Dr. Igor’s Best Vegan Sliders on Yeasted Buns Recipe

Black Bean & Hemp Heart Veggie Burgers with Quinoa, Walnuts, Aromatics & Spices, in between Homemade Yeast Risen Whole Wheat Slider Buns

DAIRY-FREE/OVO-PESCATARIAN/PLANT-BASED/VEGAN/VEGETARIAN

Craving a burger? Skip the beef and go plant-based instead with these Tex-Mex spiced black bean sliders studded with hemp and made with toasted walnuts, quinoa, sautéed onions, peppers and garlic, and then nested in between the softest homemade whole wheat mini buns enriched with flax seeds for an extra boost of fiber and healthy fats.

Rich in plant protein, omega-3 fatty acids and iron, this recipe is a good way to get all these important nutrients that sometimes are lacking in vegan cooking. Skip all the additives that big box companies put in their veggie burgers and yeasted buns by making this bistro favorite in the comfort of your own home using this easy to follow, step by step recipe for the best vegan sliders you’ll ever eat!

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Best Vegan Sliders on Yeasted Buns

Ingredients

BUNS

• 1 0.25 oz pack of dry active yeast
• ½ cup of warm water (around 110-112F)
• ⅔ cup of almond milk, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons of vegan butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons of cane sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 ½ cup of whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
• 1 tablespoons of hemp seeds and/or sesame seeds for buns
• Hemp oil for greasing the dough and the bowl

VEGGIE PATTIES

• 1 cup of walnuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• ¼ cup of mixed bell peppers, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced, seeds included
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of sweet or smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons of vegan BBQ sauce
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of cooked white quinoa
• ¼ cup of hemp hearts
• ¼ cup of bread crumbs
• Hemp oil for coating the patties prior to baking

Steps

1.) Preheat an oven to 450°F. Gather all the ingredients for the buns. Pre-cook ½ of a cup of quinoa, following package instructions. Set it aside to cool for later use.

2.) Begin the dough by combining the packet of dry yeast in a big bowl with the warm (110-112°F) water and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the almond milk, melted vegan butter and sugar.

3.) First rise: add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and the ground flax seeds, roughly mix everything together, place the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball and place the dough back in the same bowl greased with a tablespoon of hemp oil. Brush the top of the dough with more hemp oil, cover with plastic wrap, and then place in a warm place to rise. I left it on my stove top range for about 1 hour.

4.) While waiting for the slider buns to rise, make the veggie burgers. Toast the walnuts in a small pan on low heat for 3 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan and sauté the onions, garlic, bell peppers and jalapeños in olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium low heat until softened. Add the chili powder, paprika, BBQ sauce and salt and mix.

5.) In a food processor, add the black beans, cooked quinoa, hemp hearts, breadcrumbs, toasted walnuts and the aromatic vegetable and spice mixture. Pulse a little at a time to combine the patty mixture evenly.

6.) Divide the black bean mixture into 10 patties, place them onto a parchment paper lined baking tray, brush both sides with hemp oil, and then bake for 10 minutes in a 450°F degree oven, flipping the patties at the 5 minute mark. Take them out of the oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to 375°F for the buns.

7.) Second rise: turn the risen dough onto a floured surface, knead for a minute, form into a ball and divide the dough in half. Save half for another day and roll the other into a long tube shape, cut into 10 portions, and place them on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Cover with a damp towel, place it back in your warm setting and let it rise again for another 40-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

8.) Gather and process the garnishes you’re going to use for the sliders while waiting for the buns to rise a second time. I opted for vegan mayonnaise, ketchup, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, vegan cheese and avocado to dress my mini burgers.

9.) Before baking the buns, brush each roll with hemp oil and sprinkle with hemp hearts and/or sesame seeds. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Let them cool on a rack for 5 minutes and place the veggie burgers back in the oven to heat up. Slice each bun in the middle, place a veggie burger and dress to your liking. Enjoy!

Tips

• Best way to store dough: In the freezer, wrapped in plastic film and placed in a Ziploc bag, or vacuum sealed. The dough can last up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake again, thaw at room temperature until soft and pliable, then start from the second rise instructions above and continue.
• Skip a step and use pre-cooked microwavable quinoa packets instead of steaming your own.
• Use a mixture of peppers on this recipe if you like. I used a combination of green, yellow and red bell peppers.
• Other delicious vegan toppings include: relish, sautéed onions/peppers/mushrooms/spinach, BBQ sauce, vegan bacon and guacamole.

Q&A

• Can I omit the all-purpose flour for an all whole wheat bun? Yes! I did a half and half recipe for taste and texture purposes but you can use all whole wheat flour instead.
• Do I really need to wait for the dough to rise? Letting the yeast do its thing is important. Patience is key when baking bread and you can thank yourself for thoroughly following these steps for baking the best slider buns. Soft and fluffy rolls require time and warm heat for the dough to rise properly, otherwise they’ll be small, dense and dry. During the first and second rise stages, check your dough at the 40 minute mark. If they’ve appeared to double, then you’re good to go! No need for the additional 10-20 minute wait time.

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