Mini Veggie Burgers and Salsa

Recipe by Neil Strawson and Richard Hunt.

Makes 4

This should take about 45 mins

  • 100g vegetarian mince
  • 75g cooked and mashed sweet potato
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 slice of bread
  • 1 egg
  • 15ml oil
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 5 basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Work mat
  • Weighing scales
  • Mixing bowl
  • Grater
  • Fork
  • 2 cups
  • Scissors
  • Pastry brush
  • Baking tray and baking paper
  • Teaspoon
  • Oven gloves (adult use only)
  1. Pre-heat an oven to 180°C (fan)/ 200°C/ gas mark 6.
  2. Ask a grown-up to help cut the spring onion with scissors over the work mat. Add the spring onion to the mixing bowl with the vegetarian mince. If you have big pieces of spring onion, you can chop them again in the bowl.
  3. Use a grater to make breadcrumbs from the slice of bread. Use the fork to scrape out any breadcrumbs left in the grater and add them to the mixing bowl. Add the mashed sweet potato too.
  4. Break the egg into the cup and beat it up with a fork. Add this to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients and mix with your hands. Divide the mixture into four equal parts by using a finger, or the fork, to draw a line down the middle of the mixture. Then turn the bowl around and draw another line down the middle of the mixture.
  5. Roll each portion of mixture into a ball in your hand and then gently squash it to form a patty and put them on the baking tray.
  6. Use a pastry brush to dab the tops of the patties with a little oil. Ask a grown-up to place them in the oven for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through.
  7. Why not serve your veggie burgers with a tasty salsa?
  8. To make the salsa, use the scissors to snip the tomatoes in a cup. Rip and tear basil leaves into the cup, then add oil and a pinch of black pepper and mix with a teaspoon.