Who says having a burger has to be unhealthy? By swapping your meat patty for a plant-based alternative you can have a still mouth-watering burger rich with fibre, protein and nutrients.
Check out our favourite recipes below with a mix of veggie bases with black bean, chickpea and a nourishing mix in between - you'll find the one that hits the right flavour profile for you.
These are some delicious veggie alternatives to your classic burger that are great if you're a vegetarian or choosing to focus on a more plant-based diet.
We're excited for the summer to hopefully try these out at BBQs with family and friends!
The 'Brilliant' veggie burger
This recipe from Jamie Oliver is a hit and super simple to make. Vary the toppings with a choice of your own and check out his recipe page to learn how to make a spiced vegan mayo and crispy onion rings too if you want to take your burger to the next level.
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (incl. mayo and onion rings) | Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 200g frozen sweetcorn
• 400g mixed frozen peas and broad beans
• ½ a bunch of fresh coriander
• 75 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 pinch of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• olive oil
• ½ an iceberg lettuce
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 sprigs of fresh basil
• 2 gherkins
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 lime
• 4 large quality burger buns
• 1 punnet of cress
• Tomato ketchup
Method
- Place the frozen veg in a food processor and let them defrost for around 15 minutes.
- Add the coriander (stalks and all), flour, cumin and cayenne, season well with sea salt and black pepper, then blitz to a rough paste. Pulse in the sesame and sunflower seeds until combined.
- Divide the mixture and shape into 4 equal-sized patties, roughly 2cm thick. Place on a lightly flour-dusted tray, turning them in the flour to coat. Firm up in the freezer for 10 minutes, then transfer to the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3. In this time you can make your mayo and crispy onion rings if you wish.
- When you’re ready, cook the burgers in 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, turning halfway and pressing down with a fish slice to get them nice and crispy.
- Transfer to a baking tray, then pop into the oven while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Finely shred the lettuce and slice the tomatoes and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
- Sprinkle over a little salt and pick over the basil leaves. Top with another piece of kitchen paper and pat lightly to remove any excess water.
- Slice the gherkins length-ways, then halve and de-stone the avocado. Scoop out the flesh, cut into slices, then squeeze over the lime juice.
- Halve the burger buns and toast on a hot griddle pan or under the grill.
- Once ready, pile the lettuce,sliced tomatoes and basil on to the burger bun bases. Pop the burgers on top, snip over the cress, then layer over the avocado and gherkins.
- Add a good squeeze of ketchup to the burger bun lids, place them on top, squeezing down gently, then tuck in.
Black bean burger
Jamie Oliver's black bean burger recipe has an easy-to-grab ingredient list for these black bean burgers. For a veggie meal they're packed with protein and come with the oozing goodness of mozzarella and balsamic onions. Yes please!
Cook Time: 40 minutes | Serves: 2
Ingredients
• ½ a red onion
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 2 spring onions
• 1 x 400g tin black beans
• 100g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 80g baby kale
• 30g rocket
• Olive oil
• 1 ripe beef tomato
• 75g mozzarella cheese
• 2 wholemeal buns
Method
- Peel the onion, finely slice into rounds and place in a small bowl with the balsamic and a pinch of sea salt. Set aside.
- Halve, de-seed and finely chop the chilli. Trim and finely chop the spring onions. Place both in a mixing bowl. Drain the beans and pat dry with kitchen paper. Add to the bowl, along with the breadcrumbs.
- Season, then scrunch the bean mixture together with clean hands. Divide into 3 balls, flatten into patties and place 2 in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes (wrap and freeze the spare for another day).
- In a small bowl, combine half the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the yoghurt. Season well. Trim the kale and mix into the dressing with the rocket. Put aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, fry the burgers for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden. If they colour too quickly, reduce the heat.
- Slice the tomato and mozzarella into rounds and open the buns.
- When the burgers are almost cooked, top each one with mozzarella. Cover the burgers with a lid for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Set another pan over a high heat and warm the bun halves, cut-side down, for 2 minutes or until toasted.
- Lift the onions out of the balsamic with a fork.
- Pop slices of tomato on each bun base, and a burger on top. Top with the balsamic onions and the bun lid. Serve the kale salad alongside.
BBQ pulled jackfruit burger
A burger doesn't have to just be made of patties, and we love jackfruit for its super meaty but sweet, fruity taste. Make a BBQ pulled jackfruit burger with this recipe from Olive Magazine to try something new and comforting.
Cook Time: 35 minutes | Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 1 x 400g tin of brined jackfruit
• 250ml cider
• 4 burger buns, halved and toasted
Slaw
• 1 peeled, cored and shredded apple
• ½ shredded carrot
• ¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
• Lime juice
• 2 teaspoons of soft brown sugar
• ½ small bunch of coriander
BBQ sauce
• 150ml tomato ketchup
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• Thumb-sized piece of finely grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Method
- Break the jackfruit into pieces (if you’re using tinned, drain and rinse well) and put in a pan with the cider and enough water to cover the fruit. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until all of the liquid has evaporated and the jackfruit is tender. Shred into strands using two forks.
- Mix together the slaw ingredients with some seasoning and leave to marinate for 20 minutes, stirring once.
- Meanwhile, put all the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small pan and heat gently. Once simmering, remove from the heat.
- Stir ¾ of the BBQ sauce through the pulled jackfruit and gently reheat. Pile some on to the base of a bun, top with slaw and serve with extra BBQ sauce for dunking.
Superfood tofu burger
Another Jamie Oliver special, this superfood tofu burger is healthy, filling and above all, delicious! Follow Jamie's step-by-step video tutorial to follow the recipe and make your own.
Beetroot burger
This juicy beetroot burger from BBC Food is fantastic to have on it's own, with sides for a healthy dinner, or packed in loaded burger form. BBC Food also provide recipes for a sweet potato salad and dressing so visit their website if you'd like to add this to your burger too.
Prep Time: 30 minutes - 1 hour | Cook Time: 10 - 30 minutes | Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 raw beetroots, peeled and grated
• 1 courgette, grated
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 100g porridge oats
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 large free-range egg yolk
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- To make the beetroot burger, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for 4–5 minutes, or until soft. Add the grated vegetables and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until soft. Drain away any excess liquid released by the vegetables.
- Place the oats, chickpeas, tahini and egg yolk in a food processor and pulse to combine. Tip the mixture into a bowl and stir in the grated vegetables, spring onions and coriander. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Divide the mixture into six and shape into burgers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the burgers, in batches if necessary, for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden and hot through.
- Serve between a toasted sourdough bun and with whatever toppings you choose!
Spicy lentil burger
If you like the heat and want to add a punch to your veggie patties, try this vegan spicy lentil burger recipe from Olive Magazine. Easy to make, play around with the spice levels to make sure it's the right level of heat for you.
Cook Time: 30 minutes + chilling | Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus a little extra for frying
• red onions 1½, finely chopped, ½, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons garlic paste
• 2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 2 tablespoon hot curry powder
• 2 x 400g tins brown lentils, drained and rinsed
• 4 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 4 halved and toasted seeded burger buns
• 4 teaspoons mango chutney
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 4 tomato slices
• coriander leaves (optional)
Method
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and gently cook the finely chopped red onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes or until really soft. Add the garlic and ginger pastes and curry powder, and continue to cook gently for 2 minutes. Tip out into a bowl.
- Put the lentils into a food processor and pulse until roughly blended but not too smooth. Tip out into the onion bowl, add some seasoning and mix well. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Using slightly wet hands, form the mix into 4 equal-sized patties. Put into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the sliced red onion into a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave for 5 minutes then drain well and add the vinegar and some seasoning.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the lentil burgers for 4 minutes on each side or until caramelised. Put onto the bases of each bun, top with some mango chutney, lettuce leaves, a tomato slice, a pile of the pickled onions, a few coriander leaves and the bun top.