60 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Rinse pot, add millet and more water and cook the millet the same way. It will take about half the time of the barley. Drain.
While the millet cooks, run the garlic clove in a food processor until finely chopped. Add sunflower seeds, almonds, green onions, parsley, and red onion. Process until finely chopped and put into a large mixing bowl.
Put tofu into a food processor (you don’t have to clean the food processor in between items) and process until just turning creamy and paste-like. Add tofu to ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Add remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl, including the cooked barley and millet. Mix well. (The easiest way to make sure it is thoroughly mixed is to do it with your hands.)
You can use the mix right away, but it will be easier to handle if you refrigerate it for at least an hour, or overnight.
Form mix into 8 patties (½ cup each).
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook burgers until browned on both sides and heated through.
Note: You can serve these right away, or, if you want to cook them later on a grill or barbecue, let them cool after being browned, refrigerate, and use later.
Next, make onion rings. Make coating: Mix puffed quinoa, breadcrumbs, sea salt and garlic powder in a large bowl.
Make batter: mix ½ cup flour, salt, baking powder and curry powder in a bowl and gradually whisk in soy milk and water until all liquid is incorporated.
Toss the onion rings with remaining 1 cup flour (you can do this in a bag, shake and bake style, or just in a bowl).
Dip 1 or 2 onion rings in the batter, making sure they are fully coated.
Dip the rings in the quinoa coating, making sure all surfaces are coated.
Repeat for all the rings. Layer the coated rings on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight to firm up.
Heat oil in a large saucepan to 350°F.
Drop onion rings into the oil and cook a few at a time until browned and crispy. Be sure not to overcrowd your pan.
Drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle them with sea salt as soon as they come out of the oil.
To make the BBQ sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic, allspice, and cayenne. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes until slightly thickened. Set aside until ready to use.
To make ranch dressing,, put all ingredients except fresh herbs into a high sided container and blend with an immersion blender until thickened (about 30 seconds). Stir in chopped herbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble each burger, toast a bun and assemble in order listed.
