My Ultimate Veggie Burger

I’m calling this vegan black bean burger the ultimate because it’s got umami, plenty of protein, minimal mushiness, and – for lack of a better term – a “meaty” vibe.

Over the past five-ish years of deep-diving into plant-based food, I’ve tried a lot of veggie burgers – both cooking them and at restaurants. And although they all score differently on the mushiness scale, not once have I had one that was not mushy at all.

By now I’ve come to terms with the fact that it’s impossible – simply because beans/lentils/rice are not meat and will never be meat, and that’s just fine. In fact, I’ve come to anticipate and appreciate their unique texture and not expect them to be something they’re not. (A good life lesson, maybe?)

With that said, this vegan black bean burger is really excellent and as minimally mushy as possible. One of the keys to this is forming thin patties instead of the inch-thick ones, since thin patties have less of a chance to be squeezed out the sides of a bun.

Another key is to embrace a variety of textures versus blending everything together into a mush.

In this recipe, sautéed shiitake mushrooms lend a “meaty”, savory base flavor; brown rice and walnuts create a chunky texture; soy sauce rounds out the flavors with umami depth, and pureed black beans bind it all together. Frying them in a good amount of oil creates that nice, craggy crust you want on a burger patty.

The Technique

I’m calling these burgers “ultimate” because they’ve got meatiness, umami, a chunky texture, and plenty of protein. They do involve quite a few steps, but the recipe is pretty straightforward and worth it if you’re in the mood for a good veggie burger.

You’ll start by cooking brown rice – this step can be done in advance and you can even use meal-prepped rice from a few days ago or leftover takeout rice.

Next, you’ll cook up some shiitake mushrooms until they’re golden and fragrant. You can make your life easier by buying pre-sliced shiitakes.

Then you’ll combine the mushrooms and beans in a food processor and puree them with a handful of seasonings. Finally, you’ll fold in the rice and walnuts (since you want them to retain their texture) and cool the mixture in the fridge so it firms up a little before frying.

• 

• 

Ingredients and Variations

To make these mushroom-y burgers extra interesting, swap out the brown rice for black rice. Instead of black beans, you can use pinto or even white beans. If you don’t have parsley, you can use cilantro or scallions, or omit it entirely. And in place of walnuts, you can use pecans, pistachios, or pine nuts.

Serving Suggestions

These burgers do keep their shape quite well, so they definitely work in the classic bun-lettuce-tomato scenario. In general, though, veggie burgers work best bunless – either atop a salad or grain bowl. The flavors of this burger pair nicely with avocado, chipotle mayo, and red onions. Pickled onions would be great here, too, as well as sprouts.

Print