Pão de Queijo Veggie Burgers
Crisp-edged white bean patties with smoky paprika and cumin, tucked between chewy, cheesy Brazilian pão de queijo buns and topped with juicy tomato, peppery greens and a zesty lime mayo. The buns are naturally gluten-free, and the whole meal bakes in one oven at one temperature.
- Prep
- 55 min
- Cook
- 24 min
- Wait
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 59 min
- Makes
- 4 burgers (8 cheese bread buns, 4 patties)
Steps
Before you start
- Use tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour or polvilho doce). Do not substitute cornstarch or regular flour; the buns will not turn out chewy.
- Drain and rinse the beans, then pat them very dry with a clean towel. Wet beans make soft patties that fall apart.
- Grate the cheese yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and melts less smoothly.
- The dough is sticky and pourable-thick like a very soft paste. That is correct; shape it with wet hands.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets (about 13×18 inches / 33×46 cm) with parchment paper before you begin.
Sauté onion and garlic
- Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and a pinch of the patty salt and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Scrape into a large mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes while you prep the beans.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no brown edges; garlic smells fragrant.
Tip: Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so add it last and keep it moving.
Mash and mix patties
- Add the dry beans to the bowl.
- Using a potato masher or fork, mash about two-thirds of the beans, leaving the rest whole for texture.
- Stir in the cilantro, panko, beaten egg, the rest of the patty salt and the pepper.
- Mix with a spatula for about 1 minute until the mixture holds together when squeezed in your fist.
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Ready when: A handful squeezed in your fist holds its shape without crumbling or feeling wet. If it is sticky-wet, add 1 extra tbsp panko.
Tip: Do not purée the beans in a food processor; a smooth paste makes gummy patties.
Shape and chill patties
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions of about 150 g each.
- Shape each into a patty about 3½ inches (9 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Place on one parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely and refrigerate for 20 minutes so they firm up.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm to the touch and hold their shape when lifted.
Tip: Make the patties the same width as the buns will be (about 3½ inches) so they fit neatly.
Preheat and heat liquidsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a second baking sheet with parchment.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, neutral oil and dough salt.
- Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, watching so it doesn't boil over, then remove from the heat immediately.
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Ready when: The mixture is at a rolling boil with bubbles across the whole surface.
Tip: Measure the tapioca starch into a large bowl before heating the milk so you can pour right away while it's boiling hot.
Scald the starch
- Put the tapioca starch in a large heatproof bowl.
- Pour the boiling milk mixture over it all at once and stir vigorously with a sturdy spatula for about 2 minutes until no dry starch remains.
- The dough will look translucent, gluey and stretchy.
- Let it stand for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until just warm to the touch.
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Ready when: No dry pockets of starch remain, and the dough is only warm (about 110°F / 43°C), not hot.
Tip: Adding eggs to hot dough cooks them and makes buns dense, so be patient with the cooling.
Beat in eggs and cheese
- Add the beaten eggs in two additions, stirring hard after each until the dough looks smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes total.
- The dough will first seem to separate, then come back together.
- Stir in the Parmesan and mozzarella until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, very sticky and thick like soft cookie dough, and slowly falls from the spatula.
Tip: If the dough feels stiff and dry, stir in 1 tbsp milk. If it is too runny to hold a mound, stir in 1 tbsp tapioca starch.
Portion the buns
- Wet your hands with cold water.
- Divide the dough into 8 portions of about 95 g each (a scant ½ cup).
- Roll each into a ball, set on the parchment-lined sheet at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart, then press gently to flatten into discs about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Rewet your hands as the dough sticks.
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Ready when: Eight evenly sized, smooth-topped discs sit on the sheet with space between each.
Tip: Don't flour your hands; extra starch makes the surface dry and cracked. Water works best.
Bake buns and pattiesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Brush the tops of the chilled patties with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the remaining olive oil.
- Put the patties on the upper rack and the buns on the lower rack of the 400°F (200°C) oven.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until the patties are lightly golden on the bottom and the buns have puffed.
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Ready when: Buns are puffed with pale gold tops; patties are set and golden underneath.
Tip: Keep the oven door closed for the first 12 minutes; opening it early can make the buns collapse.
Flip and finish bakingOven 400°F / 205°C
- Carefully flip each patty with a thin spatula and brush with the last 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil.
- Switch the positions of the baking sheets and bake another 12 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- Check that a thermometer inserted into the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C).
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Ready when: Buns are deep golden with a firm, crisp crust; patties are browned with crisp edges and reach 160°F (71°C) in the center.
Tip: If the buns brown faster than the patties, move the buns to the lower rack and bake the patties a few minutes longer.
Rest buns, make mayo
- Remove everything from the oven and let the buns rest on the sheet for 10 minutes; they will deflate slightly and the insides will set.
- Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, lime zest and 1 tbsp lime juice in a small bowl.
- Season the tomato slices with a pinch of salt if you haven't already.
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Ready when: Buns are warm, not piping hot, and feel light with a firm crust. Mayo is smooth and pale green-flecked.
Tip: Cutting into the buns straight from the oven makes the insides gummy, so give them the full rest.
Assemble the burgers
- Cut each bun in half horizontally with a serrated knife, or use 2 discs per burger as top and bottom.
- Spread lime mayo on both halves.
- Layer the bottom with a patty, 2 tomato slices and a handful of greens, then add the top bun.
- Serve right away while the buns are warm.
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Tip: Put the greens against the patty rather than the bun, so the bun's crisp crust stays dry.
Good to know
Tips
- Wet hands, not floured hands, are the secret to shaping sticky pão de queijo dough.
- Weigh the dough portions (about 95 g each) so the buns bake evenly and match the patty size.
- For extra crunch, bake the patties on a wire rack set over the baking sheet so the bottoms do not steam.
- A slightly underbaked pale bun will be doughy inside. Bake until the tops are deep golden and the crust feels firm.
Make ahead
"Shape the patties up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate on the parchment-lined sheet. The shaped, unbaked bun dough discs can be frozen on a sheet until solid, then bagged for up to 1 month; bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 28–30 minutes. The lime mayo keeps for 3 days in the fridge."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: buns are best the day they're baked; keep leftovers covered up to 8 hours. Fridge: store patties and buns separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days (assembled burgers get soggy). Freezer: freeze cooled patties and buns separately for up to 2 months. Reheat buns and patties from fridge or frozen on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 8–12 minutes until hot and the buns are crisp again.
Substitutions
- Parmesan cheese → Finely grated aged Minas cheese, queijo meia cura or Pecorino Romano. Minas is the traditional Brazilian choice; use the same weight.
- panko breadcrumbs → Certified gluten-free breadcrumbs or cooked white rice (¾ cup / 120 g). Makes the whole burger gluten-free. If using rice, mash it into the beans well.
- baby arugula or watercress → Baby spinach, thinly sliced collard greens or butter lettuce. Collards are the classic Brazilian pairing; slice into thin ribbons and toss with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime.
- mayonnaise → Plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Same amount; adds extra tang. Add a pinch of salt.