This Veggie Burger recipe is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. All you need is a few minutes to prepare the patties, and then you can cook them up in a skillet, or throw the whole batch in the oven. No eggs required!
How Do You Keep Veggie Burgers From Falling Apart?
Veggie burgers usually require a binder to hold them together, like eggs, but there are other egg-free binding options, too.
Here are a few ways to keep them together:
- Use an egg substitute. Flax eggs are a popular choice.
- Add a starchy ingredient. Adding flour or oats can help the burgers stick together, without using eggs.
- Mash everything together well. The more pulverized the veggie burger mixture gets, the better the patties will stick together. (But don’t puree them, or the final texture will be off.)
- Keep the patty size reasonable. If you make the veggie burgers too large, they are more likely to fall apart. I recommend using a 1/3 cup measure when portioning out the patties.
The recipe below doesn’t require any special egg substitutes! A mix of beans, veggies, and gluten-free oats will create perfect veggie burgers that don’t fall apart.
What Ingredients Go In a Veggie Burger?
This particular veggie burger recipe comes from my friend Erin’s new book, The Well Plated Cookbook. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s gorgeous! (And thank you to Erin, for sending me an early copy.)
Erin’s recipes are always well-tested, and this book includes a huge variety (with 130 recipes!) ranging from whole wheat pancakes, to easy sheet pan chicken dinners, to decadent desserts– including a fudgy cookie recipe made with avocado.
This book isn’t designed to be vegetarian or gluten-free, but I still found a ton of inspiration inside. (You can see that I’ve tabbed over 20 recipes to try already!)
I especially appreciate Erin’s healthy spins on classic Midwestern food, like Macaroni Salad, and how she shares ideas for serving classic staples multiple ways– like stuffed sweet potatoes or roasted vegetables. And the photos inside are gorgeous!
As soon as I saw Erin’s veggie burgers, I knew this was a perfect recipe to share with you. The ingredient list is surprisingly simple.
Here are the veggie burger ingredients you’ll need:
- Black beans
- Rolled oats
- Walnuts (these help with the texture)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Roasted red peppers (homemade or jarred from the store)
- Seasonings
Erin suggests toasting the walnuts before getting started, but, to be more time-efficient, I skipped that step and still think these veggies burgers are outstanding.
How to Make Healthy Veggie Burgers
To make these vegetarian burgers, you’ll need to sauté a few veggies first.
This boosts their flavor, and helps get rid of any excess moisture, so the final veggie burgers won’t be soggy in the middle.
While the veggies are cooking away, you can be efficient by adding the rest of the ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade. (I use this 12-cup food processor.)
When most of the moisture has evaporated from the veggies in the skillet, add them to the food processor along with everything else, and pulse several times until the mixture looks relatively uniform.
You want the batter to stick together, without being totally smooth or pulverized, for the best texture.
Use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop the batter, then press it between your hands to flatten out the burger patties. They should be about 3/4-inch thick, and around 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
This recipe makes 6 to 7 veggie burger patties, and you can cook them two ways: on a skillet, or in the oven.
How to Cook Them on the Stove
To cook the veggie burgers in a skillet, you can cook about 3 at a time, so you’ll need to work in at least 2 batches.
Grease the skillet with olive oil, then cook them at medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Both sides should be lightly golden, and the burgers will be easy to flip. When the first batch is done, set them aside on a plate lined with a towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining patties until they are all cooked.
How to Bake Them
If you prefer to bake the whole batch of veggie burgers at once, preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Brush the veggie burgers lightly with olive oil on both sides, so they won’t dry out as they bake. This also gives them a lightly crunchy exterior, and better mouthfeel.
Bake the burgers for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for an additional 5 minutes. The patties should be lightly golden on both sides.
Serve the burgers with your favorite buns and toppings. I highly recommend using my Vegan Sriracha Mayo (pictured here) or my Vegan Special Sauce, to take the flavor over the top!
How to Store Them
You can store leftover veggie burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a 3 days, or you can freeze them (with parchment paper in between the patties) for up to 3 months.
Best Veggie Burger Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 8 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms , roughly chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 medium shallot , minced (about 1/2 cup)
- 4 roasted red bell peppers (about 3/4 cup, diced)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt , divided
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans , rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats , plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup raw walnut halves
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the mushrooms, garlic, shallot, red peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until the vegetables soften and most of the liquid has cooked away, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, add the black beans, oats, walnuts, paprika, cumin, Worcestershire, several grinds of black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade.
- When the vegetables are tender, transfer them to the food processor, too. Pulse the mixture in 5-second bursts until it's combined, but still slightly chunky. (about 15 to 20 seconds total) The burger mixture should stick together easily when you press it between your fingers, without being totally pureed.
- Scoop the mixture using a 1/3 cup measure, then press it between your hands to shape the patties. You should get 6 to 7 patties from this recipe, that are 3/4-inch thick.
- To cook the burgers, use the same skillet you used for sauteeing the veggies. (See the notes for an oven-baked method.) Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat it over medium high heat.
- When the pan is hot and the oil is easy swirl around (but not smoking), add 3 patties to the pan and cook until the first side is crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is crisp, and the burgers are heated through, about 2 to 3 additional minutes.
- Remove the burgers to a plate lined with towel, then repeat with the remaining burger patties, using the remaining oil to grease the pan again. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Make Ahead & Storage Tips:
- Shaped, uncooked burger patties can be individually wrapped (or separated by parchment paper in an airtight container) and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Cook as directed.
- Leftover cooked burgers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled skillet.
- You can freeze fully cooked patties for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper to prevent the patties from sticking together. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a 350ºF oven for 12 to 15 minutes until warmed through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is for 1 veggie burger. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
If you try this veggie burger recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from each other’s experiences!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite meatless meal? My Lentil Bolognese and Vegan Meatloaf are also family favorites, if you need some fresh ideas!
THANK YOU so much for sharing this recipe Megan!! I so appreciate your kind words about my book too <3 Enjoy!
These were delicious!! Felt like a real burger.
I’ve tried so many of your recipes and every single one is amazing!!!
My favorite is the healthiest cookies ever, I’ve made those about 100 times 🤣 and that is how I discovered your awesome website!
I am not a lover of legumes, but I have found “hidden” in some recipes, I actually enjoy them. I’ve recently tried a black bean burger and to my surprise I thought it was pretty good. When these were posted, I decided to try them. I am out of pepper, so I used a carrot and a zucchini, added in some chili and regular paprika. I tried adding chia to help them stay together a bit better – still a little soft inside but held together well. I used my ice cream scoop because I didn’t want big patties and made them a bit thinner. I used my countertop all in one air fryer (more like a convection oven), cooked at 400 for 32 min, turning halfway. This gave them a nice crisp coating on the outside. I made a simple salad bowl with an even simpler “special sauce.” Didn’t plan ahead to try the linked sauces and realizing I need to make a trip to the grocery store soon. I am surprised at how much I enjoyed these. These will definitely be added to my dinner menu. As always, thank you for another delicious, nutritious recipe.
We have a walnut and pecan allergy in the family. Is there another nut you would recommend instead of the walnuts? Maybe a combo of Brazil nuts and cashews or almonds?
Thanks! Looking forward to making this!
We do too! I was thinking of trying almonds tonight. I’ll let you know if I do and how it comes out. I feel like they may be a little too hard, so I may soak them first.
Looks so good! I will be making these tomorrow night. I just ordered Erin’s cookbook. Any cookbook you recommend has to be great! Thanks for sharing!
Hi… In the ingredients it lists:
3/4 cup oil-fashioned rolled oats
I assume you mean “old-fashioned” oats, right?
Yes, thank you for pointing that out! It’s been fixed.
These were amazing! Made them the other night, so flavorful and held together very well. Added a bit of fennel and asafetida (I can’t have garlic or onions). Thanks for the recipe!
Very tasty
Great blend of ingredients
Texture was great
Can you make these without the nuts?
These really are amazing veggie burgers, I honestly think these tasted better then any restaurant veggie burger I’ve ever tried. Will definitely be making these again. I didn’t take the time to roast the peppers or walnuts to save time and still fantastic burger patty.
These are so tasty. I had a really hard time getting them to be firm though. No matter how I cooked them they were kind of mush on our plate. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Any ideas on what to sub for the red peppers? I’m not sure if they are just for flavor or if their water & fiber content is needed. I just don’t like peppers. 🙂 Any response would be helpful! Thanks y’all!
I really want to love this recipe, they were really tasty, but mine were total mush even after baking them for 45 minutes. The outsides were crispy, but wet and mushy on the inside. But maybe this is the texture they are supposed to be?
Sorry to hear that! In my opinion, any egg-free veggie burger is usually mushy in the middle, at least to some extent. I think the nuts in this recipe help add some texture, and the thinner you make the veggie burger, the less mush-factor there will be, with more crunchy edges.
I thought you can’t have protein with starch. So how is this burger ok? Because it’s vegan?
When it comes to food combining, I usually say “animal protein” because it’s different than most plant proteins that tend to be very starchy, too, like beans and lentils. I find that beans and lentils digest well with other grains, but that is a personal preference. Food combining is all about observing how YOU feel after a meal, so if you find that you’re not bloated or tired after this combination, then it might work for you. That being said, all of the recipes on my website are NOT properly combined (we’re working on labeling them to make it easy to navigate). Since this recipe contains walnuts, lentils, and oats, I wouldn’t consider it to be in the properly combined category. But, it’s very delicious and a great homemade veggie burger!
This recipe sounds amazing. Do you have any suggestions for a worcestershire sauce substitute?
Balsamic vinegar. Look online as there are also others.
Again, another great recipe from the Detoxinista! I’ve made your other bean burger many many times and that is also delicious but this ones a little different with the mushrooms. Will definitely be making this again!
Loved this burger!! First time making vegan burgers and they were out of this world!!! Didn’t have walnuts so used pecans instead!😋
I made a “mistake” and they still came out wonderful! I accidentally over-pureed the mixture and so had to do oven method to save them. The taste and texture were still magically on point. Great recipe :).
We really like these! I usually make Megan’s other black bean burgers but gave these a try and they didn’t disappoint!
Could you just add an egg or two if you dont need this to be vegan to help with it getting mushy?I haven’t made these yet…
Sure, I think you could add an egg if you want to try that!
My family LOVES these burgers! I often add extra veggies and my kids don’t even notice.
What could I use as a substitute for the mushrooms? Would Zucchini be too wet?
Made the veggie burgers last night! Fantastic with the avocado potato salad. Will be adding to the menu rotation! Thank you!!
I am also wondering what to sub mushrooms for? My son can’t eat mushrooms but the rest sound so delish. Might make original for me..any suggestions on the mushrooms? Or do I need to just pass on this one?
I can’t have mushrooms either. In recipes where they are an important ingredient I use finely diced eggplant steamed in a little water until it is cooked, then sauted in a little oil until most of the water evaporates and they are lightly browned, chewy, mushroom-like bits. The French cook mushrooms down like this to add flavor to recipes (called duxelles). If you like the eggplant version make big batch and freeze portions in ice cube trays to add to future recipes calling for mushrooms.
Very tasty and easy to make! Mine were too wet (I don’t always follow recipes exactly so I’m sure this is why) to mold with my hands but the 1/3 measuring cup worked great. Just scooped the mix and dropped them on my pan lined with parchment paper. I planned to cooked them stovetop but since they were so wet, I decided to bake them for 15 min first, then finish them in the pan with a bit of oil.
Like some have said, they are soft in the middle but all homemade/restaurant veggie burgers I’ve had always are. It doesn’t take away from the taste. My husband loved them too and he can be picky!
thanks Megan!!
My husband has an issue with digesting walnuts. Do you think pecans could be substituted in place of the walnuts in this recipe with a similar outcome in texture? I’m concerned that they might not lend a good texture to the burger, since pecans tend to have a softer bite and seem to absorb moisture more quickly than walnuts.
Don’t bother with any other veggie burger recipe. This is the one! So good with hummus or creamy garlic spread.
Aloha! Do you have a suggestion for substituting the red peppers?
I cannot have nightshades, and I seldom can find gluten free along with nightshade free recipes! Any help is appreciated…
Jan
Dynamite recipe!! Thank you!! Followed along as written but used avocado oil. Quadrupled the recipe to make it easy to have them on hand this summer. My freezer is stocked with healthy meaty goodness now!!
These were really good! Often I find my veggie burger patties fall apart but these held together nicely and had really good flavor. I added in a dash of apple cider vinegar, some liquid smoke and cayenne – yummy!
Maybe I am missing it, but at what point do you add the oats? I don’t see it mentioned in the recipe
They are added in step 2, along with the black beans!
Hi,
I make my Bolognese with melongene. It is delicious and has the right texture. 😊
These were delicious!
Can you use gluten free steel cut oats? Is there a way to substitute?
This recipe sounds amazing but I haven’t tried it yet; is there a substitute for mushrooms as I am severely allergic?
I liked this recipe quite a lot! Veggie burgers have doubled in price where I live so this will be so much cheaper and they taste better than store bought.
This was so good!!! I could eat more than one of these!
This IS the best Veggie burger I’ve ever eaten. So much flavour!! Did the recipe twice, first time perfect. Used small crimini mushrooms, perfect. Definitely recommend tto size party as directed, as can be a wee soft in middle. The second time around I couldn’t get the small crimini mushrooms, all they had were quite large, so they had more water in them. Even though I cooked out as much moisture as possible they did end up more soft all around but still absolutely delicious!! This is my go to burger from now on!!
What can I substitute the red bell peppers for?