This Veggie Burger recipe is an excerpt from Jackie Akerberg’s book The Clean Vegan. Jackie is the creator of Jackfruitful Kitchen, a popular food blog and Instagram account. Jackie’s recipes have been featured in The Complete Guide to Plant-Based Food and dsm magazine. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with her husband.
Table of Contents
Burgers are at the heart of every summer barbecue, and eating plant-based doesn’t mean you have to miss out. The vegan market is saturated with processed artificial meats, so finding a solid veggie burger made from real, whole ingredients can be a true challenge.
I’m going to speak on behalf of vegans far and wide and say that what we want in our burger is a great texture, lots of veggies, natural plant protein, and a killer sauce that brings it all together. Am I right? Well, after years of perfecting this recipe, I couldn’t be more excited to tell you: This veggie burger is bun in a million. Its texture is firm enough to stand up to the grill, and it can absolutely hold its own on a bun. Trust me when I say that this veggie burger is the only burger recipe you need. Happy grilling!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Quick Pickled Onions
- Red onion
- Orange juice
- Lemon
- Lime
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
Veggie Burgers
- Water, vegetable broth, or avocado oil
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Cremini mushrooms
- Carrot
- Canned chickpeas
- Gluten-free rolled oats
- Gluten-free oat flour
- Flaxseed
- Tomato paste
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Coconut aminos, Bragg Liquid Aminos, soy sauce or tamari
Classic Burger Sauce
- Vegan Greek yogurt
- Sriracha or chili-garlic sauce
- Dijon mustard
Must-Have Burger Toppings
- Gluten-free burger buns
- Butter lettuce
- Roma tomatoes
- Avocado
- Quick Pickled Onions
- Microgreens
- Cornichons or spicy pickles
How To Make This Veggie Burger
Step 1: Prepare Quick Pickled Onions
Begin by making the quick pickled onions ahead of time. In a large jar, combine the onion slices, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar and salt. Securely tighten the lid of the jar and shake it vigorously. Chill the onions in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Store the pickled onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Step 2: Sauté and Prepare Veggie Burger Mix
To make the veggie burgers, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
While the oven is preheating, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Add the onion and garlic and sauté them for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is slightly tender and fragrant. Add the mushrooms and carrot and sauté the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender. You may need to add a little more water to deglaze the skillet as the veggies are cooking. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the veggies cool for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Blend and Shape Veggie Burger Patties
Transfer the veggie mixture to a food processor. Add the chickpeas, oats, oat flour, flaxseed, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and coconut aminos. Pulse the ingredients eight to ten times, until they are well combined but not pureed. Scrape down the sides of the food processor between pulses if needed. The mixture should have a doughy texture with some chunkiness retained from the vegetables and chickpeas. If the mixture is a little too wet to the touch, add additional oat flour 1 tablespoon (6 g) at a time.
Divide the mixture into eight even portions. Create the patties by rolling each section into a ball and flattening it between your palms. Place each patty on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 1½ inches (4 cm) apart.
Step 4: Baking Burgers and Making Sauce
Bake the burgers for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through the baking time.
While the burgers are baking, prepare the classic burger sauce. In a medium jar, combine the yogurt, Sriracha and mustard. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients together. Taste the sauce and adjust the spiciness with extra Sriracha or the tang with extra mustard.
Step 5: Assemble, Serve, and Store
To prepare the must-have burger toppings, place the burger buns on a large baking sheet and warm them in the oven for the final 2 minutes of the burgers’ baking time. Alternatively, you may place the buns directly on the oven rack to warm them. Assemble your burgers by layering the buns with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, quick pickled onions, a burger patty, the classic burger sauce, and microgreens. Serve the burgers with the cornichons on the side.
Any leftover burgers can be frozen, and stored in a reusable bag or container, for up to 6 months. To reheat the burgers, thaw them and reheat them in a skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes per
side. Alternatively, you can grill the leftover burgers over low heat on lightly oiled grates or a lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Best Ever Veggie Burgers – Recipe Card
Best Ever Veggie Burger
Ingredients
Quick Pickled Onions
- 1 large red onion - sliced into rings ⅛" (3 mm) thick
- 2 tbsp 30 ml fresh or refrigerated orange juice
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- Juice of 1 large lime
- 2 tbsp 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
Veggie Burgers
- Water - vegetable broth or avocado oil, as needed
- ½ small red onion - coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- ¾ cup 53 g cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 1 small carrot - grated
- 1 cup 164 g canned chickpeas, drained
- ½ cup 45 g gluten-free rolled oats
- 2 tbsp 12 g gluten-free oat flour, plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp 14 g ground flaxseed
- 1½ tbsp 24 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp 30 ml coconut aminos, Bragg Liquid Aminos, soy sauce or tamari
Classic Burger Sauce
- ½ cup 120 ml plain unsweetened vegan Greek yogurt
- 4 tsp 20 ml Sriracha or chili-garlic sauce, or to taste
- 1 tbsp 15 ml Dijon mustard, or to taste
Must-Have Burger Toppings
- 8 gluten-free burger buns
- 8 leaves butter lettuce
- 2 –3 large Roma tomatoes - thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado - mashed
- ¼ cup 29 g Quick Pickled Onions
- ¼ cup 6 g microgreens
- Cornichons or spicy pickles - for serving
Instructions
- Begin by making the quick pickled onions ahead of time. In a large jar, combine the onion slices, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar and salt. Securely tighten the lid of the jar and shake it vigorously. Chill the onions in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Store the pickled onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
- To make the veggie burgers, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- While the oven is preheating, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Add the onion and garlic and sauté them for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is slightly tender and fragrant. Add the mushrooms and carrot and sauté the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender. You may need to add a little more water to deglaze the skillet as the veggies are cooking. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the veggies cool for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the veggie mixture to a food processor. Add the chickpeas, oats, oat flour, flaxseed, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder,salt, black pepper and coconut aminos. Pulse the ingredients eight to ten times, until they are well combined but not pureed. Scrape down the sides of the food processor between pulses if needed. The mixture should be a doughy texture with some chunkiness retained from the vegetables and chickpeas. If the mixture is a little too wet to the touch, add additional oat flour 1 tablespoon (6 g) at a time.
- Divide the mixture into eight even portions. Create the patties by rolling each section into a ball and flattening it between your palms. Place each patty on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 1½ inches (4 cm) apart.
- Bake the burgers for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through the baking time.
- While the burgers are baking, prepare the classic burger sauce. In a medium jar, combine the yogurt, Sriracha and mustard. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients together. Taste the sauce and adjust the spiciness with extra Sriracha or the tang with extra mustard.
- To prepare the must-have burger toppings, place the burger buns on a large baking sheet and warm them in the oven for the final 2 minutes of the burgers’ baking time. Alternatively, you may place the buns directly on the oven rack to warm them. Assemble your burgers by layering the buns with the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, quick pickled onions, a burger patty, the classic burger sauce and microgreens. Serve the burgers with the cornichons on the side.
- Any leftover burgers can be frozen, stored in a reusable bag or container, for up to 6 months. To reheat the burgers, thaw them and reheat them in a skillet over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes perside. Alternatively, you can grill the leftover burgers over low heat on lightly oiled grates or a lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Notes
Reprinted with permission from The Clean Vegan Cookbook by Jackie Akerberg. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Jackie Akerberg.
Please note that this site contains affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through those links at no extra cost to you.
Did you love this recipe? Please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below. Thank you!
About The Cookbook
Eating plant-based has never been more nourishing or satisfying! From Jackie Akerberg, creator of the popular food blog Jackfruitful Kitchen, comes a mouthwatering collection of inspiring, whole-food recipes that go way beyond your typical salad and are completely free from processed ingredients. By cutting the junk and focusing on wholesome, plant-based meals, you’ll reap all of the health benefits that the vegan diet has to offer: improved digestion, clearer skin and higher energy, just to name a few! With this cookbook, it’s easier than ever to eat 100% clean and 100% vegan (not to mention 100% gluten-free!) throughout the day, as Jackie has you covered with delicious dishes from breakfast through dessert, like:
- Best Ever Veggie Burgers
- Bang-Bang Baja “Shrimp” Tacos
- Super Greens Goddess Pasta
- Get Up and Go Super Seed Bread
- Curried Red Lentil Coconut Soup
- Power-Packed Blueberry Pancakes
- Apple Pie Cheesecake Bites
- And so many more!
Every single recipe has been carefully crafted from wholesome ingredients to provide maximum flavor and a clean eating experience like no other. So what are you waiting for? Kiss processed meals goodbye and say hello to all that a whole-food vegan diet can do for you. You’ll be eating healthier than ever and feeling like the very best version of yourself in no time!
SAVE/PIN/SHARE THIS RECIPE
More Vegan Recipes You Might Like
- The BEST Vegan Coconut Cake
- Vegan Meatball Subs with Cheese Sauce
- Vegan Biscuit and Broccoli Cheddar Cobbler
- Vegan Teff Porridge
Connect with Jackie on Instagram and at jackfruitful.com.
