Go Back
+ servings
close up on the best vegan veggie burger on a bun.
Print Recipe
4.88 stars (65 ratings)

Best Veggie Burger

This really is the best veggie burger I've ever had and the taste is so much better than store-bought! Hearty and delicious thanks to a meaty mix of black beans, vegetables and whole grains. Budget friendly, too!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Rice cooking time40 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 burgers
Calories: 218kcal
Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

Veggie burger patties

  • 1/4 cup ground flax
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 cups cooked black beans (2 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 cup cashews or almonds, sunflower seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa, white rice
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsely
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/3 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 cup bread crumbs or gluten free
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste

Easy burger sauce

  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo
  • 4 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • few shakes black pepper

For serving

  • burger buns of choice
  • lettuce or arugula
  • tomato slices
  • red onion slices
  • mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles
  • cheese slices I like Violife cheddar

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and water. Give it a little stir and set aside. This is your flax egg mixture.
  • In a large bowl, add the drained and rinsed black beans. Mash with a potato masher (or fork) until most of the beans are a paste. Leave about 1/4 of the beans whole.
  • Place the cashews in a food processor, and pulse until they are breadcrumb size, NOT a powder. It's okay if a few larger pieces remain. You could instead chop them with a large knife. Add to the bowl with the beans.
  • Now add the flax/water mix to the bowl with the beans/nuts as well as all the remaining ingredients. Mix very well with a large wooden spoon. 
  • Using about 1/2 cup per burger, shape into burger patty shapes about 3/4 inch thick. 

To cook on the stovetop (my preferred method)

  • Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil on the stove over medium heat. Add 4 patties at a time and cook until gold and crispy on one side, about 4 minutes.
  • Carefully flip the burgers and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

To bake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. Place the patties on the pan(s) and bake for 20 minutes. Flip, bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven.

On the grill

  • For easier grilling, refrigerate the patties for at least 30 minutes. Heat the BBQ to medium high, brush the patties with oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side.

Serve with all the toppings

  • Make the optional burger sauce: Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  • Serve on hamburger buns and any burger fixings you love! Go with the classic: burger sauce or vegan mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickle slices, lettuce, tomato and onion. Or get creative with barbecue sauce, Sriracha vegan mayo, avocado and arugula, etc. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Nut allergy? Sunflower seeds, or pepitas also work in place of the cashews, as well as almonds if you can have them. Or simply omit the nuts/seeds altogether.
  2. Gluten free? Substitute gluten free breadcrumbs, almond flour or gluten free certified rolled oats for the regular breadcrumbs. 
  3. May substitute cooked quinoa or white rice for the brown rice.
  4. May use another kind of bean, such as kidney, chickpea or pinto beans.
  5. Will work with ground chia seeds in place of flax. Or another egg replacer like Bob's Red Mill or even JUST Egg.
  6. The recipe makes 12 burgers, so feel free to cut the recipe in half if you don't want that many. However, they do freeze well.
  7. How to store: Leftover cooked burgers keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. May also freeze cooked burgers. I like to wrap them individually, then place in a freezer friendly container.
  8. Make ahead: You can make the burger mixture a day or so before if desired before cooking. I don't recommend freezing uncooked burgers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 12 burger patties | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3684IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg