Allright, I have to admit, I have been trying to create the perfect vegan burger for a long time now without much success. I mean, really, much like the typical ones I had tasted before, they were either too mushy, or too obviously “healthy-tasting” (that’s the French foodie in me speaking!!) or just tasted too “complicated,” if you know what I mean. This is of course….up to now:Â I remedied all that!Â
This is the best vegan burger I have ever eaten and I am not just talking nutrition-wise. The ingredients are indeed superb— I’ll get to that in a minute– but I am talking tasty, chewy, not mushy, almost “meaty” as a juicy burger you can sink your teeth into! Here is how I managed to achieve all that, using power nutritious ingredients: I use cooked farro as my base (I keep it intact, not ground) which gives it that chewy-nutty texture, then, I add puréed lentils (canned is fine–here is a brand I like) and sautéed diced cremini mushrooms which give it that “meaty-ness”, and finally I “bind” it all together with ground oats and  seasonings. It is loaded with protein and fiber; rich in vitamins and minerals; and a source of healthy, unsaturated oil– it is firing on all cylinders!
You can enjoy it plain or topped with my homemade BBQ sauce (click here for recipe).
You can watch me make it in my own kitchen, here–it’s so easy! I recommend using a grill pan like this one (it doesn’t have to be fancy, I got mine at Khols!)
Vegan Burger
Ingredients
- Chewy Base:
- 1/2 cup dry whole farro
- "Meatiness":
- 1 cup canned black lentils rinsed and well drained (packed!)*
- 1 Tbsp olive oil optional
- 2 cups raw cremini mushrooms rinsed & diced (8 oz)
- Binding:
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- GETTING EVERYTHING READY:
- Preheat a medium shallow pan and when hot, add the 2 cups diced mushrooms and cook until tender (DO NOT add any oil!) for 10-12 minutes and water has evaporated, and transfer to a cup and set aside. You will end up with 3/4 cup cooked diced mushrooms.
- Meanwhile, place 1/2 cup dry farro in 1 3/4 cups boiling water and cook uncovered, until water has evaporated (about 12 minutes). Transfer to a cup and set aside to cool. You will end up with 1 cup cooked farro.
- Place the rolled oats in the bowl of a small food processor and grind until medium fine (it shouldn't be a powder) and set aside.
- Place the canned (or cooked) lentils (make sure they are well rinsed and drained and they are well packed in that cup!) in food processor and grind, scraping the sides to form a paste.
- Add the olive oil, if using, and grind again until smooth. Transfer to a cup and set aside.You will end up with about 3/4 cup pureed lentils.
- ASSEMBLING:
- Place the cooked mushrooms, ground oats and pureed lentils in a medium bowl and stir gently with a spoon.
- Add tomato paste, dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder and salt and stir again.
- Add the cooked farro last and, using your hands, "dig in" and work the mixture so that it forms a ball.
- Form into 4 equal patties (I like to use a big ice-cream scooper to make them more regular & compact and finish forming the patty with my hands). you can refrigerate or freeze at this point until ready to grill.
- When ready to grill, drizzle a little canola oil in a large non-stick skillet and heat over high heat. When the pan is very hot, place the patties on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Optional: Use a pastry brush to coat each patty with BBQ sauce (if using) on both sides (about 1 Tbsp per patty) and serve on soft wheat buns with garnishings.
Video
Nutrition
You can find ready-cooked organic black beluga lentils HERE and HERE!
grill pan I like to use!
This recipe was featured on www.NaturallySavvy.com, a great website about natural and organic living! Look at the BEAUTIFUL infographic they made! It really captures its simplicity and yumminess doesn’t it?:
And here are my YouTube videos so you can see these beautiful Vegan Burgers being made in action:
Hello Catherine!
I have tried so many vegan burger recipes and have never found one I’ve liked, until now. You’re vegan burger is THE best, hands down! I love the chewiness from the farro , they are not mushy, and they don’t break apart. Today I doubled the recipe so I can freeze them to have on hand. Besides eating as a burger I sometimes break one apart and put it in a salad. Thank you for your persistence to make THE BEST vegan burger ever!
Also, my condolences on the recent death of your Mother. Having lost my Mother I share your pain.
Patricia, YAY!!! That makes me so happy to hear! also that you for your kind words about my Mom, I am very touched. 🙂
Hi Catherine,
do you boil the farro for the whole 12 minutes or simmer it after bringing it to a boil ?
Jorge, I leave it to boil the whole time.
This vegan burger recipe is my new favorite! It’s plant-based-kid approved! I have a 17month old and a 3.5year old…both of my littles ate their whole burger and asked for more!
Oh my goodness Alysha, this the best feedback I could get! It makes me very happy!!
The best vegan burger I’ve ever made (and I’ve tried quite a few!)! I didn’t have farro on hand, but had some left over whole rye berries that I had cooked for breakfast. (I typically soak them overnight, and simmer them for about an hour in the morning. An Instapot works well, too, if you are in a hurry). The rye gave them a great flavor and they held together nicely. So glad I found your site!
That’s fantastic Janell! What a great idea and I love that you loved it!!!
Excellent vegan burger,one of the best! Thank you for the recipe!
Thank YOU Caroline!! I always love to hear!!!
This is the absolutely best vegan burger I have ever tasted and I have tested and tasted a lot of them.
I will say that after mixing all the ingredients I thought it was a little on the bland side, so I kept adding more tomato paste and mustard until it was to my liking. I like the bold taste of the added mustard and tomato paste. I used a whole grain bun with lettuce and tomato just like a regular burger and topped with ketchup. I made these for my husband who had cardiac surgery and much to his chagrin he now has to follow a plant-based diet. This is the first vegan burger he has ever liked and he actually has asked me to make them again.
I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
YAY!! Thank you! I LOVE to hear that! I have 2 or 3 other versions you and your husband can also enjoy! Bon appétit! 💕💕
Your husband was on a podcast I listen to a couple weeks ago, Adam Carolla Show, and he mentioned how you made the best vegan burgers ever so I looked up the recipe. I just made them for the first time and they turned out amazing. I am a meat eater and still really enjoyed them. My wife absolutely loved them and hasn’t stopped raving about them since dinner. Great recipe, easy to make, not too many ingredients but everything really works well together. This will be a go to recipe for us now. Thanks!
Ben, WOW! Now that’s the BEST feedback I could get from a meat eater! I am just delighted to hear it! 🙂
Another fabulous looking recipe. Unfortunately, I am looking for Farro substitute as my son and I are both celiacs. Thank you!!
Hi Barbara,
you can use black rice or even brown or red rice instead–same quantity–take a look at my variations: https://cuisinicity.com/caramelized-onion-walnut-burger-vegan/ or https://cuisinicity.com/black-rice-vegan-burger-gluten-free/
Fantastc1 I will certainly try them.
Could I make this into a meatloaf?
Hi Anthony, it doesn’t stay together as a meatloaf so that’s why I stick to burgers for these! 🙂
I had almost given up on making a vegan burger that wasn’t mushy inside. I am so glad I found this recipe after reading your husband ‘s book. These burgers are great! Many thanks to you both. God bless you and the work you do.
YAY Keren! That makes me so happy to hear! 🙂
Want to make a couple batches of vegan burgers and see red rice and beans. Can they be frozen for later use?
Thx.
Absolutely John! 🙂
This is the very best veggie burger ever!! I actually made meatballs and they were delicious! Thank you!
YAY Catherine!!! That makes me so happy to hear!! 🙂
I want to try this recipe – I wonder what a good substitute for the tomato paste might be? I’m allergic to nightshades (tomato, eggplant, potato, peppers, etc.)
HI Catherine,
your site and recipes are fantastic. I have been following and making your recipes for about a year. I made these burgers last night and the taste is terrific but had problems holding them together. Do you think it has to do with the farro? I would love to make them again. Thanks
Thank you Jorge for the wonderful comments, so glad to have you at the cuisinicity table! I am sorry to hear you had some issues with the vegan burgers holding together. I am not sure why that is. The farro is not the problem. I am actually pressed for time right now as I am answering you but may I ask that you watch the little video clip to see if there is some measurement or just something you did differently from me, because perhaps I didn’t explain it perfectly clearly in the written recipe? I have made these at least 100 times since I have created them and they really hold well so I hope this will help you too! 🙂
https://cuisinicity.com/cuisinicity-video-vegan-burger/
Hi! I was wondering if I can’t find the cremini mushrooms what would you suggest as a replacement?
Hi Lynette (I love your name!) Any type of mushrooms will do, just follow the measurements so you end up with 3/4 cup cooked. Alternatively you can use one small eggplant, diced and sauteed just as I do in my other vegan burger: https://cuisinicity.com/black-rice-vegan-burger-gluten-free/ let me know how you like (love!) It. 🙂
I am allergic to both mushrooms and eggplant. Is there an alternative, or can I just leave them out?
I am sorry Barbie, you really need some grilled veggie in there to keep the texture and flavor so let me think about this! Are there any other veggies you are allergic to?
Thank you for your great article.
In fact many carnivores prefer vegan venues, as i found out on this article :
https://animal-welfare.org/worlds-best-burger/
Anybody likes vegan burgers ?
You are welcome Herc and thank you for that great article! I had heard of them and I think what they are doing is fantastic!! Good for them and good for all of us and our planet! I can;t wait to try their burger! Just so you know, I have created another variation of my vegan burger which I also love: https://cuisinicity.com/black-rice-vegan-burger-gluten-free/ 🙂
bonjour de France, un petit coin dans l’Est! ce petit nouveau veagan burger me tendles bras, je vais l’essayer bientôt! merci pour vos jolies recettes créatives! on en mangerait! Thanks! martine de France
Hurray Martine, vous allez a-do-rer!!!! 🙂
Catherine,
These burgers sound great but unfortunately I can not eat mushrooms! Any ideas for possible replacement. It’s a problem I run into frequently when exploring vegetarian cuisine!
Cristine
Oh my goodness Cristine I hear you! Mushrooms are such a wonderful “meaty” substitute so it is an issue, I understand. Let me think about it a little bit…meanwhile if you do eat turkey, I recommend my mini BBQ burgers which don’t have any mushrooms but have pureed black beluga lentils still, so absolutely nutritious just not vegan!
Catherine, I was wondering the same thing as Cristine, in fact … are there “meaty” substitutes that would work in this dish besides mushrooms? So I look forward to seeing what you come up with for Cristine! 🙂
Steve and Cristine,
I have been thinking about this since Cristine asked earlier, and I have the sense that a mixture of sautéed eggplant and crushed walnuts might approximate the wonderful umami flavor of the mushrooms, but of course, until I actually try it, I won’t know for sure in terms of texture, flavor and exact amount needed to replace the mushrooms called for in my original recipe, so that it will hold beautifully and not crumble (I hate when that happens!!) and “act” as a burger should (!) but I promise I will try to work on it very soon and get back to both of you-deal?! 🙂
Terrific, thank you … and that sounds like a very tasty substitute, too! I have eggplants growing in the garden so I may reserve a few for this! 🙂
That’s fantastic! Do let me know how it goes OK? I can’t wait to hear!
Catherine, I came across this recipe via David’s Twitter feed today … any suggestions on a substitute for the cremini mushrooms? We live in a small village in rural NH and it’s not easy finding that sort of ingredient locally. That’s the only thing I’m missing.
Hi Steve, You can actually use any kind of mushrooms, it doesn’t have to be cremini. Will that help?
Yes, it does, thanks.
This recipe is fantastic! I’ve made quinoa burgers and black bean burgers before trying your recipe, but this tops them both in terms of flavor! I was liberal with the ingredients and ended up with 8 burgers. I haven’t tried freezing extras, but will when I make these again.
Thank you for sharing Catherine!
YAY!!!! Thank you so much Carleen!! I am so happy to hear that!! 🙂
on ne s’en lasse pas ! belle alternative à la viande!!! grazie !
We LOVE this vegetarian burger! Even my 12 year old loves it!
THANK YOU so much Robin! That makes me very happy! 🙂
I made these tonight and they were a huge hit not only with my (vegetarian) daughter and me, but also with my carnivorous husband and a teenaged guest. (I rarely experiment with new recipes for guests….) The burgers hold together incredibly well, and have wonderful flavor and texture. We will definitely add them to our favorites list.
I’m curious, do the uncooked burgers freeze reasonably well? I’d love to make a double batch and put half in the freezer to pull out on a busy weeknight.
Thanks!
YAY Martha!!! I am so happy to hear that! I especially love that your carnivorous husband and teenaged guest loved them too–that’s fantastic!! I am honored that you trusted me enough to try it out for guests–I am like you, I usually never dare either–so this means a lot to me! Yes, I have frozen them before in their uncooked state and just grilled them with a little canola or olive oil and they worked perfectly well. So, by all means, make a double batch!! Thank you again for such a lovely comment! 🙂 🙂
très appétissant tout ça! formidable! vive les hamburgers sans viande et …tasty! thanks a lot! martine de france
Hurray!!! Martine, et si vous voulez, j’ai même fait un petit video dans ma cuisine de ce bon Vegan Burger! Allez, bon appétit!
https://cuisinicity.com/cuisinicity-video-vegan-burger/
I have celiac, what can I use instead of farro?
Hi Eti,
I suggest you try sweet brown rice (you can get it in the bulk section of any health food store or packaged–here is one I like: https://www.bobsredmill.com/sweet-brown-rice.html). I have never actually tried it with this recipe but the chewy consistency is very similar to that of farro and it should work well for you. I hope this is helpful! Let me know OK?
Great! I’m happy that you like it! Yes, I forgot to tell you that I’ve always rolled with the standard that 1 cup = 8oz but that would be fluid ounces and your are talking mushroom ounces right? Will change it back to 8 oz! Also, I had to cook the farro longer when I made it and wrote a liitle side note on that. And, chapeau to you for coming up with such a great recipe. My sister sent me a vegan burger recipe and it didn’t match up to yours. You should come to France or Switzerland and open a restaurant…not much here in terms of good vegetarian or vegan dining! 🙂
Thank you again so much for your support and kind comments Julie!! Vous êtes adorable! And, Yes you are right, I am referring to the weight ounces of the mushrooms. I think my little video clip helps a little to clarify that I end up with 3/4 cup cooked diced mushrooms. I am so happy you love it too!! 🙂
Makes a great meatless burger Catherine! I made the recipe today and featured it at: https://healthcontinuum.org/2016/01/23/what-kind-of-burger-would-you-like/
Oh MY GOODNESS Julie, I love it! Thank you so much! I love the way that infographic makes the point–it’s such a powerful message! I also like the way you present it too, because it’s honest and encouraging. One little detail for your readers–the 2 cups of mushrooms are indeed 8 oz not 16 oz, as it is now listed on your website. Thank you again for sharing! I will definitely share as well on my social media 🙂
Made them tonight Catherine and the flavor was excellent. I had a little trouble getting them to hold together. I am thinking it might of been related to making my farro and lentils much earlier altering the liquid so to speak. Will definitely make them again – they were that good!
Hi Barbara, I am glad you enjoyed them! It’s an interesting possibility! I can’t wait for you to make them again and let me know! Did you watch the video clip?
Made these burgers tonight. Very good! First time I ever wanted “seconds” of a veggie burger! Thank you so much. A little labor intensive to make, but soo worth it!
YAY!!!! Lynn, I am so happy to hear that!
Catherine, what do you use for a nonstick skillet? I have no luck with them.
Hi Jackie,
I found mine at Khol’s–nothing fancy! I added a picture of one at the end of this recipe. I hope this helps!
Thanks. ?
HAHA!!!! Cutie, this is the BEST compliment I could get! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! Thank you so much!!
I am going to be perfectly honest. I am not vegan and, in general, tend to like my old favorite – the turkey burger (which Catherine you make to perfection!) But sometimes, perceptions about things are affected by past experiences and the truth is – I never met a veggie burger I liked – until now!!! This recipe is an absolute revelation. It can be veggie (vegan, in fact) it can be healthy (very healthy, in fact) and, it can be over the top delicious. This recipe is amazing. The “burger” is not gooey or falling apart or mushy – it has the consistency of a real, “meaty” burger and it tastes ridiculously good. O.K. – so I’m not a total convert yet but, Catherine, you’ve put me on the road to discovery and I’m willing to let you take me all the way… Thank you for making food fun again – and healthy!
Yum.
On the menu plan for next week!
YAY Barbara! I can’t wait for you to tell me what you think! By the way, I tried to e-mail you directly to get your address to send you my little book (Hurray! you won!!!) but it came back to me as an error message. Can you double check if you received it anyway and let me know? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Catherine,
Recipe looks delicious, what kind of lentils did you use.
Thanks
Nazli
Thank you Nazli! I used black lentils but I have also done it with French lentils (LePuy) as well as regular brown lentils and as long as you don’t overcook them and rinse and drain well, it should be fine!
Thanks Catherine, will definitely try next week.
looking forward to it! 🙂
Oh my! All without guilt, or mystery ingredients! Fantastic! Thank you! Yum……
Haha!! YAY Tina, that’s right, just honest to goodness delicious!!! I can’t wait for you to try one!
I just made these! Fantastico! Juicy, moist, chewy! Another winner! Thank you!
Hi Tina! Just what I wanted to hear! YAY!!! 🙂