13 Veggie Burger Recipes You’ll Flip For
No disrespect to the freezer aisle, but our favorite veggie burger ideas start with fresh ingredients—not prefab pucks. Hearty beans and grains, meaty mushrooms, and aromatic alliums are just a few of the ways to make satisfying plant-based patties that will lead to exactly no one asking, “Where’s the beef?”
Homemade veggie burger recipes don’t need to entail hours of prep or miles-long shopping lists, either. Our simplest recipe comes together in just 20 minutes; in many others, canned beans, squash, lentils, and sweet potatoes do the heavy lifting. Inspired by Indian street food, Korean BBQ, local produce, and beyond, the recipes below put worlds of flavor in the palm of your hand.
Photo Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen1/13Easiest-Ever Grilled Veggie Burgers
Kicking off our list of veggie burger ideas with a bang, this easy recipe takes just 20 minutes and requires no specialty equipment or unpronounceable ingredients. “This is one of my absolute favorite veggie burger recipes,” says one Bon Appétit reader, who especially loves that the gluten-free patty doesn’t “use flour and breadcrumbs as filler.”
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley2/13Bulgogi Tofu Burgers
The Korean BBQ–inspired sauce on these meaty tofu wedges comes together quickly in a blender or food processor and does double duty as a marinade and burger topper. Pressing the tofu between baking sheets makes sure the cooked burgers turn out tender, not mushy.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson3/13Black Bean Smash Burger
Smashing these black bean burgers as they cook creates thin, flavorful veggie patties with crispy edges. Swap the chipotle chiles for diced jalapeños, or make a spicy sauce out of mayo (find our favorite vegan mayonnaise here) and sriracha. Serve the cooked burgers on griddled brioche or hamburger buns with shredded lettuce and crisp slices of tomato and red onion.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou4/13Lentil Burgers
Smoked paprika, miso, and grated garlic cloves give these vegetarian burgers layers of flavor that impress even the most skeptical dinner guests. “Not a vegetarian, but these are super,” one meat eater writes in the comments, noting that they “like them better” than beef burgers.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime5/13Seared Squash and Halloumi Burgers
Homemade veggie burger recipes don’t need to be an all-day project. Make the punchy dressing for this recipe while the squash sits, then sear the cheese and veg in olive oil on the stovetop for an irresistible textural combo.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca6/13Vada Pav With Dry Coconut-Garlic Chutney
This aromatic potato patty gets its crispy exterior from a coating of chickpea flour. Make the chutney up to two days in advance to cut down on prep time, and serve each patty on a pillowy soft bun.
Alex Lau8/13Stellar Quinoa Burger
With protein-packed quinoa, fresh zucchini, and meaty portobello mushrooms, this vegan burger beats anything in the freezer case. Use panko instead of breadcrumbs, or swap the red pepper flakes for freshly ground black pepper. Top each patty with guacamole, crunchy sprouts, and tomato chutney or ketchup.
10/13Fried Eggplant Sandwiches
Using homemade or store-bought marinara sauce makes these veggie burgers weeknight-friendly and easy to customize. Swap in spicy arrabbiata sauce or pesto and top the fried eggplant slices with roasted red peppers or handfuls of peppery arugula.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely11/13Green Falafel Smash Burgers
Giving homemade falafel the smash burger treatment creates crispy-edged chickpea patties perfect for stacking on hamburger buns with crunchy cucumbers and kicky harissa mayo. Stuff leftovers into a pita or nestle them into a grain bowl for lunch the next day.
12/13Portobello Burgers With Pesto, Provolone, and Roasted Peppers
Cooking meaty portobellos directly on hot a grill grate creates layers of depth. Prep time is all but nonexistent here: While the grill preheats, make the two-ingredient burger sauce with store-bought or homemade pesto.
