Healthy vegan burgers are not an oxymoron. Although there is also some vegan junk food, you can make some healthy homemade burgers that have no cholesterol and can be enjoyed without feeling guilty.
What are some examples of healthy vegan burgers?
- Portobello burgers
- Lentil burgers
- Black beans and soy chorizo patties
- Chickpea burger
In reality, the recipes for these burgers are quite easy to follow and the ingredients will not send you on a wild scavenger hunt. Most ingredients are available at your local supermarket.
Portobello Burgers
This one is the least time-consuming, since we do not have to make the paste for the patties. We just need portobello mushrooms. The combination of their meaty texture and the right seasoning makes this a perfect treat and a nice addition to a barbecue.
A good accompaniment to burgers are usually salad or fries (the latter is not so healthy, but something I indulge in from time to time) 😉 The history of fries is quite interesting, and yes, I ommited the word French, because French fries are not really French.
Lentil Burgers
This needs some prep time, but the result is delicious. I love lentil patties. Lentils are so versatile and when they are combined with the right spices and herbs you can get a nice, sort of meaty flavor. Honestly, I don’t care if a vegan pattie tastes like meat. For me it doesn’t have to replicate the meat flavor. If it makes my mouth water, I’ll savor and eat it; and many homemade plant-based patties are rich in flavor.
Lentils also contain plenty of protein, fiber, and iron. I will share a recipe soon.
Chickpea Burger
Chickpeas are a good and healthy source of protein and they can be used for much more than just hummus – although I’d never say no to hummus. These patties are also easy to make and easy on the wallet, just like the previous recipes. The recipe for this one will also be posted soon, in February (2021).
Black Bean and Soy Chorizo Patties
Years ago, in a time of low finances, I came up with these delicious patties. The first time I made them they came out pretty tasty. I made them again and took them to school for lunch. A colleague who loves his meat and doesn’t care for vegan food loved the aroma of my patties and he tried one of them. Then he asked me for the recipe. 🙂
So, here it comes. You need few ingredients for these patties which makes them perfect for those times when the wallet is a little thin.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of dry black beans (that should make 3 cups when they are boiled and soft)
- 1/4 cup white flour
- olive oil
- soy chorizo
- a pinch of salt
Notes:
- Although there has been some debate whether white flour was vegan or not – due to the rumor that the flour was bleached with bone char – that belief has been unfounded.
- For these patties, olive oil is only used for frying. It is not necessary to include it in this recipe, since soy chorizo has sufficient oil.
Instructions
For this recipe it is best to buy dry beans. Prep time is a little longer than usual, but it only involves leaving the beans to soak overnight.
- First leave beans in a bowl with water. There should be enough water for the beans to soak up.
- Leave them to soak overnight.
- The next day, cook the beans in water for an hour, or an hour and a half, or until they’re tender enough. They do not have to be super soft, just soft enough to mash them a little.
- Drain the beans and let them cool.
- Mash them a little with a fork. It does not need to be completely mashed, it’s OK to leave some beans whole. I always do that too.
- Add 1/4 of the soy chorizo and mix it in
- Add flour and mix
- In a skillet, heat olive oil
- Start shaping your patties
- Fry patties in oil on both sides until sides are browned or crispy.
A Quick Wrap Up
They’re good for burgers, a quick sandwich, or also a little snack in between. I had them for breakfast this morning with a little Dijon mustard on the side.
The soy chorizo gives it a strong taste, which is why I only used salt. Additional herbs and spices aren’t really needed, but you can, of course, add any herbs and spices that you prefer. For example, you could add some chili for extra spice, black pepper, or paprika. That’s really up to you 🙂
You got my appetite all buzzing. My wife and I stopped eating meat, and chicken for close to 7 years now.
We try all sorts of veg dishes and traditionally have followed our Indian recipes with rice and so forth.
We have ventured into the soya foods by buying those pre-packaged sausages(chicken flav.) , chicken nuggets, but we were not happy with eating boxed stuff. You know what I mean.
Your article gave us some really exciting ideas. You know the portobello burgers caught my attention, but my wife is dying to try out the chorizo one.
We will let you know which one comes out as the winner for us…
Looking forward to those future recipes.
Regards
Roopesh
Hi Roopesh,
Portobello burgers are so delicious, I love them! This one has a stronger taste because of the combination of black beans and chorizo and it goes really well with mustard (I used Dijon).
I will post more recipes soon 🙂
Thanks for your comment!
Mmm such delicious text, I was hungry just reading! I have to point out that I am not a fan of meat and meat products so I will definitely try some of the recipes. I am most interested in Lentil Burgers and Portobello Burgers. I love barbecue sauce and lentils, especially lentil soup. Many people think that vegan food has no taste and is actually delicious and super healthy. I didn’t know that there was a debate about whether flour is vegan or not. I use it a lot in my diet. I’m expecting more recipes. Until then, best regards,
Danijela
Hi Danijela,
I also love lentil burgers, they have an amazing taste. I will share a recipe soon 🙂
Thank you for your comment!
Hey,
I have seen vegan burger being advertised on TV a lot. They look like normal burgers, but they are vegan and healthy. I actually do like making my own burgers (normal burgers I mean). This is something I can do and it’s great to make them on a barbecue. But, my girlfriend won’t eat them because she is vegan.
When we can next start to barbecue again, I am going to surprise my girlfriend with your vegan burgers. I am going to follow your recipe and learn how to make them. I need to make sure they taste good first :), and then I will put them on the barbecue.
I will let you know what my girlfriend thinks and what others think aswell.
Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work.
All the best,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I have never put them on the barbecue, but I think they’re going to taste great barbecued! I should do that too 🙂
It’s a good idea to try them out first and see if you’d like to add any other spices and herbs. Hamburger seasoning might also be a good addition, I’ll do that next time 🙂
Thanks for your comment!
Wow
really, Thank you so much. I am bookmarking this post and your website. I am vegan and I love vegan content like this because I always want to try new things/recipes.
This was well explained and I love the vegan black bean burger but never knew how easy it could be made, Thanx again.
Hi Thabo,
There are several black bean burger recipes, but this one is one of the easiest ones, and you can combine it with any spices and herbs you like.
Thank you for your comment!
Hi Christine,
Thanks for this healthy recipe, and I think it’s not difficult to make one at my place. I believe they must taste yummy when you add Dijon mustard to get the most flavor from it. (Dijon Mustard, what a good choice!) I think I will try this with my mom sometime at the weekends.
I also like portobello burgers since I’ve tried some mushroom burgers in the past, and I love them. Now, my family has more ideas for being vegan one day per week. Appreciated!
Cheers,
Matt
Awesome! And you can get creative with this recipe, add any spices you like.
Thanks for your comment!
Now I’m starving, the black bean & chorizo burger sounds so yummy! I have made a lentil burger before and it was good but I’m adding this black bean burger to a weekend dinner soon! I don’t often branch out to try vegan meats. My partner is GF and unfortunately, we’ve found a lot of vegan meat substitutes contain gluten!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a vegan chorizo ready to go in any of my stores. Have you ever tried Bob’s Red Mill TVP? I bet I could make it from that!
Hi Haley,
There are some vegan meats that are GF like Beyond Meat’s Beast Burger, Gardein Chick’n scallopini, Beyond Meat Chick’n tenders, Amy’s Bistro Veggie burger, and more. I haven’t tried Bob’s Red Mill TVP yet, I’ll check it out.
Thanks for your comment!
Hi Christine,
Wow, such delicious recipes for all vegan lovers!
Truly enjoyed your article, vegan burgers are tricky to make at home but now through this article, it seems quite easy, thanks for sharing:)
Vegan burgers are super yum, filling, flavorful, grillable, and high in protein which is amazing.
The best part of having a vegan burger is that it is made with plant-based food, as in grains, soy, beans, and other vegetables with this we can maintain a healthy weight without even starving ourselves.
Homemade vegan burgers are low in calories, with no preservatives, rich in fiber, and with enormous benefits.
Thank you for the information.
Cheers!
Hi there,
Yes, homemade burgers have lots of healthy ingredients + incredible flavor.
Thanks for stopping by!