This is a Veggie Burger recipe created by a carnivore, for carnivores. It is not a vegetarian burger pretending to be a meat burger, packed with obscure ingredients. This is just a flavour packed, juicy veggie patties that’s satisfyingly meaty with great texture!
Veggie Burger
A vegetarian burger will never taste like a beef burger. So forget trying to fake meat. Just make a tasty, meat free burger!
My idea of a perfect Veggie Burger is one that has less beans* and more veggies, a golden crust on the outside, moist on the inside but not soggy ( <– notorious problem with veggie burgers), with a nice meaty texture.
It only contains “normal” ingredients and most importantly, it has to be ultra tasty. I’m not willing to compromise on deliciousness just because this is meat free. It has to be just as tasty in its own right!!!
The BEST veggie burger gets a savoury flavour boost from mushrooms and parmesan. It has a meaty texture and a golden crust!
* Most Veggie Burgers are quite high in beans, presumably because it’s the easy solution. But beans tend to have a dense mushy texture, rather than a meaty texture, and they make the flavour of the veggie pattie excessively “beany” which is not what I wanted.
The secret to a killer veggie burger Veggie Burger….
Bake the beans and vegetables to dry them out slightly. This serves three purposes:
removing excess water to eliminate the soggy patty issue
improving the burger texture
intensifying flavour.
For the vegetables, I use mushrooms and carrots.
Mushrooms add great savoury flavour and add to the “meatiness” of the patty;
Carrots – I use carrots because it’s a low water content veg plus I like that it adds little bits of colour to the burger.
As for the beans, I use cannellini beans mainly for colour purposes. Other beans will work just fine – I’ve made this with red kidney beans, black beans, butter beans and chickpeas.
When you pull them out of the oven, they will look thoroughly unappetising. Wrinkled and dry. And that’s exactly what you want!!!
↑↑↑ Always amazes me how much mushrooms shrink. 🙂
Veggie burgers are healthier than beef burgers because they’re loaded with more nutrition and have far less fat.
4 STAGE BLITZ
I think you’ve already got the gist that texture is key with Veggie Burgers. Biting into a glorious towering burger only to find the patty is so soft it oozes out the sides and has the texture of baby food is truly one of the saddest food experiences you’ll ever have.
So here’s my (other) rule for a killer Veggie Burger – a 4 Stage Blitz. It’s key to control texture.
Blitz 1:
The cashews. Trust me, you need them. They add soft bits of texture into the Veggie Burger Mixture. Can’t separately identify it in the end result, but when you bite into it, you’ll notice if they’re absent. Blitz these first until they are chunky breadcrumbs.
Blitz 2:
Add the wrinkly dried out beans, carrots and mushrooms. Blitz again until they are crumbs. Don’t blitz into powder otherwise you lose texture – and remember, there’s still 2 blitzes to go!
Blitz 3:
Add the Flavourings. Parmesan, garlic, paprika, mayo (bit of fat + flavour), salt and pepper, plus egg to bind and some breadcrumbs to reduce some of the moisture content of the Veggie Burger mixture. Blitz again until it’s all well combined and it has a texture like meat mince (ground beef).
There’s room to move on the amount of blitzing in this step, as long as you can still see “bits” in the mixture. In the burger photo at the top of the post, I blitzed the mixture more than pictured in the step photo below so the side of the burger looks smoother.
Blitz 4:
Add brown rice and shallots / green onions, then blitz very quickly just to disperse. Don’t over blitz – if the rice gets mushed up, it turns gummy and gluey.
The brown rice adds more texture and oomph to the Veggie Burger. I tried it with and without, and it really makes a difference to make the Veggie Burger more “meaty”.
The shallots add freshness – you could sub this with chives or parsley, but don’t sub with onion or leek (they’re too watery).
The mixture should be wet enough so it holds together when you make patties, but it shouldn’t get stuck on your hands. If the mixture is too wet, add a touch of extra breadcrumbs and blitz quickly to disperse.
Not too thick, not too thin
I know, I know, you want gigantic, super thick Veggie Burgers. I’ve been there, and discovered the hard way that you can’t be greedy when it comes to Veggie Burgers.
Anything thicker than 2cm / 0.8″, and you’ll started experiencing soggy insides.
Any thinner than 1.3 cm, and it starts becoming more like crisp fritters.
So use this mixture to make between 4 to 6 patties that are about 10cm / 4″ rounds and no thicker than 1.8 cm / 0/7″ thick. Sensible size (6 patties), Standard (5 patties) or Mega (4 patties).
Golden crust
With beef burgers, it’s all about cooking hard and fast, and ensuring the inside isn’t overcooked. With Veggie burgers, it’s the opposite – ensuring the heat is low enough so it cooks all the way through without burning the outside.
Also – no skimping on oil! You need it, to ensure you get a nice golden crust on the burgers. Veggie Burgers have very little fat compared to beef burgers. So you need it!
And here it is! Hopefully you can see from the photo that the inside looks firm but still moist, with plenty of texture. It’s by no means crunchy at all, all those “bits” you see give the patty meatiness so you feel like you’re biting into something substantial rather that something soft and wimpy.
Just like a meaty beef burger! 😂
Worth the effort
There’s no denying it. Veggie Burgers take more effort than making beef burgers.
Is it worth it?
YES. No question about it.
It is actually really hard to buy a good veggie burger, at least here in my area. The ones at the supermarket are just offensive. And every time I’ve taken the plunge and chosen a veggie over a meat burger when I’m eating out, I’ve always been disappointed.
And it was one such disappointing experience that kicked me into action to make a killer homemade Veggie Burger.
It’s everything a burger should be – it’s satisfying, it’s juicy, it’s “meaty” and most importantly of all, it’s so darn tasty! – Nagi x
More really great recipes that just happen to be Vegetarian
Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)
Browse Vegetarian recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
Beans and Veggies:
- 250g/8oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 400g / 14 oz can cannellini beans, drained (Note 1)
- 1 large carrot , grated
Patties:
- 1/2 cup (70g) cashews, raw unsalted (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup (55g) panko breadcrumbs (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 tsp each paprika, salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup (150g) cooked brown rice (Note 4)
- 3/4 cup green onions , sliced
Burger:
- 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil (or other)
- Soft buns, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles, sauces, avocado, beetroot
On the side
Instructions
Beans and Veggies:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan/convection).
- Pile mushrooms on a baking tray. Drizzle over oil, toss, then spread on the tray.
- Spread beans on another tray, sprinkle carrots all over.
- Put beans on top shelf and mushrooms on the shelf underneath.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until surface of beans is dried out and splitting and they look thoroughly unappetising, and the carrots around the edge of the tray are a bit golden. (Note 5) Remove tray with beans from oven.
- Move mushrooms to top shelf, bake for further 10 minutes until dried out and wrinkly. Remove from oven, cool.
Patties:
- Place cashews in food processor. Blitz until they are breadcrumb size, don’t blitz to powder.
- Add beans, mushrooms and carrot. Blitz on high for 10 seconds or until chopped to large crumb size (see video and photos).
- Add breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, garlic, paprika, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Blitz for 15 – 30 seconds until it comes together like meat burger mixture but you can still see bits in it. (Note 6)
- Add rice and shallots, blitz for 2 seconds until just dispersed (over blitzed rice = gluey).
- Mixture should hold together well to form patties, but not stick to hands. If too wet, add breadcrumbs. If too crumbly, blitz more.
- Shape into 4 – 6 patties, between 1.5 – 1.8cm / 0.6 – 0.7″ thick and 10cm / 4″ wide (Note 7). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To Cook – Stove:
- Cook burgers cold, straight from the fridge.
- Heat 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil skillet on the stove over medium to medium-high heat.
- Add 3 – 4 patties and cook until deep golden and crispy, 4 minutes. Carefully flip then cook the other side for 4 minutes until golden, then transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain.
BBQ:
- Cook cold, straight from fridge. Brush BBQ and Veggie patties with oil. Heat BBQ to medium high. Cook 4 minutes each side until a nice dark crust forms.
Assemble:
- Toast buns, spread top bun with relish or sauce of choice. Top with your choice of burger fillings and the Veggie Burger, then more sauce if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
At a weekend gathering. His eyes are just at eye level. What torture for him! 😂
Wowww just made these, an absolute hit!!! Even better than meat burgers🙈 thanks a lot for the recipe!!!
That’s wonderful to hear Maria! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 N x
Me and the Hubby are both meat eaters. We LOVED this recipe. Thumbs up!
Omg i have been left speechless, i made this today and they tasted soooooooo good. Nagi, i have neer attempted to cook or have liked it very much but since finding your blog i am sideways thinking about which one of your recipes i should try next. Hands down you are my favourite food blogger ever! Thank you thank you!
I love these veggie burgers too! I’m SO GLAD you like them too 🙂 N x
I did a bit of research before deciding on this recipe and this one made sense so I gave it a try. They were a hit! My first time making a vege burger too. I have two vegetarians in the house so I really wanted them to be good. My husband loves cheese burgers and was skeptical but he loved them too. We will definitely have again! Thank you for this great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it Trisha! Thanks for letting me know – N x
I rarely leave comments but these are worth it. A bit time consuming but really really worth it. And I broke up the steps during the day and then they come together really quickly. EVEN my husband, who usually isnt a huge veggie burger fan, told me that I should definitely save this recipe and use it from now on.thanks a lot for the awesome recipe.
Thanks for the feedback Amal! Glad you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
LOVED THESE!!! They are a bit time consuming to make but so worth it. Next time I will make the patties smaller since they are so filling. I realized after I had formed the patties that i totally forgot the mayo, but honestly they still turned out great. The only addition I made was to add smoked paprika (I am obsessed with it). Oh, and I did use whole wheat panko bread crumbs. Yummy.
I love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Vickie! N x
This recipe looks yummy and makes a lot of sense! One question – what about almond meal as a replacement for the cashews? I have a lot on hand and always looking for ways to use it up! Thanks! I’ll let you kno whow they turn out!
HI Kathryn! I haven’t tried that but I think it might dry out the patties a bit because the cashews are only chopped to chunks 🙂 N x
Made these last night for dinner and they were amazing! I have been a vegetarian my entire 24 years of life so I am a self proclaimed tasting expert in the many, many different veggie burgers out there and this one is definitely one of my favorites if not the best one. Thanks for the recipe. Now I shall figure out how to make it vegan for my sister.
Glad you enjoyed it Alexandria! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Delish!! This has to be the best veggie burger Ive made (& Ive made plenty of them). I followed the recipe & the burgers turned out exactly as the photos. Definitely worth making. My hubby loved them too.
Love hearing that Nat! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
These are delicious! Followed the recipe exactly, and they turned out perfectly, even when reheated the next day. Best of all, meat-loving hubbie pronounced them really good. Your pink sauce was the perfect accompaniment. I will be making these often!
That’s terrific! So pleased you enjoyed this Susan – N x
These were amazing. I made them when ALDI were selling dried Porcini mushrooms. Roasted some fresh ones but just chucked the dried ones in as well ……. unbelievable. Thankyou for what you do because you do it so well.
Genius. Totally take this to another level!
Thank you Nagi, these are delicious! For those with the dreaded legume intolerance, I used chestnuts (the festive kind, not water chestnuts) in place of the cannelli beans and prepared them in the same way as the beans in your recipe. This seemed to work and they imparted a lovely smoky flavour. I’ll definitely be making these again! xx
What a brilliant idea Vivienne! THANK YOU for sharing that! N xx
I love your recipes! Just wondering if you could suggest a substitute for the mushrooms? Thanks so much.
I love your recipes! Just wondering if you could suggest a substitute for the mushrooms? Thanks so much. Sala
Hi Sala! I’m sorry I don’t have a suggestion to sub for them. Is it that you don’t like them? Oh! Actually – I would add more parmesan 🙂 Another 1/3 cup or so, and reduce the salt!
Afraid not a huge fan of mushrooms. Also it’s often difficult to get them (I live in Tanzania). So if I drop the mushrooms all together and increase the parmesan? Thanks, will give it a go. Your recipes are incredible!
I just love your site Nagi! The handmade gnocci, the vegetarian lasagne, the stuffed chicken breast – I’m yet to make something that isn’t delicious!
Just a question about pulsing the ingredients – I have a very small food processor so could I pulse everything separately and then mix it together, or is the pulsing everything together necessary to make it stick?
I’m so pleased you’re enjoying y recipes Kristal!! You sure can – for the things you pulse first, blitz for longer then squidge it all together with your hands. You’ll know if you blitzed long enough because the mixture should hold together like beef mince 🙂 N x
WOW! These are awesome. I’ve been looking for a good recipe for a long time. The commercial product I used to buy doesn’t seem to be available in my area anymore. And the one restaurant in my area that made a really good veggie burger is now out of business. So what a treat to finally find a recipe that is as good, or better, than either of them. Thank you so much. I will cherish this recipe.
Yes yes yes! Can’t tell you how much I love hearing from people who have tried this recipe, I worked so hard on this one! 🙂 N x
Hi may I know if there’s an alternative for mayo? Thank you!
Skip it! 🙂
Nagi –
This looks like another “keeper”, thank you! I’d love to make these for a friend who cannot eat cashews; do you think unsalted peanuts might work as a substitute?
A veggie burger? I definitely need to try this! Those patties looks super tasty.
I made these for my family of 3 carnivores and one vegan and it was a hit. These are truly delicious. I roasted the veggies one day and finished prepping the next. This made this a doable recipe for a weeknight dinner. We topped them with cheese at the end. Next time I will leave them plain because I don’t think that it improved the taste. In lieu of cashews and white beans, I used black beans and walnuts. I look forward to varying the veggies, beans and nuts on future iterations of this awesome recipe. In the past I have made homemade hamburger buns from the recipe on King Arthur Flour’s website. Next time I make these burgers, I will serve the on the homemade buns because a burger this good deserves a special bun! Thank you!
Christine, how did you replace the egg for your vegan family member? Did you use a flax egg?