A big inviting garden tomato sat on the kitchen counter and a fresh mozzarella ball waited patiently in the fridge. With those for inspration, I put together these caprese veggie patties with basil walnut pesto.
Besides that, I had leftover quinoa and rice pilaf. And, I’d made a fresh batch of basil walnut pesto. I thought hmmm, I could make veggie burgers with the quinoa and rice, and top them with slices of the mozzarella, followed by a thick slice of that beautiful homegrown tomato! Caprese with a twist!
“If six cooks follow the same recipe, the finished dish would vary six times.” ~Theodora Fitzgibbon, Irish author and journalist~
Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil–from three ingredients, I bet you can invent six thousand recipes.
“Caprese” means in the style of Capri Italy, and as far as I’m concerned, any variation is game. Like these caprese veggie patties with basil walnut pesto. Or this green zebra caprese salad.
Time needed: 1 hour
Ingredients for Caprese Veggie Patties with Basil Walnut Pesto:
- Tomatoes:
Use the best you can find—right from summer’s garden, or the farmer’s market.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese:
Fresh mozzarella. The most extravagant and luscious would be burrata, though any fresh mozzarella cheese will do.
- Basil:
Basil. Make your own basil walnut pesto or buy it. Homemade pesto is best–yes you can taste the difference. 😉
- The Veggie Pattie:
Use a veggie pattie like in this recipe, or make these with your favorite veggie burger.
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Caprese Veggie Patties with Basil Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 slice whole grain bread
- 2 cups Quinoa and Brown Rice Pilaf
- 2 each eggs , lightly beaten
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt , as needed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- 1 each tomatoes , or two, enough for 7 slices
- 8 ounces Fresh mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup Basil Walnut Pesto
Instructions
- Toast the bread well. Let it cool at least 10 minutes. Using a food processor, grind the bread into crumbs. Mix in a bowl along with the pilaf and eggs. Season with salt.
- Form the rice mixture into seven patties using a 3-inch round cutter. Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a large skillet over medium flame. Cook the patties until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes each side. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread a small dollop of pesto on each pattie. Top with a slice of mozzarella, another dollop of pesto, followed by a slice of fresh tomato. Repeat: Pesto, mozzarella, pesto, tomato, pesto, mozzarella. Spread a final bit of pesto on the white mozzarella.
- Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese melts nicely and the patties are heated through.
- Serve immediately.
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Those look delicious! · 12 September, 2013
Letty, I made this tonite! They were delicious! I made the recipe just a tad different because Tim and I can’t eat that much cheese in one sitting · 22 July, 2014
Thanks Belen! Love it–and I get it about the cheese. It’s so good too! · 22 July, 2014