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21 Recipes for Extra Flavorful Plant-Based Burgers

21 Recipes for Extra Flavorful Plant-Based Burgers

May 18, 2018

1108w Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Veggie burgers can be made with chickpeas, black beans, white beans, potatoes, lentils, and pretty much any other vegetable that can be mashed and formed into a patty. And made right, they're delicious—but fragile. Even with binders like breadcrumbs, oats, egg whites, or farina, veggie burger patties tend to be delicate things that don't fare well on the grill. Unless you're using whole portobello mushrooms as the "patties," you're likely to have more success cooking your veggie burgers on the stovetop or under the broiler, then flipping them very carefully when the time comes. Commercial patties tend to be more robust, of course, but we're talking about homemade versions here. Click through the slides to find recipes for our all-time favorite veggie burgers.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Burger

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Black Bean-Quinoa Burger

Veggie burgers are, for many, the go-to low-fat option for dinner in a snap. The frozen-food aisle is packed with different varieties made from chickpeas, black beans, soy, and quinoa. But look beyond the main ingredient, and you'll find that most are highly processed, loaded with sodium, and made with a laundry list of ingredients (one popular brand tallied 38) that go well beyond veggies, including things like isolated proteins. They're usually quite small, too—about 2.5 ounces—leaving you hungry again in a few hours. Our mission? Use whole ingredients to create a simple, tasty homemade veggie burger with staying power.

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Buffalo Quinoa Burgers

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Buffalo Quinoa Burgers

Make your own veggie burgers—they come together quickly and easily with the help of a food processor. You can form the patties ahead of time: Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two days. They’ll end up holding their shape even better in the pan. If serving to kids or folks with sensitive palates, you can omit the hot sauce mixture and simply serve the patties on buns with the usual burger condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayo. Serve with veggies and ranch dressing for a fun and lighter alternative to fries.

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Lentil-Tahini Burgers with Pickled Cabbage

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Lentil-Tahini Burgers with Pickled Cabbage

Look for steamed, vacuum-packed lentils in the grain aisle for the best texture in the burgers, or cook, drain, and refrigerate your own the night before. Why does tahini turn to a gluey paste when liquid is added? Tahini is made of carbs, and carbs stick to water molecules like, well, glue. Keep slowly adding liquid and stirring; the sauce will start to absorb the liquid and smooth out.

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20-Minute Black Bean Burgers

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: 20-Minute Black Bean Burgers

One serving contains more iron than 3 ounces of steak—even more reason to enjoy them between the bun, like in these 20-minute burgers below. Try using half of a spare whole-grain hamburger bun in place of the bread slice. These burgers also work with any other canned bean variety. Pile it high with red onion, creamy avocado, and a juicy tomato slice.

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Buffalo Tempeh Sliders With Celery Seed Slaw

Credit: Photo: Jamie Vespa

View Recipe: Buffalo Tempeh Sliders with Celery Seed Slaw

Yet another reason why we love tempeh: It makes a delicious plant-based riff on a buffalo slider and packs 9g fiber (a third of your daily needs) into just 3 ounces. This soybean-based veggie protein is a great option for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, as its firm texture and adaptable flavor can renovate just about any meat-based recipe. Here, we braise tempeh in hot sauce to infuse it with buffalo-flavor before tucking it in a toasty whole-wheat bun.

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Bulgur Chickpea Burgers

Credit: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Bulgur Chickpea Burgers With Garlicky Avocado Mash

Green onions, smoked paprika, and cumin infuse these super savory veggie burgers. A creamy, garlicky avocado mash is the perfect complement. Don't worry about mashing the chickpeas completely smooth; a few chunks provide great texture. The raw bulgur-chickpea mixture is delicate but firms up as it cooks; be gentle when turning the burgers in the pan so they don't fall apart. If you have leftover bulgur, these come together in a flash; use 1 1/3 cups cooked grains.

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Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers

The food processor brings these meatless patties together in a flash. Another bonus? A new Harvard study found that those who regularly ate a healthy plant-based diet (like this burger) significantly lowered their risk of heart disease. Ground flaxseed adds body to the burgers. This quick dinner is also a great way to work more meatless dishes into your week. Kids can help shape the patties, mix up the avocado spread, and build the sandwiches.

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Kicky Black Bean Burgers

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Kicky Black Bean Burgers

If you don't have a food processor, you can sub about 2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs for the torn bun.

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Black Bean and Mushroom Sliders

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen

View Recipe: Black Bean and Mushroom Sliders

Enjoy the ease of off-the-cuff cooking with this dish that's so simple to prepare that you'll actually feel relaxed when you sit down to dig in. You'll love our genius microwave trick that creates the meatiest meatless mini-burgers in less than a third of the time.

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Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigat-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

View Recipe: Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa

Black beans, cilantro, and spices enhance the flavors in these veggie burgers, but it’s the avocado-mango salsa that makes this recipe shine.

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Beet and Brown Rice Sliders

Credit: Photo: Nigel Cox

View Recipe: Beet and Brown Rice Sliders

These bite-size sliders will leave you satisfied and craving another. Good news: A serving size of these veggie burgers is two sliders.

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Mushroom Lentil Burgers

Credit: Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Mushroom Lentil Burgers

Make homemade veggie burgers in a snap with precooked lentils. We like the black beluga variety from Archer Farms, with no added salt. Brown lentils can be substituted but tend to be more moisture-dense and may require additional breadcrumbs to help bind the burgers.

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Berkeley Veggie Burger

Credit: Photo: Christina Holmes

View Recipe: Berkeley Veggie Burger

Big-time flavors from blue cheese and horseradish make this burger delicious.

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"New" New Mexican Green Chile Cheeseburgers

Credit: Photo: Line T. Klein

View Recipe: "New" New Mexican Green Chile Cheeseburgers

Black bean patties make a savory, delicious alternative to beef. A poblano pepper can stand in for the Cubanelle.

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Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salsa

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salsa

Use leftover cooked pearl barley with lentils, veggies, and seasonings for a hearty main-dish burger sans the bun. Fruit salsa adds bright flavors. Serve with lime wedges for added zest.

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Middle Eastern Chickpea Miniburgers

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Middle Eastern Chickpea Miniburgers

Serve each burger on a whole-grain slider bun with lettuce, crisp radish slices, roasted red bell pepper, and canola-based mayonnaise. Two burgers per person!

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Our Homemade Quick Black Bean Burger

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Our Homemade Quick Black Bean Burger

Serve these quick black bean burgers on a bun with a hot sauce-spiked ketchup, spinach leaves, tomato slice, a slice of Monterey Jack cheese, avocado slices, and onion for a tasty and nutritious entrée.

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Portobello Burgers

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Portobello Burgers

Because of the portobello’s firm texture, these burgers will please both vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike. Half of a roasted bell pepper is stirred into mayonnaise for the sandwich spread. Use the leftover bell pepper as a pizza topping, or in a salad or a pasta dish.

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Red-Lentil Burgers with Aioli

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Red-Lentil Burgers with Aioli

These satisfying patties are made with a mixture of red lentils, mushrooms, carrots, and onions. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings and a dollop of aioli.

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Corn and Two-Bean Burgers with Chipotle Ketchup

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Corn and Two-Bean Burgers with Chipotle Ketchup

The sweet-smoky-spicy ketchup in this recipe adds a decidedly Southwestern flavor, and also pairs quite well with sweet potato fries. Other toppings, though, could take the patties in a totally different direction: Try a spicy brown mustard or pesto mayonnaise.

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Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Bean-based vegetable burgers are filling and packed with nutrition. This delicious version will soon become a household favorite.

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21 Recipes for Extra Flavorful Plant-Based Burgers

1 of 21

Black Bean-Quinoa Burger

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Buffalo Quinoa Burgers

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Lentil-Tahini Burgers with Pickled Cabbage

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20-Minute Black Bean Burgers

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Buffalo Tempeh Sliders With Celery Seed Slaw

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Bulgur Chickpea Burgers

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Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers

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Kicky Black Bean Burgers

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Black Bean and Mushroom Sliders

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Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa

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Beet and Brown Rice Sliders

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Mushroom Lentil Burgers

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Berkeley Veggie Burger

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"New" New Mexican Green Chile Cheeseburgers

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Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salsa

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Middle Eastern Chickpea Miniburgers

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Our Homemade Quick Black Bean Burger

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Portobello Burgers

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Red-Lentil Burgers with Aioli

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Corn and Two-Bean Burgers with Chipotle Ketchup

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Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise

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