Healthy Vegetarian Burger Recipes

Find healthy, delicious vegetarian burger recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Most Popular

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

Rating: 4 stars 12
This veggie burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve these vegan burgers on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce—it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.
By Jamie Vespa MS RD

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers

Rating: 4.5 stars 11
These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan. To make this recipe gluten-free too, use gluten-free oats and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap, omitting the bun.
By Robin Bashinsky

Mushroom-Quinoa Veggie Burgers with Special Sauce

Rating: 5 stars 3
These hearty mushroom, black bean and quinoa veggie burgers are a healthy and satisfying homemade alternative to store-bought veggie burgers. And they take just 25 minutes of active time to prep, so while they're special enough for entertaining, they're quick enough for weeknight dinners.
By Jamie Vespa MS RD

Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Rating: 4 stars 4
These easy vegan black bean burgers have a healthy dose of fiber thanks to the combination of black beans and quinoa. Cumin and chipotle chile powder give these vegan burgers a Southwestern spin. Using your hands to combine the mixture creates a soft, uniform texture.
By Robin Bashinsky

Vegetarian All-American Portobello Burgers

Rating: 5 stars 1
Portobello mushrooms stand in for meat patties in this recipe for veggie burgers with all the fixings. Mushrooms are a source of glutamate, a naturally occurring compound that gives the fungi their umami flavor. But to really give these "patties" a savory boost, we brush them with steak sauce. Add a simple side salad or some grilled veggies for a satisfying and easy dinner on the grill.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Vegetarian Antipasto Sliders

Rating: 5 stars 1
These vegetarian sliders are a delicious twist on the classic Italian app. Look for soft, pull-apart dinner rolls in the bakery section of your grocery store. If you can't find them, swap in 6 whole-wheat burger buns and make larger sandwiches.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Quinoa Veggie Burger

Rating: 4.5 stars 6
Even meat-lovers will crave this vegetarian burger: toasted pecans, mushrooms, Cheddar cheese, fresh herbs and red quinoa pack this recipe full of delicious flavor. Red quinoa gives the burgers the perfect color, but white quinoa is fine too. These quinoa veggie burger patties hold together well for freezing, making for a quick and easy meal. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. Serve with your favorite burger garnishes. (Adapted from “Quinoa Revolution” by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming; Pintail Books, 2012.)
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chickpea Burgers & Tahini Sauce

Rating: 4.5 stars 19
These satisfying vegetarian burgers feature a crispy chickpea patty topped with a creamy tahini sauce. Instead of a traditional burger bun, we use a whole-wheat pita for a fun and flavorful twist.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Falafel Burgers

Rating: 4.5 stars 4
Pureed chickpeas, seasoned with the characteristic flavors of falafel, make excellent veggie burgers. We use a two-stage method for cooking the patties, first browning them in a skillet and then finishing them in the oven. Garnish the burgers with tzatziki or tahini sauce (see associated recipes), pickled red onions, lettuce and tomatoes.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Lentil Burgers

Rating: 4.5 stars 5
Walnuts and fresh marjoram accent these vegan lentil burgers. Substitute oregano for marjoram if you like. Serve with a smear of whole-grain mustard and roasted sweet potato wedges.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chickpea Pesto Burgers with Roasted-Red Pepper Sauce

Rating: 3.5 stars 3
In this easy plant-based burger recipe, we combine chickpeas and pesto to create a delicious patty that gets topped with balsamic-roasted red onions and a creamy roasted red pepper mayonnaise sauce. The end result is an insanely delicious dinner that will quickly become your family's new favorite way to do burgers. Enjoy alongside a big salad and roasted potatoes to make it a meal.
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By Sara Haas, RDN

Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

Rating: 3.5 stars 4
These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor.
By Vanessa Barrington
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Inspiration and Ideas

Plant-Based Smashed Burgers
Learning how to make smashed burgers is as simple as its name. Smashing burgers into thin patties not only makes them quick-cooking, it also creates irresistible crispy edges. Topping them with the caramelized onion relish adds extra deliciousness.
Edamame Lettuce Wrap Burgers with Peanut Sauce
Rating: Unrated 5
Edamame make these homemade veggie burgers mean, green protein machines. Peanut sauce, curry paste and quick-pickled carrots give them Thai-inspired flair.
Smothered Black Soybean Burgers

These flavor-packed burgers get tang from kimchi, umami from soy or fish sauce and heat from gochugaru. Topped with caramelized onions and slaw, they're super-satisfying.