Vegetarians all over the planet are thankful for various types of mushrooms as they can be easily turned into a number of food products that resemble meat. Some of those that can be whipped up into faux meat without trouble are shiitake mushrooms. This article will teach you how to make yummy burger patties out of them, so read on!

Shiitake mushrooms are some of the most well loved mushrooms out there because they are easily accessible, plus they are versatile cooking ingredients. Doctors revere them, too, because of their impressive nutritional profile.

Making shiitake mushrooms perfect for turning into burger patties is the fact that they have meat-like texture — it can be very hard to tell the difference between shiitake mushrooms and meat once they are already in the mouth. It’s exactly because of this why they are very common ingredients used in various meatless or fake meat recipes.

Other than being very close to meat in texture and also taste most especially when seasoned to perfection, shiitake mushrooms also impress with the numerous health benefits they bring!

Devoid of fat and cholesterol plus very low in calories, the consumption of shiitake mushrooms is a wonderful idea for those who are trying to lose excess pounds or stay within their ideal weight.

Heart specialists say that shiitake mushrooms have the ability to prevent plaque from clogging up the arteries, resulting in lowered blood pressure and heart disease risk. Your mood, brain functioning and immune system can also be improved by shiitake mushrooms.

Clearly, shiitake mushrooms are the perfect ingredients for making faux meat, thanks to their texture and the nutrients they pack. And this is why they are the ones used in the recipe below for making vegetarian burger patties!

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems removed) 

1/2 cup of dried shiitake mushrooms 

1/2 cup of bread crumbs 

2/3 cup of bulgur 

3 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon of rosemary (crumbled) 

1 medium-sized carrot (finely chopped) 

1 small-sized onion (finely chopped) 

3 cloves of garlic (minced) 

3/4 teaspoon of sea salt 

3/4 teaspoon of black pepper (finely ground) 

1 cup of boiling water

Directions:

-Grab a small mixing bowl and combine boiling water and dried shiitake mushrooms. Let stand for about 20 minutes or until shiitake mushrooms are fully softened. Fish out shiitake mushrooms and place in a strainer.  Do not throw away the soaking water because you will need it later. 

-In the meantime, chop up the caps of fresh shiitake mushrooms. Afterwards, transfer to your food processor and then process. Stop when shiitake mushrooms are already finely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside. 

-Reach for a large saucepan and heat 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil using low heat only. Cook minced garlic as well as chopped carrots and onions for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent and tender. 

-Add the softened shiitake mushrooms and also the mixture of fresh shiitake mushrooms and bread crumbs. Stir very well to combine all of the ingredients. 

-Carefully pour water used for soaking dried shiitake mushrooms earlier. Add bulgur, rosemary, sea salt and black pepper. Mix very well. 

-Increase heat to medium and cover the saucepan. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes or until there is no more liquid present. Once in a while, stir the ingredients to have all of them evenly cooked. 

-Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool completely. 

-Once already cool, add breadcrumbs and stir very well. Using your clean hands, form into burger patties. You should be able to come up with 4 to 5 of them, depending on your preferred size and thickness. 

-In a nonstick skillet, place remaining teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and cook shiitake mushroom burger patties. Each side will cook in about 3 minutes. 

-Serve as you like!