Our Favorite Veggie Burger Recipes Fully Embrace the Power of Plants

Which do you prefer as your patty—lentils, mushrooms, tofu, or zucchini?

Written by Magdalena O'Neal December 29, 2020

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 of 5Annabelle 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 of 5Leigh 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.

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3 of 5Annabelle 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 of 5James 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 of 5Eva 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!

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.

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