This post is going to be both a recipe and a review. We’ve been dying to get our hands on The Beyond Burger, and it finally happened over the weekend. This is what we came up with and what we thought of it… Here are our Champ burger and fries!
When I was a kid, my favorite fast food burger was a Cheese Champ from Checkers. Okay, okay… it was a double with bacon. Anyways, there was something about a Champ burger – even without cheese and bacon – that just made it taste better than other fast food burgers. To this day, I’m not exactly sure what it is; I simply chalk it up to the exact combination of ingredients and the way the burger is prepared.
Of course, I can’t mention Checkers without mentioning their signature seasoned fries. As soon as we decided we were going to copy a Champ burger, we knew we would have to do the fries, as well. A Champ burger without matching fries would be sad and lonely. We did our research, got to work in the kitchen, and cranked out a stunning facsimile! Okay, so on to the review…
All I can say is: holy s**t!!! This tasted exactly how I remember it! The Beyond Burger is definitely the meatiest veggie burger we’ve ever had, hands down. At first, we were both a little bit nervous to bite in because it looks – and to some degree even smelled – so real, but it tasted so good, the weirdness of the realism quickly subsided. That being said, although this tasted very much like a real hamburger – the closest I’ve ever had – the fat did not taste like animal fat, and I think that made all the difference. If it had that certain quality real lard has, and it was convincing, I think that would have grossed out me out. It also didn’t “bleed,” and I think I am thankful for that, too. I’m glad to report it was all the good flavors without any of the gross stuff. There’s no way they’re gonna make it in my mouth.
For the cheese, we used Daiya Cheddar Style Slices. I have to say, I think we like them better than Chao. I’d need to do a back-to-back to be certain, but they melt nicely and they have a rich, creamy flavor. I would definitely use them again for something like this. We also made really good grilled cheese sandwiches with the same bacon we put on the burgers, which is Smart Bacon by Lightlife – our favorite kind of veggie bacon that we’ve tried so far. I’m sure you’ll love it too.
A perfectly seasoned and seared Beyond Burger topped with melted Daiya cheese, crispy Smart Bacon, tomato, red onion, shredded lettuce, dill pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayo on a toasted sesame seed bun. Served with battered cajun fries.
Ingredients
- The Beyond Burger
- Vegan cheese – we used Daiya
- Vegan bacon – we used Smart Bacon
- Vegan mayo – we used Just Mayo
- Beefsteak tomato, sliced thick
- Red onion, sliced
- Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- Dill pickle chips
- Mustard
- Ketchup
- Sesame seed bun
- Dash of seasoned salt and cracked pepper
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" strips
- 3/4 cup baking mix (aka pancake mix)
- 1/2 cup club soda
- 1 tbsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Coarse sea salt
- Cracked pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat a griddle or heavy bottom frying pan over medium heat.
- Season the top of the burger patty with a dash of seasoned salt and cracked pepper. Flip onto griddle and season the other side the same. Fry on each side for 3 to 4 minutes, leaving the burger still. Fry veggie bacon along at the same time, letting it cook in the oil from the burger.
- After the burger has cooked on both sides, place a slice of cheese on top and cover with a lid until the cheese is melted.
- Place burger and bacon strips on bun and assemble the burgers.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and soak the cut potatoes in it until you see the starch come off – the water gets cloudy. Rinse and repeat.
- Lay the potatoes out on paper towels, pat dry, and sprinkle generously with salt to help remove excess moisture before frying.
- In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients with a whisk. Then add club soda and whisk until smooth.
- Lightly coat each potato with batter by dunking the potato wedge in the batter and then wiping the batter off with your fingers so only a thin later is left. Do this one at a time and set each one aside on another dish.
- Deep fry the battered potatoes at 350º F for 3 to 4 minutes in small batches. Use metal tongs to quickly but gently drop the fries into the oil. Remove with a slotted spoon or basket, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and then generously season with coarse salt and cracked pepper. I found 3:30 to be the perfect frying time for mine. If you don't have a deep fryer, you can use a heavy bottom pan or dutch oven on the stovetop.
Notes
I adapted the recipe for the fries from Healthy Junk Food.
The first time I tried to make the fries, I totally screwed them up. They were too cold after sitting in an ice bath for over an hour, and I put way too much batter on them. The trick is to simply wash the starch off them with cold water, dry them and salt them, and then only coat them with a thin layer of batter. I also realized that I needed to tweak the recipe a bit to get the proportions just right.
The recipe for the fries makes enough fries for about four people. It's up to you how many burgers you want to make.
Make sure you check the ingredients on the hamburger buns, because some contain dairy.
Suggested Read: 11 Best Vegan Jamaican Recipes
Champ Burger Conclusion
Are you a burger and fries lover? These healthy vegan dishes will surely live up to its expectations. These appetizing treats are the best! Try out those dishes to make your meal more satisfying than ever.
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