Juicy Lucy Burger

Juicy Lucy Burger

The Juicy Lucy is one of those burgers we genuinely get excited about every single time we make it. It's stuffed with melted vegan cheese right in the middle of the patty, so when you bite in you get this incredible gooey, oozy moment that honestly never gets old. The sweet potato base gives it this naturally sweet, hearty texture that holds together brilliantly and takes on loads of flavour. We've made this one for barbecues, Friday night dinners, and those days when you just need something properly satisfying. Make it tonight and you'll see exactly why it's become one of our all-time favourites.

Cook: 70 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Food processor
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Frying pan
  • Grater

Ingredients

  • 100g Cathedral City Plant-Based Mature
  • 400g sweet potatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 250g packet cooked brown rice
  • 20g breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 x 400g tin black beans
  • Plant based mayo
  • Ketchup
  • Plant based brioche burger buns
  • Lettuce, tomato, pickles - whatever toppings you love

Method

1

Make patties

  • Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 2cm cubes
  • Put them on the lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Once cooked, take them out of the oven and set aside
  • Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion
  • Pour a little oil into the frying pan
  • Put the onion in the pan and fry for 10-15 minutes, until very soft
  • Transfer the onion to a large bowl and wipe out the pan and reserve the pan
  • Put the baked sweet potato in the food processor along with the rice, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika and flour
  • Drain the black beans and add them to the food processor, then whizz everything up to a thick paste
  • Scrape the paste into the bowl with the onions and mix everything together with a spoon
2

Divide and cook patties

  • Grate the Cathedral City
  • Divide the mixture into 6 or 8 (depending on the desired size) even pieces and use your hands to mould them into patty shapes
  • Place a generous amount of the grated Cathedral City in the centre of a patty, then top with another patty and press the edges to enclose
  • Add a little oil to the pan and put it on a medium-high heat
  • Place the patties in the hot pan and fry for 3 minutes on each side, until golden
  • Transfer to the reserved lined tray and bake for 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through
3

Time to Serve

  • Toast your burger buns if desired
  • Spread with your favourite sauce, layer on lettuce, tomatoes, pickles - then place the bean burger on top
  • Cut in to reveal the oozy Cathedral City centre and enjoy

Tips & Variations

  • Get the cheese seal right: Make sure you fully encase the cheese in the middle of the patty with no gaps, otherwise it'll leak out during cooking and you'll lose that magic melty centre.
  • Chill your patties: We find popping the formed patties in the fridge for 20 minutes before cooking helps them firm up and hold their shape way better in the pan.
  • Load up the toppings: Henry always goes heavy on the pickles and a good smear of burger sauce, and honestly it takes the whole thing to another level. Don't be shy.

Why This Works

The trick here is baking the sweet potato first rather than boiling it, which drives out the moisture and stops the patties from going soggy. Then frying down the onion really low and slow until it's super soft and sweet is what gives the whole thing that deep savoury flavour. Trust us on this one, those two steps make all the difference.