Best Veggie Burger Recipe (Vegan)
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The best veggie burger recipe packed with protein from black beans, lentils, chickpeas and quick oats. Grillable, fat and juicy, easy to make, rich in fiber, no cholesterol and totally plant based.
Vegan Veggie Burger Ingredient Notes
- Beans & Lentils – I used a combo of lightly mashed black beans, chickpeas and whole French lentils. As long as you keep the ratio pretty much the same you could use kidney beans, pinto, cannellini, really whatever cooked beans you fancy.
- Oats – Quick oats are magical here, they make a great gluten free replacement for breadcrumbs yielding a sturdy burger texture that holds up to pan cooking or grilling on the outdoor grill. Also a great contribution to the the overall nutritional profile. If you don’t have any in the pantry they can be replaced with panko breadcrumbs in a pinch.
- Spices – a touch of smoked paprika, a little onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste and a good helping of nutritional yeast for a deep umami flavor. I also used a pinch of beetroot powder for color but it’s totally optional. A small roasted beet chopped up into small pieces or finely grated makes a great addition as well but not necessary.
- Herbs – a little bit of fresh parsley helps bring all the earthy deep flavors together, you could go for thyme, oregano or rosemary instead.
- Tapioca – this magical ingredient is the glue that keeps it all tightly together absorbing any extra moisture from the burgers.
- Soy Curls or TVP – Totally OPTIONAL but for an even meatier texture I prefer adding some rehydrated soy curls, finely chopped and drained of as much liquid as possible.
Why you’ll love them…
100% whole food plant based vegan
Hearty, healthy & filling
Protein packed
Lots of flavor
Meatless, no dairy, no eggs
Gluten-free.
Note worthy: If you are on the hunt for a Beyond Meat style burger recipe you’ll probably love this meaty soy curl version i did a while back.
How to Make the Best Vegan Veggie Burger
- Start with either home cooked beans, lentils and chickpeas or use organic canned ones. Drain them well and lightly mash them with a potato masher. Since the lentils are so tiny I leave those whole so just give the beans some love.
- If using rehydrated soy curls or TVP, make sure to drain and squeeze as much water as possible before adding it into the mix.
- Use a spatula to mix the beans together with the oats, soy curls, spices, herbs and tapioca until combined. You should be able to easily make burger patties that hold together beautifully and are easy to handle. If you feel the mixture is on the wet side feel free to add in another 1/4 cup of oats or a sprinkling of panko bread crumbs.
Cooking Methods
- Cast Iron Skillet – Once you make your patties you can pan sear them in a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet on medium heat until golden on both sides. Use a pair of kitchen tongs and also sear the edges of the burger to seal in the juices if you like.
- Oven Bake – Alternatively the patties can be baked in a 400″F oven for about 15 minutes flipping half way, or grilled directly on your outside grill. Make sure your grill is nice and hot and also give your burgers a light spray of oil so they don’t stick. Serve on buns or between slices of this homemade bread.
How to Make Firm Burger Patties
If after mixing your veggie burgers you would like them to be more firm you can add an additional 1/4 cup of oats into the mix or sprinkle in some coarse panko bread crumbs. Keep adding more oats or bread crumbs until desired firmness is achieved. It’a great idea to allow the patties to settle and cool off for a couple of minutes after cooking to firm up even more before serving.
Freezing Instructions
- Follow the recipe and form the burger patties as instructed.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet in the freezer until set.
- Transfer the frozen patties to a freezer proof lidded glass bowl individually wrapped in parchment paper. This will make it easy to remove them one at a time as needed.
Cooking frozen burgers is best done under the broiler for a few minutes on each side until golden, alternatively they can be baked in the oven.
Toppings Ideas
- vegan aioli sauce
- cashew queso
- oil-free hummus
- roasted bell peppers
- pickled cauliflower
- vegan tzatziki
- sun dried tomato pesto
- chimichurri sauce
- micro-greens, lettuce or spinach
- tomato & cucumber
- pickled red onion or caramelized onions
- green apple coleslaw
- jalapeños or peperoncini.
Best Veggie Burger (Vegan Recipe)
The best vegan veggie burger recipe packed with protein from black beans, lentils, chickpeas and oats. Grillable, fat and juicy, easy to make, rich in fiber, no cholesterol and totally plant based.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups cooked French lentils (do not use red lentils)
- 1.5 cups cooked black beans (15 oz can drained very well)
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (15 oz can drained very well)
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 cup soy curls OPTIONAL
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3-4 tbsp tapioca
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp chili powder or to taste
- 1 tsp beet root powder (OPTIONAL for color)
- 1/3 cup Italian parsley (chopped, or your favorite fresh herbs)
- sea salt + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using soy curls (or TVP) make sure to soak and rehydrate them in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain through a fine mesh sieve and using a spatula press out as much liquid as possible. Chop up the soy curls into small pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the black beans and chickpeas. Using a potato masher lightly mash them together until crushed but still hold some texture. (Make sure the beans and chickpeas are drained well, use a paper towel to pat them dry if needed).
- Add the cooked lentils, (soy curls or TVP if using), oats, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, onion, garlic and chili powders, parsley, tapioca and beet powder powder. Use a spatula and mix everything until combined well. Alternatively you can mix it all up in your stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
- Season generously to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and form into one inch thick patties. You should be able to get 8 good size patties out of the mixture.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium low heat and pan sear the burgers until golden brown to your liking on each side. (You can add a drop of oil if desired, omit for WFPB Plantricious diets).Serve on buns with this amazing vegan aioli, cashew queso and your favorite toppings like tomato, onion, pickles, lettuce or micro greens.
Notes
- Alternatively these veggie burgers can be baked in a 400"F oven for about 15 minutes flipping half way, or grilled directly on your outside grill. Make sure your grill is nice and hot and also give your burgers a light spray of oil so they don’t stick.
- It's really important that you drain the beans and lentils very well before making your burgers. The less moisture is added the better the patties will hold together and the more grillable they will be. Also the smaller you shape them the easier they are to handle overall.
- To make the burgers more firm just add more oats or panko bread crumbs as needed.
- Make sure to use French lentils or any green or brown lentil variety that holds their shape during cooking. The red lentils fall apart and turn into mush so DON'T use them here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1burger | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 576IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 6mg
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 277kcal
These veggie burgers are absolutely amazing, the first time I was able to get them to stick together and not fall apart during cooking. The flavor is fantastic and really quick to throw together. Will be making this all year long drizzled with the queso and aioli, a fantastic combo that is so next level. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us!
So I made these last Sunday for company and they were rather tasteless and dry. I cooked them on a griddle with very little oil. Today I took the mix out and added some steakhouse seasoning and some Nutzo butter and cooked them in a bit of refined coconut oil on the stovetop. WOW!!! These are definitley “good enough for company”, (that’s my bar) and I wanted to share my experience and my gratitude. Thank you for this one!!
Glad they eventually turned out great for you Suzi! I cooked both my beans and lentils for this recipe and had already seasoned them before using for the burgers. I should note that the seasonings will vary based on whatever canned beans one might use. I’d definitely up the seasonings for canned beans. Thanks for reporting back!
I know French lentils are smaller than regular green ones, but I can’t find them locally. Can I substitute?
Yes you can use brown or green ones, just not the red variety as those will turn to mush.
Wow ,this looks awesome, I need to grab a few bits and pieces but will send a comment again after I make them, Thank you
Also glad that I dont need stuff like methylcellulose to make it work. Thank you Florentina.