It’s almost summertime, and that means burgers! But for many looking for a healthy alternative this year, veggie burgers will be the warm-weather go-to. Now is the perfect time to try this delicious recipe from Lukas Volger’s upcoming cookbook, Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, Second Edition.

Sesame Sweet Potato and Cabbage Burgers

Makes four 4-inch (10 cm) burgers

This is a veggie burger Lukas has always loved for its unexpected richness, thanks to the combination of sweet browned onions, sesame oil, and tahini. It’s worthwhile to cook the onions with some care, so as to allow them to caramelize and become sweet. And any variety of sweet potato will work—the purple ones lending the most distinctive color. Serve with yogurt sauce, or simply drizzled with tahini and some crisp vegetables like cucumber slices, sprouts, or lettuce.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small onions, chopped
• Scant ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 medium sweet potato, coarsely grated
• 2 cups (178 g) finely shredded cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup (15 g) panko or coarse bread crumbs, plus more if needed

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in your widest skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cayenne and fry until soft and beginning to color deeply, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the sesame oil, followed by the sweet potato, cabbage, and salt. Cover and cook until tender, stirring periodically, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
2. Whisk together the egg, tahini, and lemon juice until combined. Add the potato-cabbage mixture, then fold in the panko. Add additional bread crumbs if the mixture seems loose, but err on the side of wet because the burgers will firm up in the oven. Shape into 4 patties.
3. To cook (see pages 23–24 for detailed cooking instructions), warm a wide skillet over medium heat, then add the remaining oil. Add as many burgers as will fit comfortably without crowding the pan (usually 3 burgers will fit into a 10-inch/25 cm skillet), and cook until browned and crisped on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes, then flip and repeat on the other side. The burgers will firm up a bit as they cook, and further once they’re removed from the heat and have cooled slightly. Serve warm.

Find this and more delectable recipes for veggie burgers, buns, sides, and condiments in Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, Second Edition.

“I highly recommend Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, which served as inspiration for Melissa [Clark] and includes recipes for many kinds of patties that fall in three main categories: vegetables, beans and tofu.”—Tejal Rao, The New York Times

“We love your Carrot and White Bean Burger, what a treat.”—Smitten Kitchen

“Just in time for the summer BBQ season, this welcome new edition will delight with a diversity of ingredients and flavors that can’t be found in grocery-store veggie burgers.”—Library Journal