Namushasha River Lodge Veggie or Vegan Burger

Finding a vegan burger in Namibia, or anywhere in Southern Africa, isn’t the easiest taste. Finding a vegan burger in Namibia that tastes fresh and bursts with flavour is an even bigger feat. However, as the world changes its outlook on consumption to be more sustainable, households and consumers are steering towards plant-based diets. Trends like “Meatless Mondays” and “wheatless Wednesdays” drive awareness and demand for more plant-based options and recipes.

Gondwana Collections Namibia prides itself on being a company that focuses on being eco-friendly and minimizing the harmful footprint they leave behind. They do this by investing in solar energy for lodges, responsible waste management by all properties, and sustainable construction methods. Still, the secret to Gondwana’s sustainability is the Gondwana Self-Sufficiency Centre (SSC) which supplies most of the Gondwana properties with fresh meat and other produce.

Namushasha River Lodge reaps the benefits of this fresh produce with delicious salads, buffets and even burgers. Namushasha also encourages and caters to guests who follow a vegan or plant-based diet, with vegan options on the menu. Options such as the delicious option of building your own burger with a choice of a delicious sauce.

Namushasha River Lodge, Campsite, and Villa showcase the Zambezi River in a magnificent light with the calming hum of river life. Namushasha River Lodge is a fisherman’s dream; however, relaxation is a high priority with many boat cruises, bars, restaurants, and even game drives.

When planning your next trip to the north of Namibia, add Namushasha River Lodge to the top of the list and be sure to try their vegan burger in Namibia with red wine sauce while there! If waiting for your next visit isn’t an option, then we have got you covered – check out the famous recipe below and wow your vegan and vegetarian friends.

Vegan burger

Vegan Patty Ingredients

  • 250 g sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 50 g large brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 10 g breadcrumbs
  • 10 g each of fresh coriander and dill, roughly chopped
  • 60 ml oil for frying
  • Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

  • 4 sliced, multi-seed bread rolls
  • 100 g mayo
  • 50 g Italian leaf mix
  • 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
  • 4 slices (vegan) cheese slices
  • 2 avocados
  • 2 buns of your choice

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Rub the sweet potato with salt and pepper and a bit of oil and place it on a baking sheet.
  3. Roast the sweet potato until soft and cooked through (about 20-25 minutes).
  4. Place in a mixing bowl along with the barley and spelt mix, chopped mushrooms, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
  5. Mix all the ingredients together until well combined and then shape into patties.
  6. Heat a non-stick pan and add the oil. On medium heat, fry the patties until crisp and golden brown. Cook the burgers in small batches to avoid the patties breaking, turning
  7. once.
  8. To build the burgers, spread the vegan mayo inside the rolls. Then, add a few lettuce leaves to the bottom slice along with tomato slices, red wine sauce, the cooked patty, a slicof the (vegan) cheese, and topped with half an avocado, fanned.
  9. Serve with chips or any other side of preference.

Red Wine Gravy

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup shallots sliced in rounds
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used sliced crimini)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 cups veggie broth (see notes)
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 2 Tbsp water mixed to make a slurry
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  1. Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat.
  2. Add the shallots and saute over medium-low heat until beginning to caramelize.
  3. Add the mushrooms and stir, allowing them to start browning.
  4. Sprinkle the salt over top and stir.
  5. Add the red wine to the pan slowly, using your spoon to scrape up any brown bits and deglaze the pan. Bring the red wine to a simmer.
  6. Add the veggie broth and return to a simmer.
  7. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the gravy and whisk to ensure it mixes in thoroughly.
  8. Add the thyme leaves (simply slide your fingers down the stem to release the leaves) to the gravy and stir.
  9. Simmer until the gravy has reduced and slightly thickened. Remove from heat, strain if desired, and serve!