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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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! 😂
OMG they are delish! Thanks for all of your great recipes
So great to hear Helen!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
I have been on a quest to find a homemade veggie burger that I really love that can be made ahead of time, frozen and cooked either indoors or grilled. I can’t tell you how many disappointments I have had. But I think I finally found the one here! I know there are no directions for grilling these, but my son, when grilling beef burgers for the rest of the family, threw these on the grill too. They didn’t fall apart, like most veggie burgers do on the grill, and they were delicious! I would suggest brushing them with just a little oil before grilling. I can se that these are going to be on the menu many times. Homemade barbecue sauce brushed on the outside would also be terrific, I think. Thanks so much for this fabulous recipe!
So great to hear Vivian!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this and reminding me to include grilling directions! I brushed the grill with oil as well as brushing the patties, and my key tip is to cook straight out of the fridge 🙂 Glad you enjoyed them on the BBQ! – N x
YES!! YES!
I’m so excited to try these Nagi!!
My family of carnivores has changed to mostly vegetarian. This recipe is REALLY EXCITING!
Hope you love it! I’m a little obsessed with these at the moment 🙂 N xx
THEY ARE DELICIOUS! OMGosh!
The flavour is good & so is the texture. I would like to try this with macadamia nuts!
Terrific to hear Josie!!! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this! N xx
I’m officially addicted to these burgers. I love how you can get them really brown and crusty. I’m going to try freezing a couple to see how they go.
They freeze great once cooked! They go a bit wetter inside if frozen raw 🙂 So glad you liked these Cathy, I’m a bit addicted to these too! N xx
Nagi,
This recipe is amazing! Thank you for sharing. However, could you please convey the recipe or the link to the recipe for the sauce you put on the burger? It looks sooo good!
Regards!
I see what you mean about being a little wetter, they still taste great. I did try baking them in the oven to partially pre-cook before freezing and then pan fried them to get them brown crispy. That worked well and they were similar to burgers that were cooked fresh. Good luck at the conference and I hope that all goes well for poor Dozer, he looks so sad that he can’t run around.
Thanks Cathy! It is definitely a bit wetter if stored raw so I recommend cooking before freezing 🙂 I have storage and make ahead tips in the recipe notes! N xx
Thanks, I should have checked your notes. Your recipes and tips are so comprehenisve, I should have expected nothing less!!
Your recipes are my ‘go to’ for anything to cook. They are the best ever.i would be lost without you now.
Recipe looks awesome!! Oh my goodness 😱 have you seen the hickory smoked almonds at Woolies? I’m making them with THEM! 😄😂
Hi Nagi what’s happening you have been late the last 2 recipes hope everything is ok and your well,eagerly awaiting your Fridays recipe ready for tomorrows shopping list.love your blog and recipes yesterday I tried your Italian baked meatballs I had to triple the recipe for my adult family and grandchildren 14 in all it was great everyone loved it I especially loved not having to stand and fry about 75 meatballs.
Thank you Nagi for your wonderful recipes and blog keep up your good work hope all is well with you and dozer.
Rhonda.
Nagi
In the recipe for Veggie Burger it states shallots/green onion. Does that mean and/or or both shallot and green onions.
Thanks
I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first. Then I remember this veggie burger i used to order at this restaurant they have in the States that I LOVED. So I thought, if anyone can make a veggie burger delicious, I’m sure it’s Nagi. This looks amazing. I actually want to try and make it. And I’m pretty excited about it. Love the tip on baking the veggies and beans to release the water. Now I only have one question…is it blasphemy to put bacon on a veggie burger?
I had to reply to this! I laughed and thought.. HECK NO it ain’t blasphemy! 😂 In fact, I need to go get me some bacon for the burgers tomorrow! 😜
This really is a five star recipe! The only substitute I made was pecan and sunflower seeds in exchange for cashews.
Thank you Nagi for this recipe and thank you Dozer for my daily dose of doggy.
Made this tonight for dinner. Absolutely delicious thanks to your detailed notes. Added parsley and a touch of Moroccan spice from Woolies to the mixture, instead of the paprika. Ended up with eight good size burgers, served two each for hubby and myself with a mixed green salad. So quick, healthy, easy and very yum. Dinner done and dusted for tomorrow night as well. This is a great week day dinner or anytime really. Will be making again. Thanks Nagi.
WHOOT WHOOT WHOOT! I am so glad you enjoyed this Elizabeth, I must confess this was one of the more challenging recipes I’ve created in recent times! Thank you for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed them! N xx PS Love the Moroccan spice touch!
Thank you Nagi, I appreciate all the work you have put into making these. I have tried so many recipes for veggie burgers and patties as I like to serve them to vegetarians as a meat alternative at a meal or BBQ but have always been slightly disappointed with the results. It was only last week I was eating a frittata filled with mushrooms and I thought that meatiness from the mushrooms is what’s missing in a burger. Yay, I’m really excited about making these as they sound perfect. 😃
Hi Nagi, how can I make a vegan version of this? What Can I sub out for the Parmesan and egg?
Hi Lareina! I’m haven’t attempted to make this vegan but if I were to, this is what I’d do: I would skip the egg, sub the parmesan with nutritional yeast (not sure how much though), add 2 tbsp of flour, and I would add the rice in Blitz #2 instead of Blitz #4, to chop it up a bit and make it “stickier” to help bind the burger. 🙂 If you try this, I’d love to know how you go! N xx
You are fantastic,such of effort for us!!!?
I will make this over the weekend.I am very grateful for what you do for us,thank you!
Truthfully, this recipe was such a pain to create that I wanted to document it properly!! Also I think it’s one of those recipes where showing specifics for each stage is quite helpful 🙂 I really hope you love it! N xx
Hmmm…what is Dozer’s take on VEGGIE burgers? His wolfie ancestors are twirling in the dust! But, not being canine in nature…I think I will try this combo. Thanks, Nagi!
Ha! He was eyeing it like it was a steak 🙄
These look great! I think that I might try smoked paprika to add a bit of grilled flavour.
Oooh yes to that! PS try grilling them they’re terrific! N xx
Now you’re talking! I might even get my ruler out!! 🙂
It’s the most my ruler has been used in the kitchen!!! 😂
Hi Nagi
I’m wondering (just like Allison posted above) if another nut could be used? We have allergies and cashews and walnuts are a no-no , however almonds don’t present a problem…would these work? Or is there a substitute for the nuts in general? 🤞
Hi Julia! Absolutely can be subbed. Almonds and macadamias would be great, or even sun flower seeds! N xx PS Added this in the recipe notes. 🙂
My two granddaughters (18 and 21) are vegetarians (just recently). One of the girls is allergic to nuts. What could I substitute for the cashews? I’m really anxious (after grocery shopping) to try these.
Hi Joanna! I added a note for subs for the cashews, I recommend sun flower seeds 🙂 They are not a nut. N xx
I’m no Nagi, but I substitute sunflower seeds for any kind of nut even when making “peanut” butter or pesto. They are so versitile. They taste different roasted and raw, but either way work in everything I have tried so far. Of course they are untested in this recipe, so no guarantees
Oooh yes I would happily use sunflowers too! Thanks so much for helping Johanna out. You’re a rock star! N xx PS Updated recipe with alternatives to the cashew nuts.