Couscous hamburger – MARTINO’s Couscous

The fast rhythms of modern life require us to eat out of the home many days of the week, especially for those of us who have full-time jobs. The question always becomes how we maintain a healthy lifestyle and clean eating habits without spending hours in the kitchen or a fortune in restaurants. Planning in advance and preparing your meals ahead can be a real lifesaver in this situation.

Today we propose a healthy snack which you can prepare in half an hour but that can account for one week’s work of snacks. These couscous hamburgers are made with very few and simple ingredients and you can refrigerate them to have your work lunch pack ready every morning.

Recipe by Giallo Zafferano’ Sara Bonaccorsi

 

Here is how to prepare the couscous hamburger

Ingredients:

• 100 grams of Martino Couscous
• 1 courgette
• 1 carrot
• 50 grams of scamorza cheese
• breadcrumbs as needed
• 200 ml of water
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• pepper as needed
• salt as needed

Directions:

Hydrate the couscous:
As always use a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, pour 200 ml of water and one teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, pour 100 grams of Martino Couscous making sure you are spreading it evenly. Cover with a lid and set aside for about 4-5 minutes.

Once the couscous is fully hydrated and has absorbed all the water, drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and fluff it with the help of a fork. This will remove any lumps and separate the delicate grains without crushing them to give the couscous a light, fluffy texture.

Prepare the vegetables:
Wash the courgette and the carrot thoroughly and then grate them in a saucepan. Add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt and a pinch of pepper. Mix well and place the saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes.

When the vegetables are well cooked you can add the hydrated couscous and the 50 grams of scamorza cheese. Then with the help of a wooden spoon mix the ingredients. The warmth of the vegetables will help the cheese melt and you will obtain an amalgamated mixture.

Prepare for baking:
Place parchment paper in a baking tray and use a small baking ring to shape the hamburgers. Fill in the baking ring with the couscous mixture and press lightly to make the surface even. Remove the baking ring and continue with the next hamburger. Make sure to leave at least a one-inch distance between the burgers!

Sprinkle each hamburger with breadcrumbs and a pour a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. Now you are ready to bake.

Baking:
Place the baking tray in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. When the hamburgers become golden on the surface you are ready to remove and serve them.

Serving:
You are now ready to assemble your delicious hamburger! Spread some spicy mayo on the base of each bun and lay one of those mouthwatering couscous burgers on it. Top with some sliced avocado, tomato, cheese and micro greens. Or if you are in a mood for a lighter dish forget about the buns and serve your couscous burgers with a side salad of your preference.

If you are tired of eating fast food and your work doesn’t allow you to spend long hours in the kitchen cooking meals, these couscous hamburgers are ideal for you. After preparing them you can refrigerate the burgers and take one or two each day to prepare a delicious hamburger that you can take to work with you. The same could be also for your children’s school snacks. If you want more time saving precooked ideas with couscous subscribe to our newsletter to receive them directly in your inbox.

Maintaining a healthy diet while working shouldn’t be hard. Give a try to this couscous burgers. Pre-cook them and save them in the refrigerator. You will be surprised at how much time you will save.

Experiment with your favorite toppings and leave us a comment to tell us about your favorite hamburger combinations.