Super hearty vegan burger! Grillable, flavorful and extremely satisfying, this is a burger that vegans and non-vegans alike will enjoy!
So I think this vegan burger recipe is the best one I’ve made so far.
Not that I’m throwing shade on my other burger recipes, those were damn good too! But this one, oh my, it’s something else!
My mother and her non-vegan partner were here for a visit this past week while we were testing these burgers on the grill (yes they are totally grillable!) and he was raving about them!
He said they were the best burgers he’s had, and this was from a card carrying carnivore my friends! He was also raving about our vegan nacho cheese, basically he was a happy dude with the food offerings around these parts.
I do love getting the validation that our recipes are good from the non-vegan folks so that was awesome.
Anyway I have to agree, these vegan burgers are amazing.
They are meaty, but don’t worry you would never mistake them for actual meat. But they are nice and fat, super hearty and filling, with a mix of spices that creates that wonderful barbecue flavor.
We also did baste them with some vegan barbecue sauce, so there’s that. But I don’t think that’s cheating. 
Fry or Grill
We tested them in the pan and on the grill and both ways are super fabulous.
So whatever suits!
If you’re frying them in the pan then fry them with some olive oil – and baste them with a bit of vegan barbecue sauce – and they come out wonderfully.
If you’re grilling them on the barbecue then make sure your grill is oiled a little. This ensures that the grill doesn’t stick to your burgers.
As long as you’ve done that, you can get a perfect grilled vegan burger. And you definitely still want to put on some vegan barbecue sauce. ?
The texture is perfect!
The texture of these burgers comes from walnuts, chickpeas, couscous and some vital wheat gluten to hold it all together.
I decided to use couscous because it’s so easy to make and cooking the couscous doesn’t add any extra time to making these burgers. While you’re preparing your other ingredients, you just have your couscous soaking in some hot water and then it’s ready!
Whereas if you use something like brown rice or quinoa you are going to have to spend some time cooking it first.
The best way I’ve found to make couscous is just to put equal amounts of couscous and boiling water in a bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave for a few minutes. Then fluff with a fork. Done!
However, if you want to try this vegan burger with brown rice or quinoa you could give it a go. I have not tested it like that though so can’t be sure of the results.
What about gluten-free?
I don’t know how this vegan burger recipe could be adapted to gluten-free, it wasn’t my focus with this recipe as I wanted to use vital wheat gluten because of the great texture it creates.
If you want to experiment then a version with quinoa rather than couscous and gluten-free all purpose flour is probably what I would try as a first go but just know I haven’t tested it like that and it would be a total experiment!
For other burger recipes that could more easily adapt to gluten-free check out our vegan black bean burgers and vegan chickpea burgers.
So I think you’re going to really really love this vegan burger, it is:
- Super hearty
- Filling and satisfying
- Flavorful
- Grillable
- High in protein
- Popular with vegans and non-vegans alike!
Leftovers keep very well in the fridge and can be enjoyed over the next couple of days, either reheated or just eaten cold.
Want more vegan burgers?
- For more delicious vegan burger recipes, check out our tofu burger with creamy mushroom sauce, our vegan chickpea burgers and our vegan black bean burgers.
- And if you want to serve your burger with some fries then our baked potato fries are a winner!
- And if you like ‘meaty’ vegan foods, then our vegan steak is a definite winner.
So please share your thoughts about this vegan burger recipe in the comments and please rate the recipe too, thanks!
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Vegan Burger
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
Super hearty vegan burger! Perfectly grillable, highly flavorful and extremely satisfying, this is a burger that vegans and non-vegans alike will enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Vegan Burgers:
- 1 cup (100g) Walnuts
- 1 cup (164g) Chickpeas (canned, drained well)
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Vegan Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/8 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1 cup (157g) Couscous (Cooked, Packed cup)*
- 1/2 cup (75g) Vital Wheat Gluten
For Basting:
- 2 Tbsp Vegan Barbecue Sauce
For Frying:
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil*
For Serving:
- Hamburger Buns
- Lettuce
- Sliced Tomato
- Sliced Pickles
- Sliced Avocado
- Sliced Red Onion
- Vegan Thousand Island Dressing
Instructions
- Add the walnuts to the food processor and process until crumbly. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Add the chickpeas to the food processor with the soy sauce and tomato paste. Process until well mixed in. You might have to stop a couple of times to scrape down the sides and start it up again before it will start to mix properly. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the crushed walnuts.
- Add the vegan mayonnaise, hoisin sauce, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika and liquid smoke to the mixing bowl .
- Add in the cooked couscous and the vital wheat gluten and stir until slightly mixed. Then get in there with your hands and form it into a big ball and then knead it about 20-30 times so that the wheat gluten can activate properly. You don’t have to worry about the wheat gluten being over-kneaded and causing them to be too tough because there is not a lot of wheat gluten used, so over-kneading is not too much of a worry here.
- Divide into four sections and then either form each section into a burger shape with your hands or pat down into a round cutter to make a nice flat patty shape.
- Add the olive oil to a frying pan and then add in the burgers, brushing on vegan barbecue sauce onto the tops of the burgers. Fry for 5 minutes on medium high heat and then flip them brushing barbecue sauce onto the other side. For best results don’t flip the burgers more than this, burgers hold up best when flipped as little as possible, so ensure the pan isn’t so hot that they burn.
- If you’re cooking on the grill then make sure the grill is lightly oiled so the burgers won’t stick. Brush the burgers with barbecue sauce and then grill on one side for 5 minutes and then the other for 5 minutes. The timing can be a little different on the grill so you can also just play it by ear. They’re ready when they are nicely browned on both sides.
- Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, sliced tomato, pickles, avocado, red onion and vegan thousand island dressing.
Notes
*The couscous should be packed into the cup very well, 157g which is the standard cup measure for a cup of cooked couscous is a for a very packed cup, so pack it in and press it down with a spoon and then pack in some more.
*If you’re frying the burgers in a pan then use the 2 Tbsp of olive oil. However, if you’re doing them on the grill then just make sure the grill is lightly greased so it won’t stick to your burgers.
*Nutritional information is for burger patties only (including olive oil for frying and barbecue sauce for basting) and excludes what the burgers are served with.
- Category: Entree, Dinner, Savory
- Method: Food Processor, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Burger Patty (of 4)
- Calories: 449
- Sugar: 6.6g
- Sodium: 1068mg
- Fat: 26.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Carbohydrates: 30.6g
- Fiber: 5.9g
- Protein: 23.4g
Keywords: vegan burger
Well, this recipe did it for my family! After my five kids and their families had been out hiking, I invited them all over for vegan burgers that I had made for the first time. Some of them were vegan, some vegetarian and some meat eaters. I had not tasted the burgers but they looked, smelled and the ingredients sounded so good together that I took a chance and made about twenty-five burgers. After the meal, I heard nothing but raving reviews for the burgers. Even my meat eaters said that they were the best burgers they had ever had. Maybe it was just because everyone was starving, but my son-in-law who is a meat eater told my daughter to get the recipe. They have enjoyed these burgers many times since last year when we first had them. The other family members have had them too. Thanks for a great recipe that satisfied everyone!
★★★★★
Hi Norma, thanks so much for your awesome comment and review. So happy they were a hit! 🙂
I have never had a better vegan burger! I didn’t have hoisin sauce so I used agave syrup to give it a touch of sweetness. It’s DELICIOUS! I’m concerned about when I run out of vital wheat gluten because I live in Ecuador and I can’t find it here, but I’ll worry about it when it happens. (I schlepped it back to Ecuador from the U.S. the last time I went home for a visit.) Gonna share this recipe with all my friends.
★★★★★
So happy you loved the recipe Dena! Hope you can get more Vital Wheat Gluten sometime! Thanks for the awesome review. 🙂
This recipe is excellent! I used brown rice instead of couscous. It is without a doubt the best burger recipe I have made, and I’ve made a lot!
Yay! Thanks Kathy!
These look so delish but I don’t have vital wheat gluten. Is there anything that I could sub with? Thanks Robin
Hi Robin, you could replace it with regular all purpose flour but it won’t have quite the same texture. Alternatively our vegan black bean burgers don’t require any vital wheat gluten if you want to give those a try. 🙂
Made these last night and they were fantastic. My family kept raving about them. The sauce gave the burgers an extra bit of tastiness. This recipe is a keeper.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Sonia!
My family and I tried these last weekend and again during the week. The first time, I made them exactly as your recipe was written, and omg they were lush! We don’t get many sunny days in Scotland, and with the lock down on everyone was home for this sunny day so we decided to have them on the bbq. I made a little change. Normally when I make couscous, I use stock not water, just to give it extra flavour. So I did this with my couscous this time, but as well as the stock, I added some ground bbq seasoning (we make our own) and added that to the stock and the couscous along with just a little liquid smoke to get that bbq flavour absorbed right into the couscous. We thought it increased the bbq flavour. A confirmed carnivore neighbour peeked over the fence claiming the smell was wonderful so we sent him over a plate of food. He LOVED it and having no idea I was vegan asked how I had made it. He was shocked and impressed he had eaten vegan food. I rolled my eyes and said no, it is not “vegan food” it is simply food. Food with no harm being done to animals. We are going to be making your burgers again tomorrow as the family keeps yammering for them and I am taking the day off from cooking dinner. But it will be a wet grey day here, so we are cooking indoors instead but with a good cast iron skillet so it will get nice and hot and hold the temp! Thank you for the recipe, it is so good!!
★★★★★
Awesome Sassy! So happy to hear that! Thanks for the great review!
This was such a delicious burger. I didn’t baste with BBQ sauce but I did put a vegan Sriracha mayo on it and it was so good. I topped with sautéed mushrooms and onions.
★★★★★
Can I substitute cooked quinoa for the couscous?
I used a combination of hazelnuts, almonds, and cashews, as I didn’t have walnuts. Quinoa rather than couscous, and teriyaki in place of hoisin. They turned out beautifully. Delicious topped with Miyoko’s smoked farmhouse style cheese and loaded with toppings. They held together fantastically.
★★★★★
Wonderful! Thanks for the awesome review!
I was going to ask this exact question about quinoa! Thanks for sharing!!
I made this for my meat eater husband and my newly plant based brother. They both really liked it! It grilled very easily and stayed put together. I really liked the ingredients. They were delicious! My brother loved it and my husband really liked it too. The cous cous I wouldn’t have thought of and it works nicely. I noticed your meatball recipe is similar to this. I’m making meatball subs tomorrow. Thanks!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it Amanda! Thanks for the great review. Hope you enjoy the meatballs too. 🙂
Could you deep fry these?
I’m not sure! Probably! But it’s not something I’ve tried.
once made up mixture and into patties are they ok to refridgerate/freeze to cook later?
Yes definitely!
My dad made these for me. They were lovely! Very nice texture and savoury, smokey flavour. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Maya! 🙂
Do you think this could be made into a meatloaf?
Hi Marla, I’m not sure! We do have a vegan meatloaf recipe though if you want to check it out. 🙂
These burgers are fantastic! I cooked garbanzos from dry, substituted pecans for the walnuts (grocery store did not put the walnuts in my bag! Grrr), made my own hoisin sauce (I live in Tokyo and could, no doubt find it, but would’ve had to go further than I wanted to), made my own bbq sauce from a NYT recipe (yum!), and I made my own burger buns (‘cuz Tokyo) from your dinner roll recipe (I doubled the recipe for 6 and got 5 big burger buns–perfect fit for the four burgers in this recipe). Also, my couscous was the medium size kind–about 3mm across when cooked. All in all, given how much work this was for me (having to make hoisin sauce, bbq sauce and buns!), to say it was worth it is about as big a compliment I can think of! Great recipe! The wheat gluten grabbed me because I make a lot of sausages with it and always wanted to try it in a burger. Tokyo is foodie heaven but I’ve yet to have a veggie burger in a restaurant that holds together, like thisone does, without squishing out the sides. Hello Tokyo! Any restaurants listening?
★★★★★
That is the HUGEST compliment, thank you so much! And wow that is a massive amount of effort (you are a kitchen rockstar) and I’m so glad you enjoyed the result. Thanks for the wonderful comment and review! 🙂
Alright so I made these the other day with a few minor substitutions based on what I had. Subbed couscous for fine bulgur wheat, subbed the hoisin sauce for vegan worcestershire, slightly increased the liquid smoke (because i didn’t have smoked paprika and i didn’t want to sacrifice that smokiness haha) and I used black beans instead of chickpeas. Overall these were great! My meat-loving dad took a bite and said they’re pretty good and had a little bit of meatiness to them which was what I had hoped for. Love this recipe and I’m planning on making it again for a barbecue this weekend. Hopefully I’ll coax some of my family members to try them out. If not then more for me I guess xD
★★★★
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I’ve been vegetarian for 35 years- these are the best patties/ burgers I’ve ever made. Have been experimenting with sriram spas to reduce the amount of tofu I have, and to increase my protein intake. These are Fabulous. Thank you!
Happy new year
★★★★★
Awesome! So happy to hear that. Thanks so much Julia and happy new year to you too!
These look amazing! Do you think they could be frozen?
Hi, yes these are fine to freeze! You can freeze them ready made and then just reheat them. Or you can prepare them and freeze before you fry them up. Then you can either thaw in the fridge before frying or just fry from frozen. All the best!
Tried this recipe last week. Color was good, taste was good, but structure wasn’t. It was more like eating dough than meat. Any tips on improving the firmness?
★★★★
Hi Peter, sorry to hear the texture wasn’t great! It sounds like it needed to be kneaded more, this is crucial to activating the gluten properly and getting the right chewy (not doughy) texture. If you try them again I would recommend kneading a fair bit more than you did this time. 🙂
Best burger ever
★★★★★
Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂