Our Favorite Veggie Burger Recipes Fully Embrace the Power of Plants
Which do you prefer as your patty—lentils, mushrooms, tofu, or zucchini?
So often, the best part of a veggie burger is being able to use whatever veggies you want in your base. That’s why every veggie burger is different. When I want one, I look for one that’s built of a protein sturdy enough to make me feel full, like lentils or a medley of beans. Oh, and usually a lot of cheese, because queso totally makes up for the lack of meat. (Sorry, vegans.)
Fans of the Impossible Burger might enjoy the very close similarity to real beef. But if you want to indulge in the power of the veg, you might want a big juicy portobello mushroom burger. However your cravings are carved out, we’ve got a veggie burger recipe guaranteed to please. Find our five favorite Sunset veggie burgers below—and don’t forget the vegetarian-friendly sides!
Veggie Burger Recipes
1 /5 Annabelle Breakey SoCal Veggie Burgers
Pile up your favorite veggie burger patties with lots of vegetables, homemade hummus and slaw, and tuck the works into lettuce “buns.” Use extra hummus as a dip for vegetables or as a sandwich spread.
2 /5 Leigh Beisch Tofu Burgers
Jeremy Wolf never makes these tofu burgers the same way twice, but he always seasons them with Dijon mustard and soy sauce. He serves them on toasted artisan-style bread with spinach leaves, sliced tomato, and more mustard.
3 /5 Annabelle Breakey Lentil Veggie Burgers
Scared to try a veggie burger? This one will make you a believer. Packed with lentils and healthy veggies, we promise you will never even miss the meat.
4 /5 James Carrier Portabella Burgers
The hearty portabella mushroom is reminiscent of a classic beef burger due to how it chars on the outside and stays moist on the inside. Add spices and herbs to the outside of the mushroom cap for added flavor, and for more convenience buy them pre-trimmed.
5 /5 Eva Kolenko Zucchini Burgers
We’ve given the veggie burger a serious upgrade, with browned mushrooms, nuts, and spices in the shredded zucchini patties, and raw zucchini ribbons on top for freshness. Double or triple the recipe and stick the extras in the freezer for convenient future use!
1 /5 Eva Kolenko Salsa Verde Cherry Tomatoes
Stuff medium-sized cherry tomatoes with this delicious Italian-flavored filling and you’ve got an instant party hit. Just be sure not to use grape tomatoes, which are too small to fill.
2 /5 Jim Franco Ultimate Mac ‘n’ Cheese
A bubbling dish of toasted cheese and pasta, with the sophisticated flavors of fondue—what’s not to love? Your vegetarian friends will love the opportunity to indulge in a rich side.
3 /5 Eva Kolenko California Salad Spears
These single-serving salads are guaranteed to make an Insta-worthy statement at your dinner table.
4 /5 Annabelle Breakey Herbed Flatbread Pizzas
A Sunset reader loads up soft lavash bread with a rainbow-colored assortment of fresh vegetables and herbs. You can also use flour tortillas.
5 /5 Norman A. Plate Cowboy Caviar
Cowboy Caviar starts with a spicy base of black-eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, and avocado. Scoop it up with tortilla chips for an appetizer, or add cabbage and it becomes a coleslaw.
Vegetarian Sides
1 of 5Eva Kolenko
Salsa Verde Cherry Tomatoes
Stuff medium-sized cherry tomatoes with this delicious Italian-flavored filling and you’ve got an instant party hit. Just be sure not to use grape tomatoes, which are too small to fill.
2 of 5Jim Franco
Ultimate Mac ‘n’ Cheese
A bubbling dish of toasted cheese and pasta, with the sophisticated flavors of fondue—what’s not to love? Your vegetarian friends will love the opportunity to indulge in a rich side.
3 of 5Eva Kolenko
California Salad Spears
These single-serving salads are guaranteed to make an Insta-worthy statement at your dinner table.
4 of 5Annabelle Breakey
Herbed Flatbread Pizzas
A Sunset reader loads up soft lavash bread with a rainbow-colored assortment of fresh vegetables and herbs. You can also use flour tortillas.
5 of 5Norman A. Plate
Cowboy Caviar
Cowboy Caviar starts with a spicy base of black-eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, and avocado. Scoop it up with tortilla chips for an appetizer, or add cabbage and it becomes a coleslaw.