Homemade veggie burgers are fun to make and there are many great recipes to explore. And, while store-bought veggie burgers are convenient and generally taste good, they are pricey, so making them at home can definitely save money. However, many people find that their veggie burgers fall apart in the pan or on the grill. There are a few simple solutions that can ensure your homemade veggie burgers are absolutely perfect.
Watch Now: 6 Ways to Make a Better Veggie Burger
Check Your Recipe
Veggie burgers need a binder to hold them together. Think of it as the glue that makes the patty's ingredients stick. Check to make sure that the recipe you use has a binder included in the ingredients list.
Eggs are the most common and effective binder, and egg replacers are an excellent alternative for vegan burgers. Other common binders include wheat germ, bread crumbs, oats, and ground flaxseeds. These are dry ingredients, though the recipe's other ingredients often add just enough moisture to make a sufficient binder.
Choose Your Bean
Though not essential, beans are common in veggie burgers because they're a great source of protein. You can use just about any kind of bean or legume to make a veggie burger but some work out better than others. Kidney beans, soy beans, and lentils work well and black bean burgers are quite popular. If you're adding spices, you can also go with pinto beans or even white beans, which have a more neutral flavor.
Remove Water
Another trick to successful veggie burgers is to make sure your ingredients are free of extra water. Drain and dry your beans or other ingredients thoroughly before mashing. You can even gently pat them dry with a kitchen cloth or paper towel. You'll also want to drain and press tofu and drain rehydrated TVP (texturized vegetable protein) very well so it's easier to form patties. Generally, you're looking for a sticky consistency that is not too wet or too dry.
Make Thick Patties
The thickness of your patties can make a difference as well. Very thin patties may fall apart during cooking, so try to form patties that are about 1-inch thick. Don't go too big, though, or your burgers may not cook evenly.
Grilling Tips
Veggie burgers are much lower in fat and don't have the same natural juices found in beef burgers. For this reason, it's essential that you oil your grill before lighting it to prevent veggie burgers from sticking. Start off by cleaning your grill to scrape off any bits and pieces left behind from your last cookout. Then, take a paper towel dipped in oil and rub it thoroughly across the grates. Alternatively, spray your grill with a non-stick cooking spray.
If you don't want the hassle of grilling, but enjoy the taste of grilled veggie burgers, add a dash or two of liquid smoke into the mix. You can also try using a small indoor kitchen grill.
Bake It
Grilling is not always practical and many recipes suggest frying veggie burgers in a pan with oil. This is convenient during colder months of the year or when your cookout is rained out. There is a chance, though, that your patties will crumble in the pan. If you want to avoid this possibility completely, bake them instead. Simply set your oven to 350 F, and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes.
FAQs
Eggs are the most common and effective binder, and egg replacers are an excellent alternative for vegan burgers. Other common binders include wheat germ, bread crumbs, oats, and ground flaxseeds. These are dry ingredients, though the recipe's other ingredients often add just enough moisture to make a sufficient binder.
How do you keep vegetable burgers from being mushy? ›
Refrigeration – After you've formed your patties, refrigerate (or freeze) them for an hour or two. This will give the breadcrumbs time to absorb some of the moisture in the burger, making them more apt to stay together during cooking. Good beer – A good general rule for cooking, particularly when a bbq is involved.
How do they make veggie burgers taste like meat? ›
Heme is found in a protein called hemoglobin that is found in every living plant and animal, and is something we've been eating since the dawn of humanity. This ingredient not only makes Impossible Burgers taste like meat, but helps them stay juicy, moist, and slightly red at the center.
How do you keep veggie burgers from falling apart on the grill? ›
Cook them in batches if your pan isn't large enough. Place the burgers in the pan or on the grill and don't touch them until they sear. If you try to move them too early, they will stick and break apart. When a burger is ready to be moved, it will release easily from the pan or grill.
What is the best binder for vegan burgers? ›
Common binding agents include flax eggs (a mixture of ground flaxseed and water), chia seeds, mashed potatoes, tapioca flour, or even your favorite nut butter. These ingredients help hold everything together and prevent your burger from crumbling.
How do you elevate a veggie burger? ›
For a festive flavor, especially during Thanksgiving or Christmas, I love to make these with rosemary, sage and thyme. For the everyday meal, I just use parsley or thyme, and top with caramelized onions, arugula, and avocado. For a Mediterranean flavor, cilantro and mint. For a French touch, tarragon.
How do you jazz up a veggie burger? ›
Spices and tomato paste: Smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper combine to make these burgers a little smoky and incredibly delicious. Tomato paste adds color, sweetness, and an umami flavor to the burgers (highly recommended!). Cooked rice: Adds more texture to the veggie burgers.
How do you keep a veggie burger moist? ›
Slice up some onions and (optional) beets thinly. The onions help to keep the burgers moist and add steam and flavour during cooking. If you don't like onions, try sliced mushrooms. Spices like garlic powder and a good barbecue sauce are also important for that authentic barbecue flavour.
How long to cook a veggie burger? ›
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat non-stick skillet over MEDIUM heat.
- Lightly spray skillet with cooking oil.
- Place frozen burgers in skillet.
- Heat burgers over MEDIUM heat for 7-8 minutes, turning burgers over occasionally through heating time.
While both options may contain veggies, the key difference between vegan burgers and veggie burgers is that vegan burgers are made from a protein and are made to mimic the flavor and texture of actual meat while veggie burgers are not meant to evoke meat properties at all.
Load your veggie burger up however you like – I like mine with avocado or guacamole, sliced red onion or pickled red onions, mustard, Sir Kensington's Avocado Mayo (not vegan) or Fabanaise (vegan), sprouts, and a squirt of sriracha or chipotle sauce on a homemade bun.
How does burger King make their veggie burgers? ›
Together with The Vegetarian Butcher we've developed our plant-based beef patties using soy protein, wheat, vegetable oils and a mix of spices to create the amazing texture, bite and flavour our burgers are known for.
Why do my veggie burgers fall apart? ›
Not using a binder to hold the ingredients together.
A good veggie burger isn't just, well, veggies — it needs a binder, something to hold all the ingredients together and keep the burger intact. Without a binder, your burger might completely crumble and fall apart the second it hits the grill or when you bite into it.
How do you keep veggie burgers from being mushy? ›
Breadcrumbs, oats, and even flax meal can serve as additional binding agents for your veggie burgers. These ingredients also soak up excess moisture and aid in the formation of uniform patties.
How to bind a vegetarian burger? ›
If you want a veggie burger that holds together, use binding agents like cooked grains (rice, quinoa, millet), eggs, flax eggs, bread crumbs, oats, flour or nut/seed flours like almond flour. The amount of grains or flour will depend on the recipe, but it's usually anywhere from ¼ to 1 cup.
What is a binding agent for vegetable patties? ›
If you want a veggie burger that holds together, use binding agents like cooked grains (rice, quinoa, millet), eggs, flax eggs, bread crumbs, oats, flour or nut/seed flours like almond flour. The amount of grains or flour will depend on the recipe, but it's usually anywhere from ¼ to 1 cup.
What is the best ingredient to bind burgers? ›
In my experience, the best way to prevent your burger patties from falling apart during cooking is to use both egg and breadcrumbs to make them. You can add eggs to the mixture and then, coat them with breadcrumbs before shaping them into burger patties.
What is a good binding agent for burgers? ›
One of the most common substitutes is breadcrumbs, but sometimes the breadcrumbs can fall off when the burgers are cooking if there are too many or they are too dry. Other popular substitutions for eggs include cornstarch, flour, ketchup, porridge oats, cracker crumbs, and ground flaxseed.
What can I add to burgers to hold them together? ›
The very low fat content of the hamburger probably has something to do with it, but there are a couple of tricks you can use:
- Add 1 egg yolk per pound of hamburger. ...
- The other thing you can do is add canned, drained, crushed black beans or chickpeas to the hamburger.
