Meal: Lunch, Dinner   
Dietary Type: Vegetarian 
Prep Time: 15 minutes 
Cook Time: 30 minutes 
Serves: 4

The Dish
A homemade vegetarian burger that’s full of flavor? Yes, we’ve combined farro (a hearty and nutritious whole grain) with white beans for an Italian-inspired veggie burger patty. The burger is topped with mozzarella and a little summery tomato basil salad. Simple ingredients often supply the most flavor. 

These burgers are great made ‘day-of’ or can be wrapped, frozen, and thawed for when you’re ready to heat and serve. 

Ingredients
4 whole wheat burger buns
4 slices mozzarella

Burger Mix: 
2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra virgin olive oil 
1 cup (130 g) yellow onion, minced 
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (170 g) farro, cooked 
1 15.5oz (425 g) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon (1 g) Italian seasoning
1 teaspoons (3 g) salt  
1 cup (80 g) whole wheat bread crumbs 

Tomato Salad Topping: 
2 cups (200 g) cherry tomatoes, halved 
6-8 basil leaves, chopped 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic or red wine vinegar 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil 
salt and pepper to taste 

Preparation 

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add farro, beans, Italian seasoning, and salt and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions are tender.
• Transfer mixture to a food processor along with bread crumbs. Pulse until blended (a little chunky is okay) and form into 4 even patties.  
• Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with pan release spray. Carefully add patties to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Top with cheese and set the pan aside. 
• While the burgers are cooking, combine tomato topping in a medium bowl (tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and oil). Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
• Toast buns (if desired) and top with patties and salad. 

Vegetarian and Vegan Modifications: Feel free to substitute the fresh mozzarella with vegan cheese shreds. 

Gluten-Free Modifications: N/A