Veggie Burger

This is the best Veggie Burger recipe ever! With loads of veggies, beans, and cashews you’ll be amazed how “meaty” these burgers taste — sure to thrill the vegetarians AND even the biggest carnivores! No need to ask Siri for “veggie burgers near me” because nothing beats this homemade version.

Love vegetarian meals? We share tons of unique and creative vegetarian recipes. We’ve also shared two other delicious veggie burger variations over the years — this Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger or this Black Bean Burger recipe.

Our Favorite Veggie Burger Recipe

For the past few years, we’ve hosted a 4th of July party — it’s become one of my favorite days of the year! This Burger Recipe is expected, I always whip together this Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad and Cowboy Caviar, and of course these Muddy Buddies and 4th of July Bark Recipe makes an appearance as treats for the kiddos. Apple Pie is generally the other dessert I make, complete with cut-out Pie Crust stars on top.

I’ve worked on perfecting an all-purpose veggie burger since there are so many vegetarians in my family. In fact, last year, more veggie patties were eaten than beef! While my veggie burgers recipe was okay to share with family, it wasn’t perfect enough to share here. But, finally, it’s ready! This year, I’ll have this perfected Veggie Burger to serve and I can’t wait to whip it up for everyone.

This burger is incredible! It’s surprisingly meaty-tasting (thank you mushrooms!), ridiculously flavorful, and has the perfect crisp edges with the best tender interior.

What’s Really In A Veggie Burger?

A veggie burger is a patty that doesn’t contain meat. Instead, it’s made from ingredients like beans, nuts, grains, seeds, and veggies. This particular recipe uses white beans, cashews, and a myriad of veggies. 

A few ingredients in these Veggie Burgers worth going into detail over:

• Use panko breadcrumbs. Panko is similar to regular bread crumbs, but it creates a much crunchier, crispier, lighter, and more delicate result. Using panko ensures a more nuanced texture than regular bread crumbs deliver.
• Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from a can will be too salty and overpowering in these patties. Use the freshly grated — sandy-like consistency from the store. Here’s exactly what we use.

What Holds a Veggie Burger Together?

It’s essential to have a binder (think of it as the glue that makes the ingredients stick) in the patty mixture. We use an egg and mayo to help bind the ingredients. 

Veggie Burger Toppings

• Lettuce: Butter, romaine, Boston, green leaf lettuce — they all work for this vegetarian delight. We typically use green leaf lettuce.
• Avocado: A good, ripe avocado is unbeatable! The combination of the veggie patty with a ripe, creamy avocado is the best! See “quick tip” below.
• Tomatoes: A good thick-sliced tomato is a great topping.
• Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion or pickled red onions make a flavor statement. We use half the red onion for the patty filling, so you’re left with half to add to the burgers!
• Mayo. We love Hellman’s/Best Foods® on these burgers — the better the mayonnaise, the better the flavor. Don’t skimp here — the mayo pulls everything together beautifully!

The Best Buns: Brioche Buns!

In my opinion, there is nothing better than a Veggie Burger on a brioche bun. And once you’ve got those buns, you’ve got to toast them with some melted butter — trust me–they’re the best! Rub softened butter generously on the insides of the bun. Place them (butter side facing down) on a large pan or grill over medium heat. Toast buns for about 30 seconds to a minute or until golden brown. Remove from heat (subsequent batches will be quicker as the pan continues to get hotter!)

How To Make A Veggie Burger

• Sauté the veggies: To get a really great flavor, we sauté onion, beans, carrot, and mushrooms. It’s important to thoroughly dry out this mixture while cooking so the patties aren’t too wet.
• Pulse in a large food processor: I use a 12-cup food processor (here’s the exact food processor I use.) Using a large food processor, the patties will be ready in a jiffy!
• Chill: These patties get wet in the fridge, but firm up perfectly when we freeze them for 20 minutes. Once the patties are chilled thoroughly, they’re ready to cook!

Is Veggie Burger Healthy?

A lot of store-bought veggie burgers are packed with questionable ingredients and/or a whole lot of sodium, but these homemade veggie burgers are loaded with nutritious good-for-you ingredients.

Between the plant-based protein in the beans, the nutrients in the veggies, and all the fiber — these burgers are a great healthful option. 

Are Veggie Burgers Healthier Than Meat?

Again, it depends on the burgers used. Some plant-based burgers are more nutritious than others which is why it’s important to read labels or prepare the veggie burgers from scratch!

More Vegetarian Favorites

• Vegetarian Thai Green Curry with butternut squash
• Black Bean Quesadillas made in a skillet OR air fryer!
• Vegetarian Chili Mac made in ONE pot!
• Vegetarian Gyros made with chickpeas
• Grilled Cheese made in a skillet OR air fryer!

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5 from 2 votes

Veggie Burger

By Chelsea Lords

This Veggie Burger is a game-changer! Packed with veggies, beans, and cashews, it’s so “meaty” it’ll satisfy both vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. No need to search for a “veggie burger near me”—this homemade version is unbeatable!

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 burgers

Equipment

• Large cast-iron pan
• Large food processor
• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
• ▢ 3-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms like Baby Bella, 1 (8-ounce) package
• ▢ 3/4 cup grated carrot(s) 1 large or two medium carrots
• ▢ 3/4 cup grated red onion
• ▢ Olive oil
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews
• ▢ 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese see note 1
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 tablespoons mayo
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 3/4 cup cooked brown rice see note 2
• ▢ Serving suggestions see note 3
• ▢ Best-ever burger sauce! optional, see note 4

Instructions 

• Thoroughly drain and rinse beans. Set aside to dry. Rinse, dry, and coarsely chop mushrooms. Peel carrot(s) and grate along with 1/2 a large red onion. Measure 3/4 cup each of grated carrot and onion, lightly packed. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add beans, mushrooms, carrot, and onion. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper each. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until very tender and liquid evaporates, about 12–15 minutes. Stir more frequently as veggies dry out. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• While veggies cook, pulse cashews in a large food processor until coarsely chopped. Add cooled veggies and pulse until chunky. Add panko, Parmesan, egg, mayo, garlic powder, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pulse until mixed. Add cooked rice blend and pulse briefly to incorporate without breaking down the rice.
• Measure 1/2-cup portions of the mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet pan to form 6 mounds. Evenly distribute any remaining mixture. Lightly oil your hands and shape each mound into a 3/4-inch thick, 4-inch wide patty. Freeze for 20–30 minutes.
• Cook on stovetop or grill. To cook on stovetop, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add 3 frozen patties to the pan and cook until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining patties, avoiding overcrowding.
• Too cook on grill, heat grill to 450°F and oil the grates. Straight from the freezer, brush patties with olive oil and grill patties 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
• Toast buns (see note 5). Spread mayo or burger sauce on the bottom bun. Add lettuce, veggie patty, avocado, tomato, and onion. Spread mayo on the top bun, assemble, and enjoy.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Parmesan from a can will be too salty and overpowering in these patties. Use the freshly grated—sandy-like consistency from the store.

Note 2: Any cooked and leftover rice will work. To keep things as easy as possible, I use minute rice and microwave it for 1 minute. One container is the perfect amount here!

Note 3: For serving, use 5 buns (I love brioche best!) and softened butter, good-quality mayo, green leaf lettuce, ripe (soft) avocado or guacamole, tomato, red onion, and/or cheese slices. For avocados, use ripe avocado or ripe avocado minis (choose packs with only Hass avocados). For cheese, add a slice after flipping the patty, cover to melt, and cook until cheese is melted.

Note 4: Here’s how to make the BEST burger sauce: Combine 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon finely grated onion, 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir until combined and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to personal preference. Feel free to add a teaspoon or more of the sauce from the chipotles to increase the heat.

Note 5: To toast the buns, generously butter the inside of the buns and toast them butter-side down on a pan or grill over medium heat for 30 seconds to a minute until golden. Remove from heat (subsequent batches toast faster).

Nutrition Note: Nutrition information is for the burger only since buns and toppings will vary according to preference.

Storage: Since we freeze the burgers before cooking, it’s also the perfect opportunity to save some for later! Tightly wrap individually frozen patties and add to a large freezer bag. You can cook the patties straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to cook time as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 13.9g | Fat: 15.2g | Cholesterol: 37.7mg | Sodium: 417mg | Fiber: 4.8g | Sugar: 3.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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