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 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
- Vegetarian Lasagna
- Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
- Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)
- Cheesy One Pot Vegetable Pasta
- Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo
- 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
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! 😂
Hi I was wondering if there is a substitute for the nuts? I really like the look of this recipe but have a member of the family that can’t have nuts.
Hi just asking the question again. Does anyone know if a substitute for nuts is possible?
Hi Shona, recipe note 2 says you could use sunflower seeds instead of nuts.
Just made these tonight, with black eyed peas & leftover black rice. Super delicious, just like every recipe you post😋
This is the only veggie burger I’ve made at home, but beats any veggie burger I’ve ever had at restaurants hands down!
Woah that’s awesome Leah – thanks so much for the great feedback! N x
I have made these several times now, each time a but differently, most commonly though I substitute the beans for brown lentils, use dried mushrooms instead of fresh and swap out the mayo for tomato paste, I’ve got some on the grill right now 😀
Oh yeah and i also use walnuts instead of cashews 😊
I’ve had a lot of veggie patties in my time but these are heads above any other. Definitely more time consuming than I would like but the end result is worth it!!
My veggies didn’t dry out enough in the oven so I added a little flour at the end. I don’t eat parmesan so subbed a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast. So good!!
I see in your pictures that you have beets on the burger. My mom loves beets so I’m just curious as to how you prepare them for the burger?
Hi Angie – these are tinned pickled beetroots, a standard on any Aussie burger 🙂 N x
Holy sh*t these are unbelievable! None of that funny weird taste that “vegetarian” burgers have. Will be making these again for sure.
I’m so glad you loved them Sandy!!! N x
Best Veggie burger recipe by far. You are right Nagi they don’t fall apart like other veggie burgers. These cooked easily on the bbq hot plate. The leftovers were frozen (cooked), defrosted, reheated and still kept their shape and flavour – brilliant!
These are delicious! I’ve seen a few comments asking for a substitution for the mushrooms due to people not liking them – I need to let them know I can’t stand mushrooms! In my opinion, you can’t taste them at all. The deliver everything you say they will Nagi – they’ve got a great texture, hold together beautifully and taste amazing. They’ve definitely been ‘hearted’!!
I’m so thankful to have been led in the direction of your blog – there’s never a dull meal in our house anymore 🙂
Oh this was soooo delicious!! Even though I added far too much olive oil to the mushrooms (and then read the recipe). Will definitely be a regular on the menu. Thank you Nagi 🙂
The most delicious veg patties we’ve ever eaten!! So many times veg burgers are just an afterthought. I’ve eaten so many bad ones to get to this. Thanks Nagi 🙂 Your recipes are continuously awesome!
I’m not a vegetarian burger kinda girl, but this was amazing definitely adding to my go to recipes
Hi Nagi;
I do like the taste of this recipe very much. I’ve made them 3 or 4 times and each time they are very very wet. It is problematic forming them. Not sure what i’m doing wrong. Have followed directions carefully. Do you use dry beans or canned? They seem to be a bit wet when i pull them out of the oven. I use canned and do rinse them before putting in the oven. Can’t quite figure out what i’m doing wrong. Suggestions?
Hi Nagi, what would you use instead of egg for this recipe please? My father in law is vegetarian but allergic to egg. He is happy to eat dairy etc. Love all of your recipes!
Hi Sarah, I haven’t tried with any egg substitutes sorry but I imagine a flax egg would work just as well to bind. N x
Loved these so much. Easy to make. Next time I’m going to make them more falafel/meatball size to use as finger food and in wraps
Great idea Kirstie!!! N x
Received your email today about burgers. In the note was a link to your veggie burgers. It’s really hot here in the Okanagan (BC, Canada) and just didn’t feel like meat. I made your veggie burgers. They were delicious. I’ll be making these again. Thank you. I’ve tried other veggie burger recipes and these were by far the best. Used quinoa and chickpeas as that what I had on hand. Delicious.
Wahoo!! Thanks so much for letting me know Cathy! N x
Awesome! My kids and my meat loving husband enjoyed these.
This is the best veggie burger recipe! Tastes amazing, and even better is that it’s a very fail safe and forgiving recipe. I had issues with my previous go-to veggie burger recipe falling apart, but no problems here! So far I’ve used chickpeas, white beans, and black eyed peas. Each time came out great. Thanks Nagi 🙂
Fantastic recipe. I have made them several times and everyone loves them. Also made nuggets and they were a big hit with the kids
Great idea on making them into chicken nuggets! Definitely going to try it 🙂
The mixture made the best croquettes as a vegetarian option for a wing and wedges night. I added a bit more spice, Chilli powder, cumin and coriander then crumbed them in flour, egg wash and panko crumbs for croquettes. Deep fried them. Served them with chilli sauce, blue cheese sauce and bbq sauce. The croquettes were a really big hit
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing that!
Forty-odd years ago I was a vegetarian for a while. My fave burger was a lentil burger. I have long since lost my recipe. Do you think I could substitute lentils for beans here?
Hi Mary, I imagine so – something I need to test 🙂 N x
Well, I made these using cannellini beans and they were incredible! Even my doubting spouse gave them a couple thumbs up. Might never make a beef burger again. I even made a couple boo-boos in the recipe (measured dry rice rather than cooked, but I managed to remove some before overmixing the rice in). Nagi, you are a star, love your explanations and caveats and details in every recipe. Thank you for making our isolation more enjoyable!
Hi Nagi,
What other cheese would you recommend other than Parmesan? We’re trying to add more vegetarian meals in our diet and these look soo good. Thx, Nadine from Canada