Veggie (or not) Burgers with Crispy Potato Wedges

Like many others, I have been trying to cut down my meat consumption for the sake of the environment. I never ate a lot of meat to begin with, but I have gone from having meet 3-4 times a week to around once per month – at most! I haven’t found it too difficult as I love vegetables and bulking up my meals with those, but I have always steered clear of meat substitutes as I have had bad experiences with them in the past. Meat substitutes are constantly improving though, and with the summer coming I decided to try some new Veggie Burgers.

I recently tried the new veggie burgers from ASDA’s own brand plant-based range – and when put into a delicious homemade burger bun with some onions, lettuce, and tomatoes it actually tasted really good! If you are wanting to try and eat more plant-based, I can definitely recommend giving these burgers a go, but of course you can also use a different plant-based burger of your choice or just a traditional beef burger if you prefer! Here I am sharing with you how I make my veggie burgers with homemade burger buns, fillings, and some crispy wedges on the side!

Burger Buns and Fillings

While shop-bought burgers will do the trick, nothing beats a delicious, homemade, soft burger bun! I have recently developed a super quick and easy burger bun recipe that you try! You can find the recipe by clicking on this link here.

When it comes to fillings, you obviously have to start with the burger. I used the ASDA veggie burgers (see pictures) here to try and cut down my meat consumption. And they are actually really yummy and easy to cook in the oven. But you can use any burger you would like. I also topped my burgers with cheese for the last 5 minutes in the oven so that the cheese would melt all over the top!

In terms of other fillings, I like to add sauces, crunchy lettuce leaves, tomatoes and thinly sliced red onions to my burgers. For a slightly “fancier” twist, you could also add some avocado slices (really nice) or some fried crispy bacon. Although the latter would be less of an option if you are trying to cut down meat like myself!

How to make the Ultimate Crispy Potato Wedges

Burgers and chips is a classic combo, and I love pairing my burgers with some homemade crispy potato wedges. As there is nothing worse than soggy potato wedges, I have a few tips for you so that you can make the ultimate crispy wedge!

First of all, I would recommend you scrub the potatoes then cut them into the wedges leaving the skin on. The skin is where the nutrients are, plus it crisps up nicely too and makes the wedges taste even better! It’s important to not cut the wedges too thickly, as this will slow the cooking and the wedges will become less crispy.

Once you have cut the wedges, add them to a large bowl and season generously with salt, pepper, and some smoked paprika powder. Then add ½ tbsp (roughly) of olive oil and then – the ultimate trick – 1-2 tbsp cornflour. Coating the wedges in cornflour will help them crisp up in the oven and become absolutely delicious! Toss the wedges in all the ingredients until evenly coated, spread them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, then cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes until crips. Easy peasy and guaranteed amazing results!

More Summer BBQ Recipes

Like many others, I LOVE a summer BBQ, and there are so many yummy dips, breads and salads I like to make to serve alongside things! Check out the recipes for some of my favourites and give them a go!

• Lamb Kebabs
• Couscous Salad
• Homemade Soft Burger Buns (with Sesame Seeds)
• Tomato and Mozzarella Focaccia
• Homemade Falafel
• Ultimate Guacamole Recipe
• Italian Rosemary Focaccia
• Focaccia with Olives, Garlic and Rosemary | Bake Off Box #9
• Kidney Bean and Sweetcorn Salad
• Delicious Homemade Hummus
• Homemade Tzatziki Dip
• Paul Hollywood’s Ciabatta Bread Sticks | Bake Off Technical Challenge
• Colourful Quinoa Salad
• Homemade Pitta Bread with Nigella Seeds
• Grape and Feta Cheese Focaccia
• Small(er) Pesto Star Bread

Veggie (or not) Burgers with Crispy Potato Wedges

Recipe

Ingredients (serves 2):

FOR THE BURGER BUNS

• 2-4 shop-bought burger buns (or make your own following my recipe here)

FOR THE FILLING

• 2-4 (depending on how many you want) veggie burgers (I can recommend ASDA’s) or another burger of your choice
• A few lettuce leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 large tomatoes, thinly slices
• 1 small red onion, thinly slices
• Other optional ingredients: cheese for topping the burger, avocado, bacon, etc.
• Sauces of your choice

FOR THE CRISPY POTATO WEDGES

• 2 medium-large potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika powder
• 2 tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. Start by preheating the oven to 200°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Scrub and cut the potatoes into wedges, then put them into a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil on top, then add the smoked paprika powder, cornflour, and generously season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together until the potatoes are completely coated in the spice mix.
3. Spread the potato wedges out in an even layer on the prepared baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until crispy, turning once half-way through.
4. Next, thinly slice the red onion, tomato and wash and tear the lettuce leaves into smaller pieces. If you are wanting to use some additional ingredients, prepare the avocado, fry some bacon or cut some cheese into thin slices (or use sliced cheese).
5. If you are using vegetarian frozen burgers like I did, you can cook these in the oven alongside the potato wedges for the last 15 minutes of their cooking time. Turn the burgers after 7 minutes, and add the sliced cheese on top with two minutes to go so that it can melt over the burgers.
6. If you are using other burgers that you’d prefer to fry, heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers on either side until cooked through. Near the end of the cooking time, you can add some cheese on top and cover the pan with a lid to make sure the cheese melts.
7. Serve the burgers with the (homemade) burger buns, sauces, the prepared sliced vegetables and your crispy potato wedges while still warm and enjoy!