You are not going to want to try any other veggie burger once you make this one! They’re the best veggie burgers, and they’re perfect for the summer as they’re grillable! They are so much better than the ones out of a box and cost a fraction to make them at home.
They’ve got a wonderfully meaty texture, are full of flavor, and hold up well like a regular burger. Some veggie burgers can be crumbly but not these ones! You’ll love that they’re tender but not mushy. They’re also full of good-for-you ingredients that you might already have on hand.
This recipe for homemade veggie burgers is also perfect for feeding a crowd as it makes 8 patties, and you can easily double it. If you plan on making this for your next cookout, then make one of my delicious side dish recipes to go with it such as my corn salad, pineapple salsa, or my watermelon salad recipe! They’re the perfect summer recipes.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Mushrooms — using mushrooms in a veggie burger gives it a hearty and meaty texture and provides a rich umami flavor.
Black beans — similar to mushrooms, black beans give the burgers a meaty texture and provide flavor. Make sure to give them a good rinse to remove the salty liquid that they’re sitting in.
Rice — rice acts as a natural binder, helping to hold all the ingredients together. It absorbs moisture and helps prevent the patties from falling apart. I’m using brown rice, but you can also use white rice. It also helps create a satisfying texture in the patties.
Breadcrumbs — the breadcrumbs assist the rice in binding the ingredients and absorbing moisture.
Walnuts — I love adding walnuts to a veggie burger because they provide a delicious nutty flavor, and their firm texture gives the burgers a meaty mouthfeel. They also assist the rice and breadcrumbs in binding the ingredients.
Seasoning — I use chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to season these patties. Make sure your seasoning is fresh and not stale!
How to Make Veggie Burgers
1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown.
2. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor and add the black beans to the mixture.
3. Add the rice, breadcrumbs, walnuts, and egg to the food processor.
4. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse 5 to 8 times just to combine, and the mixture sticks together.
5. Shape the mixture into 8 patties with your hands and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 45 minutes.
6. Grill or cook the veggie burger patties in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Make sure to refrigerate the patties after forming them. This allows the ingredients to bind together and improves the texture of the final burgers.
- Use freshly cooked rice. The heat and starch will help hold the mixture together. Start cooking the rice first to save on prep time.
- If you do not have a food processor, I do not recommend using a blender as it will overmix the mixture. You can mix well to combine in a bowl with a spatula. You can also mash the ingredients together with a potato masher.
- When shaping the patties, make sure they are not too flat and wide, as they’ll be difficult to flip.
- If you do not have black beans or don’t have enough on hand, you can substitute them for another kind of bean, such as kidney beans, chickpeas, or pinto beans.
- Toppings are the best part of a burger! Some of my favorite toppings include lettuce, cheese, bell peppers, green onions, arugula, guacamole, tomato, grilled onions, mustard, red onion, ketchup, BBQ sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic mayo, and relish. For the burger buns, try my brioche bun recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
The burger mixture was likely over-blended, or there was too much moisture left in the sauteed ingredients. Make sure to thoroughly saute the onions and mushroom, fully drain the black beans, and pulse the ingredients together until just combined.
You can make the veggie burger patties ahead of time and keep them wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking them.
You can store the cooked veggie patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
These patties reheat well on the stovetop over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes or in the microwave in under a minute.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Veggie Burger recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Veggie Burger
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 8 ounces mushrooms finely chopped (227g)
- 1 medium onion chopped (240g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked brown rice (168g)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (56g)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (56g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and cook until mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor. Add the black beans, rice, breadcrumbs, walnuts, egg, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse 5 to 8 times just to combine and the mixture sticks together. (Don’t over-process to a paste.)
- Shape the mixture into 8 patties with your hands and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 45 minutes.
Stovetop Method:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In 2 batches, cook until brown on one side, flip, and continue to cook until brown on the other, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and patties.
Grill method:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the patties with 1 tablespoon of oil and spray the grill rack with cooking spray. Grill the patties, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until brown, gently flip, and grill until brown on the other side, about 7 minutes per side.
Notes
- Make sure to refrigerate so the patties after forming them. This allows the ingredients to bind together and improves the texture of the final burgers.
- Use freshly cooked rice. The heat and starch will help hold the mixture together. Start cooking the rice first to save on prep time.
- If you do not have a food processor, I do not recommend using a blend as it will overmix the mixture. You can mix well to combine in a bowl with a spatula. You can also mash the ingredients together with a potato masher.
- When shaping the patties, make sure they are not too flat and wide, as they’ll be difficult to flip.
- If you do not have black beans or don’t have enough on hand, you can substitute them for another kind of bean, such as kidney beans, chickpeas, or pinto beans.
- Toppings are the best part of a burger! Some of my favorites include lettuce, cheese, arugula, guacamole, tomato, grilled onions, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, cheese, garlic mayo, and relish. For the burger buns, try my brioche buns!
