The best vegan burger loaded with flavor and suitable for the grill or stovetop. Hearty and satisfying with a delicious texture.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and when hot, add the burgers. Brush on vegan BBQ sauce as they cook.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
More Vegan Burger Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Burger
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Wow! I made these tonight and … Just wow! Great texture and flavor!
Thanks Eva!
I made these burgers as a first ever tried vegan recipe, for a visiting and very good Friend who is Vegan…. She loved them… And so do I… Tho not Vegan myself, I will be making these again and sharing your recipe, Alison… Thank you so much!
That’s wonderful Laura, thanks so much! 🙂
Hey, I’m just about to make the burger pattys. Do you know how I can substitute the vital wheat gluten with xanthan gum? Cheers
Hi Sammy, that’s not something I’ve ever tried. I don’t know that there is a good replacement for vital wheat gluten.
These are amazing! We are a family of meat eaters trying to transition to a more plant based diet and these are so meaty we thought me may even add some extra veggies back in!! So good we have made them several times already. I particularly like the stickiness of the BBQ sauce and the way the sugars of it caramelise as you cook the burgers. My family is normally to hangry for me to be able to make the sauce but a mix of mayonnaise and sriracha is super quick and works really well too.
Thanks so much Jess! So glad they are a hit! 🙂
Hello, can the couscous be replaced with anything? Is it purely for texture?
It’s for texture yes, brown rice or quinoa are options you could try, but we haven’t tested those.
Hi Alison,
i love your recipes and i have been cooking with them a lot. I am trying to make a nice vegan burger but i always end up with a great taste, but still a bit of this mushy texture. A bite is missing. I guess the vital wheat gluten help with that but i do not respond well to gluten. What would you recommend? (besides your black bean burger recipe) I was looking to add maybe like agar agar, but that melts again with high temperature right? Or Arrowroot. No idea. Since you have such a good website i hoped you could help.
Regards from Holland.
Hi Michelle, yes the vital wheat gluten helps a lot with the texture, but if you don’t do gluten then that won’t work. I don’t think adding agar agar or arrowroot would be the answer. In the case of our black bean burgers it is more likely that you just need a drier texture of the burger mix to start with, and then perhaps bake them first before frying them.
I tried a few different recipes and this one is definitely my favorite! I tried it on a grill and works perfectly, but I usually prepare it in a pan. I will make a bunch of these patties today and freeze them! Thank you for this great recipe!
Awesome! Thanks so much Barbara!
We need to be tree nut and peanut free and I’m really new to vegan cooking. Is there anything I can sub for the walnuts?
You could try just omitting them and see how it goes. The texture will be different but I think it would still be pretty good.
You could try Sunflower seeds and/or Hemp seeds. They will typically sub for nuts in a satisfying way.
These are delicious! I was wondering if you can freeze them? Thank you!
Hi Gabi, yes these are freezer friendly! 🙂
Try substituting sunflower seeds for the walnuts.
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!!
These were just amazing! It was the best burger I’ve ever had. I topped with vegan cheddar cheese, caramelized red onions and homemade smoked burger dressing. Burger of dreams!
That’s awesome Silvie! Thanks for the amazing review!