So many people today are switching to a vegetarian diet. Why? Some want a healthier, meat-free lifestyle. Others find it an ethical way of life. Still, others eat vegetarian meals several times a week to trim their physique. Whether you want to cut fat from your diet or pursue a vegan lifestyle, these ten veggie burger recipes are too good to pass up.
Please note that these are vegetarian recipes–not vegan. In many cases, the veggie burger uses egg for a binder. If you eat a vegan diet, feel free to experiment with egg-free substitutes.
Ten Scrumptious Veggie Burger Recipes
There is nothing like the delicious flavor of a juicy, savory cheeseburger straight off the grill with all the fixings. While the occasional meat treat is well deserved this summer, it might be worth looking at a delicious veggie burger recipe to slim your waistline and expand your palette. Check out these mouth-watering recipes to get you started on your summer taste adventure!
1. The “Classic” Burger
You’ll swear you are eating meat when you dig into this delicious treat. Top with all kinds of fixings for some serious barbecue fun!
Ingredients:
- Two cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- Two cloves minced garlic
- One large egg
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise, divided
- 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 4 slices white cheddar
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- Four hamburger buns or kaiser buns
- One sliced tomato
- romaine lettuce leaves
Directions:
Pulse black beans, onion, and garlic in a food processor till finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and combine with mayonnaise, egg, and panko. Season generously with salt and pepper; form the mixture into four patties. Press down hard; these beauties can fall apart when cooking if you don’t. Heat canola in a large skillet over medium heat; cook patties about 5 minutes per side, or till golden brown and warmed through.
In the final moments of cooking, top each burger with a slice of cheddar to melt. Combine 2 Tbsp mayo and ketchup in a bowl, spread on both halves of each bun. Top each bread with tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle, and whatever other toppings tickle your fancy.
2. Portabello burger
Nothing says meaty and substantial like a flavorful mushroom, and the portobello is the king of all mushrooms! Serve up this delicious veggie burger option at your next gathering, and it will have vegetarians and carnivores alike singing your praises.
Ingredients:
- Four large portabello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
- 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Four brioche buns
- honey mustard
- lettuce
- tomato
Directions:
Preheat oven or your grill to 375 degrees. Whisk together garlic powder, olive oil, Worcestershire, and mustard. Dip mushrooms into this mixture and then place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and then bake for 20 minutes or until soft. Top your shroom with your favorite condiments and serve on split brioche buns.
3. Bean burger
Beans are a flavorful alternative to meat in most vegetarian dishes, and this delicious veggie burger is no exception. Dig in!
Ingredients:
- Two cans beans (your favorite!), rinsed and drained
- One pkg shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 chopped avocado
- 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
- Two cloves chopped garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- vegetable oil or butter for cooking
Directions:
Preheat your grill or the oven to 375 degrees. Spread beans evenly on a baking sheet; place mushrooms and onion on a separate baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season all with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake beans till they start to dry, and their skins begin to split open (about nine minutes). Bake mushrooms and onions for 20 minutes, or till everything is fork-tender.
Add beans, mushrooms, onions, oats, avocado, parsley, garlic, and all spices to a food processor; blend all together until smooth, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes in the fridge, and then form into 4 patties.
Coat a large skillet with oil or butter and heat up. Add burgers to the pan and cook through till warmed and golden brown on each side, about five minutes.
Serve with your favorite toppings—cheese, tomatoes, condiments, pickles, onions, lettuce. The more you dress, the more you’ll impress!
4. Bean and quinoa burgers
This power-packed burger is stuffed with flavor and nutrition. You won’t miss the meat as you serve it up with a side of flavorful sweet potato fries and a killer salad.
Ingredients:
- 3 oz shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, rinsed and chopped
- 1 medium onion, sliced thick
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup black lentils
- 1/3 cup red quinoa
- 6 dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 beaten egg white
- sliced Swiss cheese
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- minced garlic
Directions:
Preheat the oven or grill to 350 degrees. Tear shiitake mushrooms into small pieces and place them on a baking sheet with onions. Toss with one tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper; spread evenly across the baking sheet once more. Roast until tender and brown, about 35 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking time.
Make lentils and quinoa. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Next, add the lentils and bring to a simmer. Cook for five minutes. Add quinoa and porcini mushrooms, continue to cook for 20 minutes more. Drain all through a colander and remove hydrated porcini mushrooms from the mixture.
In a food processor, combine the roasted mushrooms and onions, porcini mushrooms, soy sauce, and egg white. Add lentil and quinoa mixture and process till mostly smooth; there should still be some chunks in your mixture.
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet; form thin patties from your mixture and add to the hot skillet. Sear and crisp for five minutes on each side, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. If desired, add a slice of Swiss cheese for extra flavor and let melt on one side of the burger.
Make your sauce with mustard, garlic, and mayo; spread on buns and top with your favorite burger toppings. Enjoy!
5. Falafel burger
You’d be hard-pressed to find a veggie burger out there with more flavor than this one. Mix up some exotic taste combinations for a truly unique burger experience.
Ingredients:
- 2 cans drained and rinsed chickpeas
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves roughly chopped garlic
- 1/2 c parsley leaves
- 4 chopped green onions
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- One-fourth cup all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- One cup finely chopped cucumber
- 2 Tbsp freshly chopped dill
- juice of 1 lemon
- buns and toppings for serving
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread chickpeas on a baking sheet and roast 8-10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Combine cooled chickpeas, onion, parsley, green onion, cumin, coriander in a food processor and blend until it forms a thick paste, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a large bowl.
Stir in flour, season with salt and pepper and form into 4-6 patties. Add oil to a large skillet and heat; add patties to the skillet and cook will golden brown and warmed through on both sides, about 3-5 minutes.
To make cucumber sauce, Combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, and lemon and stir till well combined. Assemble burgers by placing a burger on each bottom bun, then slather the burger with sauce. Top with your favorite toppings for added flavor.
6. Buffalo Bill Burger
This one really takes the cake; it could be served at the best burger house in town, and no one would know the difference between premium angus beef and this savory beauty.
Ingredients:
Fries:
- 3 pounds unpeeled russet potatoes
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Burgers:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups black lentils, mashed
- One large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- One clove of minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- favorite burger toppings
- Blue cheese buffalo sauce:
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Franks red hot sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, mashed beans, egg, buffalo sauce, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix well to moisten these ingredients, then add the shredded cheddar cheese. Form into 5-6 burger balls; stuff blue cheese into the center of each ball and re-roll once more. Cover and place into the fridge.
Meanwhile, try your hand at making the fries–preheat oven to 450 degrees. Using a veggie spiralizer, spiralize the potatoes into fries. Cut the fries into smaller lengths, then place into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat, then spread evenly onto a baking pan and roast for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
15 minutes before fries are to be done, heat oil in a large skillet. Place burgers into skillet and cook till crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Keep them warm and move on to the cheese sauce.
For the cheese sauce, place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter, then add flour and stir vigorously to combine. Whisk in milk, then turn down to low and heat through till the mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Add cream cheese and cheddar cheese and stir till melted, then add hot sauce, salt and pepper and season to taste. To assemble these beauties, place a burger on each bun, then top with slices of avocado, extra blue cheese, and a handful of fries. Drizzle all with cheese sauce, strap on a bib, and dig in!
7. Ultimate veggie burger
This one is truly a rainbow burger, full of flavor, color, and packed with nutrition, it is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next backyard barbecue.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups peeled and cubed beetroot
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- One egg
- 1 finely diced onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp sea salt
Dressing:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Fries:
- 2 peeled sweet potatoes, cut into strips
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp cornmeal
- Buns and toppings of choice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the beets on a lined baking sheet, rub with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Place beets in a food processor and pulse 2-3 times, but do not mash completely. Transfer beet mixture to a large bowl and add other burger ingredients, stir to combine. Shape the mixture into patties and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake each side for 15 minutes, flipping after each 15 minute timer is done.
At the same time you are baking the burgers, roast the sweet potatoes. Place strips on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Combine all ingredients for dressing, making sure to mash the avocado well, and be ready to top baked burgers with all when finished.
Remove potatoes and burgers from the oven; place a burger on top of each bun, top with burger fixings, a few sweet potato fries, and finish with your glorious sauce. No one will miss meat eating tonight with these succulent and beautiful burgers.
8. Spicy cauliflower burgers
Just when you thought cauliflower couldn’t be used for anything else, here you go! This burger is “meaty” and tasty, satisfying your primal urge to chew. Chow down!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 head cauliflower
- 3-4 Tbsp oil, divided
- cajun seasoning
- two cloves minced garlic
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs or ground almonds
- 3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- Three eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook quinoa according to package directions, but use 1 cup broth water to keep it from getting too dense. Cut cauliflower into florets, place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 30 minutes and then let cool. Pulse through a food processor till it resembles rice. It should be slightly mushier than rice; enough to hold its shape when combined with other ingredients. Combine the cauliflower with all other burger ingredients and mix well; form into patties.
In an oiled skillet, cook patties till crispy and golden brown on each side, turning after 5-6 minutes. Arrange your burger with coleslaw, chipotle mayonnaise, sliced veggies, and extra cheese for added flavor.
9. Veggie big mac
This veggie burger is a healthy take on an American classic–all of the taste with only a fraction of the calories. That unhealthy craving for a mac can now be satisfied with this delicious and nutritious burger.
Ingredients:
- One sweet onion, chopped
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 3 cups chopped white button mushrooms
- 1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- One cup Organic Girl sweet pea shoots, divided
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp thousand island dressing per burger
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- burger buns
Radicchio slaw:
- 3 cups shredded radicchio
- 1/2 cup soaked cashews
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Throw in grated carrots and zucchini and cook for 7 minutes; season whole mixture with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 7 minutes, or till everything is tender.
Using a blender or food processor, grind up rolled oats and sunflower seeds till they resemble flour. Mix all dry ingredients together with seasonings. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to dry mixture bowl, leaving out excess liquid. Toss veggies in flour till well combined; add 1/4 cup aminos and mix well. Place mixture in the freezer for 5 minutes to set.
Once the mixture has set for a few minutes, take out and roll/press into balls/patties. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place burgers onto paper. Place into an oven preheated to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes, turning over at the halfway mark.
While the burgers are baking, prepare the slaw. Place all ingredients except radicchio into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and season as you go. Make sure to drain cashews before adding to the food processor or blender. Add mixture to radicchio and toss well.
To serve burgers, place burgers on each bun, then top with thousand island dressing, pea shoots, avocado slices, and top with a dollop of slaw. There you have it—veggie burger goodness!
10. New Mexican green chili and bean burger
The flavor of the Southwest is calling; are you ready? This flavorful burger really kicks it up a notch, with bold flavor, vibrant color and a taste that is out of this world.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 diced red bell pepper
- One large green chile, seeded and chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- One can low sodium black lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
- One egg
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour
- butter or nonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Then add garlic, chiles, and red peppers, cook an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cumin, oregano, and chili powder; transfer to a bowl to cool.
Add beans to a food processor and pulse till slightly chunky. Transfer beans to the rest of the mixture. Next, add in the cilantro, corn, salt, and pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust your seasonings if necessary.
Add in egg and oat flour and stir till well combined. Divide into 6 firmly packed patties and transfer to a baking sheet; put in the fridge to cool and set. Add flour if it is looking too wet, but don’t overdo it!
Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook burgers for 5-7 minutes on each side, turning and cooking 5-7 minutes more. To serve, top burgers with avocado, tomato, cheese, lettuce, onion, and any other type of savory fixings that your heart desires. Delicious!
Get great hummus recipes. Hint, they make a great spread for your veggie burger!
Final Thoughts on Enjoying Veggie Burgers
No need to fuss too much with these wonderful veggie burger recipes. So serve them with pride, and gobble them up. Of course, you will know that you are doing something great for yourself and the environment. Bon Apetit!
