Best Veggie Burger

If you make one veggie burger recipe, it has to be this one. These burgers have a wonderful savory flavor and hearty texture. They're grillable, too!

dinner / vegan — Jump to recipe

Say hello to the BEST veggie burger recipe! Of course, that’s just my opinion, but once you try it, I think you’ll agree. For one, these patties are grill-able! And if you’d rather be spending time in the sun than in the kitchen, you can even make them a day or two in advance.

But that’s not all. This veggie burger has an amazing meaty texture and savory, smoky flavor. It’ll keep its shape when it’s stuffed inside a bun, and it’s delicious with fancy fixings or with good old ketchup and mustard. Unlike many packaged veggie burgers, its incredible texture and flavor come from simple, plant-based ingredients, so it doesn’t just taste good – it’s good for you, too!

So many readers have made and loved this veggie burger recipe over the last few years. If it’s not already obvious, we’re also pretty obsessed with it. Jack and I are making it this weekend to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, and I hope you will too. Hearty, flavorful, and really darn fun, it’s not a recipe you want to miss!

Veggie Burger Recipe Ingredients

Instead of making a bean-based burger, I make this recipe with shiitake and portobello mushrooms! They give these meatless burgers a wonderful hearty texture and umami-rich flavor. Then, I round them out with these key ingredients:

Tamari, balsamic vinegar, and mirin bring out the savory flavor of the mushrooms.
Smoked paprika and srirachamake these burgers smoky and spicy.
Finely chopped garlic and shallots add depth of flavor.
Crushed walnutsgive them a meaty bite.
Short grain brown rice, panko bread crumbs, and ground flaxseed help these burgers hold together. DON’T use long-grain brown rice here. It’s not as sticky as short grain rice, so it doesn’t yield cohesive patties.

Even if you’re not a mushroom person, I think you’ll love this recipe. Smoky, savory, and meaty, it makes a darn good veggie burger.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Best Veggie Burger Recipe Tips

Use rice that’s hot off the stove.The rice has to be sticky in order to bind these patties together. As a result, your ricemustbe freshly cooked, as leftover rice dries out in the fridge.
Brush them with vegan Worcestershire sauce after cooking.These veggie burgers aren’t intended to imitate a beef burger by any means, but they do have a wonderful meaty texture and flavor. To add even more flavor and to make them slightly juicy, brush them with vegan Worcestershire sauce (I like Annie’s brand) when they come off the grill.
Get ahead. You have a few options for prepping this veggie burger recipe ahead of time. The patties can be made up to a day in advance and stored on baking sheets in the fridge until ready to grill. You can also grill them in advance and store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days – they reheat surprisingly well! If you have leftovers, freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Veggie Burger Serving Suggestions

Buns out (suns out)! Load your veggie burger up however you like – I like mine with avocado or guacamole, sliced red onion or pickled red onions, mustard, Sir Kensington’s Avocado Mayo (not vegan) or Fabanaise (vegan), sprouts, and a squirt of sriracha or chipotle sauce on a homemade bun. When I’m in the mood for extra heat, I’ll even add a few pickled jalapeños. If you simply like ketchup, mustard, and dill pickles, that’s fine too!

Since you’ll already have the grill going, I recommend serving these with grilled vegetables, grilled zucchini, or corn on the cob. They’d also be fantastic with sweet potato fries or any of these salad recipes:

Best Broccoli Salad
Easy Pasta Salad
Greek Salad
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Watermelon Salad with Feta
Cucumber Salad

For more salad ideas, check out these 37 best salad recipes!

More Favorite Cookout Recipes

If you love this veggie burger recipe, try one of these fun cookout recipes next:

BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Black Bean Burger
Crispy Cauliflower Po’ Boy Sandwiches
Easy Fajitas
Vegetarian Tacos

Then, find 85 more delicious vegan recipes here!

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
2 shallots, chopped (⅔ cup)
16 ounces mushrooms, mix of shiitake + portobello, stemmed and diced
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin, or ½ teaspoon maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons sriracha, more if desired
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup ground flaxseed
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, freshly cooked so that it’s sticky*
1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
Vegan Worcestershire sauce, for brushing
Nonstick cooking spray, for grilling
Hamburger buns & desired burger fixings
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until soft, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and browned, 6 to 9 minutes, turning down the heat slightly, as needed.
Stir in the tamari, vinegar, and mirin. Stir, reduce the heat, then add the garlic, smoked paprika, and sriracha. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, flaxseed, brown rice, and ½ cup of the panko. Pulse until just combined. The mixture should hold together when pinched, but it should still have some texture.
Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the remaining panko.
Form into 8 patties, place them on a large plate and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
If you're grilling the patties, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the patties with olive oil and spray the grill with cooking spray. Place the patties on the grill and use a spatula to press down lightly. Grill for 7 minutes on the first side, flip, and grill for 6 to 7 minutes on the second side, or until well-charred and cooked through.
Alternately, cook the patties on the stove. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with oil and cook the patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until well-charred and cooked through.
Remove from the heat, brush with Worcestershire sauce, and serve with desired fixings.

Notes

The patties can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, on a tray, until ready to grill. They can also be grilled in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days - they reheat surprisingly well.

You can also freeze the cooked burgers. Allow them to cool completely after cooking. Transfer them to an airtight container or bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen burgers in the microwave, or warm them in a 400° oven for 10-20 minutes, until heated through.

*It’s very very important that your brown rice is freshly made and sticky so that the burgers will be cohesive. (Long grain rice isn't as sticky, so be sure to get short grain rice).