Toast these achingly-good burgers in melted butter and paprika atop an iron tawa for Indian street food vibes. Use any beans you like! Unlike any other veggie burger, this Indian style version has big flavours both on the inside and the outside. The final result is a toasty wonder. The best bit is that you don’t even have to form the burgers into patties; just stuff and sandwich between buns and cook on a hot tawa.
What is an Indian tawa?
An Indian tawa is, for want of a better description, a flat-top griddle. It can be made from iron, steel or aluminium. This style of cookware has multiple uses in Indian cookery, from cooking flatbreads and dosa, to street-style specialities like Pau Bhaji, tawa pulao (rice), curries and this variety of Tawa Burger. I personally have both cast iron and steel tawas and use them interchangeably depending on the dish I’m cooking. I prefer cast iron for dosas and steel for pau bhaji, burgers and rice.
Alternatives for a tawa
If you don’t have a tawa, you can use a non-stick frying pan instead. The ultimate goal is to create a golden, crispy exterior and a frying pan will do a similar job. I use a steel tawa here since the contact between the smooth metal and bun is close, thus producing a fantastic result.
Where to buy an Indian tawa
There are so many factors when it comes to choosing an Indian tawa that’s appropriate for your style of cooking. Here are some options you might find useful.
What kinds of beans are best for bean burgers?
I use a combination of black beans and borlotti beans in this veggie bean burger recipe. I like the bite of hearty black beans alongside the soft and creamy borlotti beans. This being said, you can use any beans you like or happen to have in the cupboard. Pinto beans are a great substitute for borlotti beans, or you can use your favourite white beans like haricot beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, black eye beans or even chickpeas. The choice is yours. Either way, this recipe is a great source of plant-based protein.
How to make a vegan version of this veggie burger recipe
To make a vegan version of these vegetarian burgers, simply cook in oil instead of butter and replace the cheese with your favourite non-dairy cheese (or omit). Easy!
Are these Spicy Bean Tawa Burgers gluten free?
I’ve used regular wheat flour buns in the recipe below. If you’d like to make a gluten-free veggie burger, choose a gluten-free bun. The rest of the recipe is free from gluten.
Can I go bunless?
Absolutely. The beany masala binds together very well so if you’d like to skip the bread entirely, you can go ahead and form the mixture into patties. Cook them on the tawa in the same way for an ultra-flavoursome vegetarian burger patty without the carbs bread adds.
How to shape veggie burger patties
While this recipe doesn’t require you to shape the bean mixture into traditional patties, this is an option if you’d like to serve your bean burgers without the bun.
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Can I freeze homemade veggie burgers?
You can freeze formed veggie burger patties. Simply follow the steps above for shaping, freeze the patties on a lined tray and once frozen, stack with sheets of baking parchment between each burger. Wrap well in cling film and freeze in a freezer-safe container.
2 tips for veggie burgers without egg
The sole purpose of egg in veggie burgers is for binding. Add one or more of the following to a burger and you have excellent binding without the need for egg in the patty.
Which spices go into this Spicy Bean Tawa Burgers recipe?
The dry spices in this veggie bean burger recipe include: cumin seeds, coriander seeds, smoked paprika, dried garlic powder, chilli flakes, turmeric and dried oregano.
This is a veggie burger…
Without soy Without mushrooms Easy to make No meat substitutes Easily veganized Without nuts No eggs
How to make these vegetarian burgers on the BBQ
These are a great vegetarian barbecue option for everyone to enjoy! Simply place your tawa on the grill directly above hot coals. The smoke will rise from the sides, giving the meatless burgers an utterly delicious flavour.
What to serve with veggie burgers
These Indian tawa burgers are fantastic as they are, but also pair well with all the usual burger favourites: fries or crisps or wedges, salad, chutneys, etc. Here are some of my favourite dishes to serve with these Spicy Bean Tawa Burgers.
Other styles of Indian street food ‘burgers’
While strictly not traditional burgers, India has its’ fair share of burger-style dishes. Indeed, the typical street burger or sandwich features buns or sliced bread. Vada Pav (with spiced fried mashed potato balls), Samosa Pav, Kanda Bhaji Pav (with onion bhaji) and Masala Omelette. Burger buns, known in India as ‘Ladi Pav’ form the basis of many non-burger or sandwich dishes. Popular examples of these include: Pav Bhaji, Keema Pav, Misal Pav and Usal.
The history of Pav in India
Historically, India’s native version of bread referred to flatbreads: roti, paratha, rotla, etc. With the arrival of Portuguese settlers in Goa came not only trade, but yeast. Soft Portuguese bread rolls, called ‘Pao’ were thus introduced to the Indian subcontinent. People embraced the delicious fluffiness of Pao and learnt the art of cooking with yeast. New dishes developed from this and over time, they became known locally as ‘Pav’, ‘Laadi Pav’ or ‘Pau’. The British colonial rule in Hindustan (pre-partition) later brought the concept of bread loaves and sliced bread. Therefore, recipes using yeasted loaves and bread slices were also woven into the fabric of modern-day Indian cookery.
Spicy Bean Tawa Burgers recipe
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The bean burger filling can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge (covered) until needed. It will keep for 3 days.For hot and sour flavours, try spreading 1 tsp Tamarind Chutney on the inside of the bread.To make a vegan version of these burgers, simply cook in oil instead of butter and replace the cheese with your favourite non-dairy cheese (or omit).Do not freeze the cooked and assembled burgers. You can freeze the filling in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.If you don’t have a tawa, use a non-stick frying pan.If you don’t like smoky flavours, you can replace the smoked paprika with regular paprika or chilli powder.
This recipe for Matar Paneer is also easy to make, making it an amazing option for home cooks or people new to Indian food. Matar Paneer is typically served with rice, naan or roti, but feel free to choose your favourite accompaniments. If you’re not a bread lover, this Shahi Paneer also pairs beautifully with rice, should you wish to opt for a simple curry and rice bowl for dinner. Pieces of paneer (cottage cheese) and vegetables are first marinated in yoghurt and spices, and then skewered and grilled to smoky perfection. The tikka pieces are then removed from the skewer and folded into a creamy curry sauce made with tomatoes, spices and cream. Here’s an easy to follow video recipe and video. Saag Paneer is the more character-laden cousin of Palak Paneer, made with mixed greens like mustard leaves (sarson) instead of spinach alone. The velvety texture and subtle spicing of this recipe for Saag Paneer ensures the peppery mustard leaves and juicy paneer are the true stars of the show. Combine aromatic spices with a creamy cashew and tomato base, gently brown some butter in a pan and create the Makhani-style sauce of your dreams. This is the only way I’ll make Paneer Makhani from now on. A kadai-fried curry like this (without too much sauce) is perfect to serve with naan, roti or paratha. I even like using it as a dosa filling when making Paneer Masala Dosa. If you prefer your Paneer Curry with a thick Indian gravy, try Paneer Makhani or Matar Paneer. My simple paneer and potato kofta are golden on the outside and a brilliant white colour on the inside. Each bite is soft, a little spongy and slick with a smooth and creamy tomato sauce. In my home, Malai Kofta is an essential curry for special occasions. This Indian vegetarian curry of paneer (cheese) and potato kofta is a real celebration of rich flavours and warming spices. The trick to a super green sauce is to cook the spinach as little as possible. Just apply enough heat to wilt it at the beginning and heat the finished sauce just to warm all the ingredients through. Hand me a teardrop sheet of puffy, soft naan to mop up all of that sauce and I’m in seventh heaven. The base gravy for this Matar Paneer recipe contains ground almonds and tomatoes for a delectable creaminess and sharp tang. The spicing is warm but complex, making you wonder if you really just made that at home in the comfort of your own kitchen, without having to go to a restaurant or pick up a takeaway menu. Mad skills. Share this recipe
