• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Loving It Vegan

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Free Ebook
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About Me
    • Recipes
    • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Entrees

    Vegan Burger

    Published: Sep 3, 2022 Updated: Sep 3, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Burger

    The best vegan burger loaded with flavor and suitable for the grill or stovetop. Hearty and satisfying with a delicious texture.

    Vegan burger on a burger bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, avocado and red onion.

    This vegan burger recipe is seriously the best ever.

    My mother and her non-vegan partner were here for a visit while we were testing these burgers on the grill 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.

    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 BBQ flavor.

    We did also baste them with vegan BBQ sauce, so there’s that. But I don’t think that’s cheating.

    Vegan burger on a hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, avocado, red onion and vegan thousand island dressing.

    How To Make Vegan Burgers

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Add walnuts to the food processor and process until crumbly. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
    Collage of two photos showing walnuts added to food processor and processed into crumbs.
    • Add chickpeas, soy sauce and tomato paste to the food processor and process until well mixed. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the chopped walnuts.
    Two photo collage showing chickpeas, soy sauce and tomato paste added to food processor and processed.
    • Add vegan mayonnaise, hoisin sauce, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, ground black pepper, smoked paprika and liquid smoke to the mixing bowl.
    • Add cooked couscous and vital wheat gluten.
    • Stir until slightly mixed and then get in there with your hands and form it into a big ball and knead it 20-30 times so that the vital wheat gluten can activate.
    Two photo collage showing ingredients added to mixing bowl and mixed into a burger mix.
    • Divide the burger mix into four sections and form each section into a burger shape. You can form them into a burger shape with your hands or by patting it down into a round cutter to make a flat round patty shape.
    Two photo collage showing shaping the burgers into burger patties.
    • Heat olive oil in a pan and when hot, add the burgers. Brush on vegan BBQ sauce as they cook.
    Vegan burgers cooking in a frying pan.

    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 in olive oil – and baste them with a bit of vegan BBQ 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 BBQ sauce.

    Vegan burger cooking on the grill.

    The Perfect Texture

    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.

    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.

    Vegan burger cooking on the grill.

    How To Make Couscous

    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!

    Vegan burgers on a wooden board.

    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. 

    Vegan burger on a burger bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, vegan thousand island, avocado and red onion.

    Serving Suggestions

    If you want to serve your burger with some fries then our baked potato fries are a winner.

    A side salad like a vegan Greek salad or vegan chickpea salad would also go great, as would our vegan coleslaw.

    We’ve topped our burger with some vegan thousand island dressing but other great options are vegan aioli or vegan yum yum sauce.

    It’s also wonderful topped with vegan nacho cheese or vegan queso.

    Vegan burgers on a wooden board.

    Storing and Freezing

    Leftovers keep very well in the fridge and can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the frying pan or in the microwave.

    You can freeze them cooked or uncooked for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat, or just cook them directly from frozen.

    Vegan burger sliced in half to show the center.

    More Vegan Burger Recipes

    • Tofu Burger
    • Portobello burger with lettuce, tomato, pickle on a white plate.
      Portobello Burgers
    • Vegan black bean burger topped with guacamole and red onion in a burger bun.
      Vegan Black Bean Burgers
    • Chickpea burgers on a red and white tablecloth.
      Easiest Vegan Chickpea Burgers

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Loaded vegan burger.

    Vegan Burger

    The best vegan burger loaded with flavor and suitable for the grill or stovetop. Hearty and satisfying with a delicious texture.
    4.90 from 92 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 473kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    Vegan Burgers:

    • 1 cup Walnuts (100g)
    • 1 cup Chickpeas (164g) canned, drained well
    • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
    • 1 Tablespoon Vegan Mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon Hoisin Sauce
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
    • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    • ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ⅛ teaspoon Liquid Smoke
    • 1 cup Cooked Couscous (157g) Packed cup
    • ½ cup Vital Wheat Gluten (75g)

    Basting:

    • 2 Tablespoons Vegan BBQ Sauce

    Frying:

    • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

    Serving:

    • Hamburger Buns
    • Lettuce
    • Sliced Tomato
    • Sliced Pickles
    • Sliced Avocado
    • Sliced Red Onion
    • Vegan Thousand Island Dressing Optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 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 it 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 vegan BBQ sauce onto the tops of the burgers. Fry for 5 minutes on medium high heat and then flip them and brush BBQ 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 BBQ 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.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Couscous. The couscous should be packed into the cup very well, 157g is the standard cup measure for a cup of cooked couscous and this is for a very packed cup. So pack it into the cup, press it down with a spoon and then pack in some more. Or simply weigh it out on a food scale. 
    2. Olive oil. If you’re frying the burgers in a pan then use 2 Tablespoons 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.
    3. Storing: Leftovers keep very well in the fridge and can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the frying pan or in the microwave.
    4. Freezing: You can freeze them cooked or uncooked for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat, or just cook them directly from frozen.
    5. Nutritional information is for burger patties only (including olive oil for frying and BBQ sauce for basting) and excludes hamburger buns and everything else that the burgers are served with.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Burger Patty | Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 0.03mg | Sodium: 1047mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
    Get Your Copy! It's FREE!
    « Vegan Tzatziki
    Vegan Rice Krispie Treats »
    37.8K shares

    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says

      March 18, 2025 at 5:19 pm

      I can’t rate the original recipe but I did try substituting gluten flour with gluten-free chickpea flour (75 grams) and the result worked well. I also used barley (not gluten free) instead of couscous because it’s what I had. It’s a chewy veggie burger that holds its shape and isn’t squishy. Next time I’m putting marmite in the recipe as it works wonders for meaty flavors. Thanks for the recipe,I’m an omnivore but I wouldn’t mind eating these.

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        March 20, 2025 at 11:27 am

        Thanks for sharing Didina!

        Reply
    2. Shaghig says

      March 12, 2025 at 10:35 pm

      Can I leave out the liquid smoke

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        March 14, 2025 at 7:35 am

        Yes you can!

        Reply
    3. Almira says

      February 12, 2025 at 7:18 pm

      How important is couscous to the recipe? Can I leave it out?

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        February 18, 2025 at 12:03 pm

        Hi Almira. You can’t leave out the couscous as this contributes to the texture of the burger.

        Reply
    4. Dennis says

      February 02, 2025 at 9:14 am

      Thank you for this recipe!

      Though I am not vegan, I am exploring the vegan cuisine because I want to at least significantly increase the number of plant-based main courses in my diet.

      This is the best burger recipe I have found so far. Total comfort food and thanks to the gluten it still has a nice bite to it. Unfortunately I overpowered slightly on the liquid smoke as it is a new ingredient to me, but that just means that I will be forced to make these delicious burgers again soon.5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        February 05, 2025 at 11:40 am

        That’s great Dennis! Thanks so much for sharing and for your great review!

        Reply
    5. Heather says

      December 29, 2024 at 6:32 pm

      These were maybe the best vegan burgers I’ve made! My family and I love them. Thanks so much for the great recipe – I’ll be making these on repeat!5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        January 22, 2025 at 12:49 pm

        That’s great Heather. Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and thanks so much for your great review!

        Reply
    6. Lisa Talbot says

      August 11, 2024 at 10:22 pm

      I baked them without oil. They were delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        August 13, 2024 at 10:44 am

        Awesome! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, and thanks so much for your great review!

        Reply
    7. Darlene says

      July 04, 2024 at 3:56 pm

      Will leaving out the hoisin sauce be ok or can it be replaced with something else?

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        July 05, 2024 at 7:45 am

        Hi Darlene. You can leave it out or you can replace it with vegan barbeque sauce. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    8. Rachel says

      June 10, 2024 at 12:21 am

      Not a fan. It would be better as burrito meat1 star

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        June 11, 2024 at 12:08 pm

        Sorry to hear you feel that way Rachel! All tastes are not the same and we appreciate your feedback. All the best!

        Reply
    9. Lainey says

      June 06, 2024 at 1:28 pm

      Can I sub out quinoa for the couscous?

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        June 07, 2024 at 8:29 am

        Hi Lainey. We haven’t tested this recipe with quinoa but if you do, make sure to cook it first before adding it in. Let us know how it turned out!

        Reply
    10. Romis says

      February 29, 2024 at 12:35 pm

      Hello! can we replace Vital Wheat Gluten with all purpose flour?

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        March 05, 2024 at 12:30 pm

        Hi Romis, we haven’t tested the recipe without the vital wheat gluten, but you are welcome to try.

        Reply
      • ananya patel says

        June 04, 2024 at 9:06 am

        Hello thankyou for sharing tips and tricks.

        Reply
    11. t says

      February 27, 2024 at 6:09 pm

      Super good, best veggie burger I’ve ever made. Smoke plus BBQ sauce is a winner and love the firmer texture from the wheat gluten.5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        February 28, 2024 at 2:30 pm

        Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for your lovely review!

        Reply
    12. Cyndi says

      February 21, 2024 at 1:24 pm

      Hey there, I stumbled across this recipe in a very old email. I haven’t made it yet, but I plan on it. My question is why is there so much sodium and where is it coming from? My husband has to watch his sodium intake since his triple bypass surgery. Thank you very much for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        February 28, 2024 at 2:35 pm

        Hi Cyndi! I believe the sodium comes from the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and salt. If you want to reduce the sodium content, you can either reduce or omit those ingredients completely to make it a bit less salty.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Comment Policy: Your feedback is really appreciated! Please do us a favor and rate the recipe as well as this really helps us! The most helpful comments are the ones that give useful feedback for others who might make the recipe, tell about substitutions you made or adjustments you made and how it turned out, or assisting other commenters. Rude or insulting comments will not be accepted.

    4.90 from 92 votes (37 ratings without comment)

    Leave A Comment & Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi I’m Alison Andrews! I love making delicious vegan food and creating delicious vegan versions of all your old favorite dishes, so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too!

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Popular Posts

    • Vegan tuna on an open faced sandwich on a wooden board.
      Vegan Tuna
    • Serving spoonful of vegan mac and cheese.
      The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese (Classic, Baked)
    • Vegan burritos stacked up on top of each other.
      Vegan Burrito
    • Vegan tofu scramble with sliced avocado and fried tomatoes on a white plate.
      Super Eggy Vegan Tofu Scramble
    • Thick slice of cashew cheese on a wooden board.
      Sliceable Cashew Cheese
    • Homemade vegan butter in a glass butter dish with a knife.
      Homemade Vegan Butter

    Veganuary

    • Vegan chop suey served in a black bowl.
      Vegan Chop Suey
    • Vegan German Potato Salad served in a black bowl.
      Vegan German Potato Salad
    • Vegan Italian Dressing
    • Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles in a black bowl.
      Vegan Thai Peanut Noodles
    • Slices of grilled vegan halloumi on a gray plate.
      Vegan Halloumi
    • Vegan stuffed mushrooms on a white plate.
      Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

    See all Veganuary Recipes →


    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As Seen In

    Press logos black and white

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Loving It Vegan

    Get 10 fabulous dinner recipes!
    Absolutely free! Sign up below!
    Get Your Copy! It's FREE!

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.