The Best Veggie Burger (Better Than Store-bought)

These veggie burgers are packed with vegetables! See how to make homemade veggie burgers that are hearty, flavorful and full of vegetables. These delicious vegetable-packed burgers are high in fiber (5 grams) and come in at just under 200 calories for one patty. Vegan substitutes are included in the recipe.

Watch the Video

Veggie Burger Recipe Video

How to Make the Best Veggie Burgers

When setting out to create this veggie burger recipe, we had one major goal. If we are going to call this a veggie burger, let’s make sure there are actually vegetables in it. Have you noticed that most of the veggie burger recipes, we stumble onto online are almost 100% beans. We add beans to this recipe, but they are far from the star. (If you are looking for a simple black bean burger recipe, though, here’s our favorite version. They are so easy!)

How to make veggie burgers that are hearty, flavorful and full of vegetables.

We add more than 8 cups of vegetables — that’s 1 cup of veggies for every burger. We aren’t trying to imitate a real meat burger here — see our no-fuss hamburger recipe or this seriously good turkey burger if that’s what you’re craving.

Mimicking meat is difficult to do and to be honest, I think it discredits how delicious vegetables can actually be. These meatless burgers hold up when cooking, fit nicely on a burger bun and don’t smoosh out the sides when you take a bite. Most importantly, they are delicious.

We have a meatball recipe, too! Try our plant-based vegan meatballs recipe made with lentils, mushroom, and onion. They are delicious!

Let’s Make Veggie Burgers, You Can Do This!

There’s no getting around the fact that vegetable burgers take more time to make than regular hamburgers, but they are well worth it (trust us).

Nothing is difficult about the process, so stick with us. You can do this!

Rule one when it comes to making a great meatless burger — get rid of excess moisture. It’s the extra moisture that causes some vegetable or bean burgers to smoosh so easily in the middle. We deal with this in two ways:

  • Roast the vegetables until caramelized and extra moisture has evaporated. We chop the veggies into tiny bits first and then roast them.
  • Roast the beans for about 15 minutes so they split open and dry out a bit (see the photo below).
Roast the beans for about 15 minutes so they split open and dry out a bit.
Roasting the beans until they split open and look dry minimizes moisture in the burgers, which makes a better veggie burger.
Veggie burger patties

Rule two for making the best veggie burger — keep lots of texture. No one wants a boring burger, right?

See how you can actually identify different textures and ingredients in our photos? That’s a good thing. Instead of biting into a patty with one color and one texture, these feel more “meaty” and have more oomph when you bite. We add texture four ways:

  1. A food processor helps to chop vegetables so they look like coarse crumbs. This makes up most of the burger, which means you see the little bits of vegetable throughout the patty (see the photo below).
  2. Two eggs help firm up the middles of the burgers so they stay together when you take a bite. If you don’t eat eggs, don’t worry, flax eggs are an excellent substitute. I’ve shared our tips below.
  3. Watch out for over processing the burger mixture.
  4. Fold in cooked brown rice before forming the burger patties. The rice gives extra texture and bites back a bit when you take a bite.
Veggie burger ingredients in food processor
Using a food processor to chops the veggies until they are tiny bits gives the burgers great texture.

Making Vegan Veggie Burgers

When we first created this recipe, we called on eggs to help bind the burger together. They work like a charm, but since sharing these burgers with you, many of you have asked about making them vegan friendly.

Flax eggs are perfect in this recipe! They help bind and firm up the middles of the burgers. Here’s what you’ll need to make these veggie burgers vegan:

  • Use 2 flax eggs instead of the 2 eggs called for in the recipe. (Readers have commented that chia eggs work, as well. We have not tried this, yet.)
  • To make 2 flax eggs, whisk 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons water. Set the mixture aside for 15 in the refrigerator then use in the recipe below.

Make Ahead Tips

Once you make the burger mixture, you can keep it in the fridge for 24 hours. Or you can form the patties, cook them and freeze up to three months (this is what we do).

Cooking The Veggie Burgers

Cooking the burgers is simple. Use a skillet over medium-low heat. You can do this on the stovetop or on a grill. (If you are grilling, we recommend still using a cast iron skillet or griddle). Baking them is an option, too (although, we do prefer the crunchy exterior you achieve when cooking them in a skillet).

These are still vegetable burgers after all, so take care when you handle them. They hold up well, but it is best to use a soft touch when moving them around or flipping.

More Vegetarian / Meatless Recipes

The Best Veggie Burger Recipe - Better Than Store-bought

The Best Veggie Burger (Better Than Store-bought)

  • PREP
  • COOK
  • TOTAL

There’s no getting around the fact that vegetable burgers take more time than regular hamburgers, but they are well worth it (trust us). Nothing is difficult about the process, so stick with us. You can do this! Once you make the burger mixture, you can keep it in the fridge for 24 hours. Or you can form the patties, cook them and freeze up to three months (this is what we do).

Makes 8 (3 1/4 ounce) veggie burgers

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

8 ounces (225 grams) mushrooms

1 medium carrot

1 ½ cups (85 grams) broccoli florets

1/4 medium onion

2 medium garlic cloves

2 tablespoons (30 grams) oil such as olive oil, avocado oil or grape seed, plus more for cooking

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup (35 grams) walnut halves (about 14 halves)

2 cups packed (85 grams) spinach leaves

Handful tender fresh herbs like chives, parsley or cilantro (optional)

1/2 cup (35 grams) panko breadcrumbs or use homemade breadcrumbs

2 large eggs or flax eggs

1 tablespoon (15 grams) tomato paste

3/4 cup (115 grams) cooked brown rice

Bread rolls, lettuce, tomato, cheese and favorite burger sauces

Directions

  • Prepare Veggies and Beans
  • 1Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil, parchment paper or silicon baking mats.

    2Using a damp paper towel, brush all dirt from mushrooms. Cut away and discard any hard stems. Roughly chop the mushrooms, carrot, broccoli and onion into 1/2-inch chunks. Toss vegetables into the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Close the lid and pulse 10 to 20 times until coarsely ground.

    3Spread the ground vegetables onto one of the lined baking sheets. Pat them down with a spatula until a very thin layer of vegetables covers the majority of the baking sheet. Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes. (If the veggies around the outer edges start to turn dark brown, stir and press them back down into a thin layer).Spreading the Vegetables

    4Meanwhile, spread the drained black beans onto the second baking sheet in one layer. When the vegetables have roasted for 15 minutes, stir them and press into a thin layer once more. Transfer both baking sheets (vegetables and the black beans) to the oven. Roast until the beans begin to split and look dry and the vegetables look drier and toasted, about 15 minutes. Let everything cool.

  • Make Burger Mix
  • 1While the beans and vegetables roast, rinse the food processor bowl and pat dry.

    2Place the walnuts, spinach and fresh herbs in it. Pulse until they are about the size of breadcrumbs.

    3Add cooled beans and pulse 5 to 10 times until the beans look crumbly with large crumbs.

    4Add the roasted vegetables, panko breadcrumbs, eggs and the tomato paste. Pulse until everything is just combined. You want to keep some texture, don’t pulse until a smooth mixture.

    5Scrape the mixture into a bowl and fold in the rice.

    6Refrigerate the veggie burger mix up to 24 hours. Or make patties, cook them and freeze wrapped in foil up to 3 months.

  • Cook Burgers
  • 1When you are ready to make the burgers, divide into 8 equal portions (about 3 1/4 ounces or 90 grams each). Form each portion into a 1/2-inch thick patty.

    2Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, and then place patties in one layer. (We use about 1 tablespoon of oil to cook 4 burgers). Cook until heated through, firm and browned on both sides, about 4 to 6 minutes on each side. If any bits fall from the sides as you flip, press them back into the sides of the patty. Be careful when flipping so they stay together.

    3For an outdoor grill, we recommend placing a cast iron pan or griddle over a low fire to cook the burgers.

    4To reheat frozen cooked burgers: Bake in a 350 degree F oven until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Or reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes on each side. We do not recommend microwaving the patties (they steam and become floppy).

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • One (15-ounce) can of beans has approximately 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans (here’s our recipe for home cooked black beans).
  • Other beans work for this recipe. Try cannellini beans, kidney beans and chickpeas.
  • Cooking brown rice: We love the texture and flavor of brown rice, but you can use white rice in its place. To cook brown rice, forget the package directions and cook it like you would pasta. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water, add the brown rice then let it cook, uncovered, at a simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the rice then add back to the pot off of the heat with a lid covering it so that it steams for an additional 10 minutes. This method is from Saveur and it really does make perfect brown rice.
  • Vegan / egg-free veggie burgers: If you don’t eat eggs, you can leave the eggs out and use flax eggs as a substitute. Whisk 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons water. Set the mixture aside for 15 minutes in the refrigerator, and then use in the recipe to replace the eggs.
  • The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 burger patty (no bread/cheese/toppings) / Calories 188 / Protein 8.3g / Carbohydrate 22.7g / Dietary Fiber 5.4g / Total Sugars 2.8g / Total Fat 8g / Saturated Fat 1.3g / Cholesterol 46.5mg / Sodium 321.2mg
AUTHOR:  Adam and Joanne Gallagher
Inspired Taste Newsletter Signup
413 comments… Leave a Review
  • Linda March 14, 2024, 5:32 pm

    My 1st time ever making veggie burgers and I’m so glad I used this recipe. Delish!!!

    Reply
    • Adam March 18, 2024, 12:39 pm

      Yay! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review 🙂

      Reply
  • Nicolas Hancock February 18, 2024, 12:19 pm

    Actually my favorite meal. With hone made butger buns, amazing!!!

    Reply
  • Christine December 18, 2023, 2:34 pm

    This is not a review but a question, I found your site and saw this veggie burger recipe and would like to try it but I have some Lupins in brine I want to use could these be used in place of the black beans? If you think they would work would I need to follow the same instructions in the section where they are to be baked..thanks

    Reply
    • Joanne December 18, 2023, 3:50 pm

      Hi Christine, You should be able to use them in this recipe. Keep in mind that the beans we use in our recipe are already cooked, then dried out in the oven.

      Reply
  • Brad & Carol December 11, 2023, 9:58 pm

    Ummmm…ummm GREAT! Flavorful, hearty, heathy. The recipe and tips were perfect; concise, complete, thorough. Takes some time for the prep, but well worth it. Glad that I trusted you that the veggie burgers are the BEST! Will be checking your site for future recipes. THANKS!!

    Reply
  • Jodi November 15, 2023, 9:41 pm

    Forgot to leave a rating on my previous comment. 5 stars!
    Highly recommend this recipe – so good.

    Reply
    • Joanne November 16, 2023, 1:33 pm

      Thanks for coming back and sharing, Jodi!

      Reply
  • Jodi November 15, 2023, 9:39 pm

    I doubled the recipe and have several in the freezer. Curious about reheating them. Would you please clarify – are the patties frozen or thawed when they go into the oven?

    Reply
    • Joanne November 16, 2023, 1:32 pm

      Hi Jodi, you can reheat from frozen.

      Reply
  • Amands October 22, 2023, 2:35 pm

    These are so good but we had a problem with them falling apart extremely easily. What do you recommend?

    Reply
    • Joanne December 6, 2023, 12:28 pm

      Hi there, Next time, make sure that the mixture is blended a little more and really press the patties together. They will be softer and hold together less than meat, but they should not completely crumble apart on you.

      Reply
  • Amy September 18, 2023, 12:32 am

    These were delicious. I have to say that they were time consuming but it’s good you can freeze them so you don’t have to make them every time and very much worth the time. I didn’t have walnuts in so I just used a mixture of pecan, almonds and sunflower seeds and it worked perfectly well! Thanks for the recipe, we are new to eating vegetarian meals so will be trying more of your recipes!

    Reply
    • Adam September 18, 2023, 12:35 am

      So glad you enjoyed them. Love the substitutions 🙂

      Reply
  • Dee August 29, 2023, 6:38 pm

    Could you use Quinoa instead of rice? If so would you use same amount as rice. I made it and it tasted delicious. I had left over white rice mixed with orzo. I only had a 14 oz can of beans and they were kinda mushy. The burgers fell apart a bit. I’m thinking because I could have used more beans and maybe didn’t have the orzo in with the rice. I will try make again. Was just wondering about the quinoa.

    Reply
    • Joanne August 30, 2023, 6:59 pm

      Yes, definitely. I’d use the same amount of cooked quinoa as cooked rice.

      Reply
  • Terri August 28, 2023, 2:56 pm

    Could you please let me know if an 8 cup food processor would work to make these or do I need a larger size? I’m looking forward to trying the vegan version, they look great! Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Joanne September 8, 2023, 4:47 pm

      Hi Terri, I am pretty sure you should be fine with an 8-cup processor. If not, you can process in batches and then combine everything in a large bowl before forming the patties.

      Reply
  • David G. August 23, 2023, 5:11 pm

    These are hands down my favorite veggie burger. I bump up the salt, dried spices and fresh herbs a bit. I also start my black beans from dry (3/4 cup dry, instant pot 10 minutes on manual, then in the oven to dry out a bit). Don’t be afraid to use the stalk of the broccoli – just peel before rough chopping. It is time-consuming – at least 90 minutes hands on, chopping, baking, mixing – so I double the recipe and put a bunch in the freezer.

    Reply
  • Sara July 25, 2023, 9:06 am

    What can I substitute for the walnuts? Have a nut allergy here. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Joanne July 25, 2023, 4:37 pm

      Sunflower seeds are an excellent substitute.

      Reply
      • Jodi November 15, 2023, 9:36 pm

        Just made these with sunflower seeds (also have a nut allergy in the family) and they were delicious! Thank you for your question, Sara and for the response Joanne.

        Reply
  • CH July 5, 2023, 6:02 pm

    What a great tasty vege burger. I love them. Quite time consuming but worth it. Quick question should I cook in any way before freezing or should I freeze the raw mix without any cooking. Please advise?

    Reply
    • Joanne August 8, 2023, 4:01 pm

      Hi there, you can do either, but I usually cook and then freeze.

      Reply
      • robert bogart November 6, 2023, 4:59 pm

        Love, love love this recipe. If you have your mise en place……it’s not that time intensive. I vacuum seal the raw burger and just thaw and heat when needed. Couple with some spiced roasted sweet potato and a salad and you have a nutrient rich dinner in no time.

        Reply
  • Cat July 4, 2023, 6:17 pm

    Made these for our 4th of July celebration — absolutely delicious! Appreciated the forthright suggestion up front that these take some time to make and agree with others that they are totally worth the extra time. My go to healthy burger from here on. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Leave a Review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe!

 

All comments are moderated before appearing on the site. Thank you so much for waiting. First time commenting? Please review our comment guidelines. You must be at least 16 years old to post a comment. All comments are governed by our Privacy Policy & Terms.

Previous Post: Next Post: