I'm definitely a veggie burger person. I loved the very first veggie burger I ever tried and have seriously enjoyed most since then. I know veggie burgers aren't everyone's thing though. Believe me, whether it's frozen or DIY veggie burgers, I hear plenty of objections from both vegetarians and omnivores every time I try to bust out a few patties for grilling at a summer gathering.
They're too soft. They taste like beans (says the person who doesn't like beans). No texture. Not filling enough. I get it. I don't necessarily agree, but if you didn't grow up eating meatless burgers I could see how any of the above might be off-putting. I have the solution though: nuts!
Throw some nuts into your veggie burger mixture and all those complaints (valid or not) go right out the window.
These particular nutty burgers are made with a base of walnuts and chickpeas. They're super sturdy, have an amazing texture and they will fill you up like nobody's business. They might just be the heartiest veggie burgers to ever come out of my kitchen. Dare I say, they even look pretty darn meaty, so if that's what you're missing in a burger, give them a try.
I kept the seasonings simple and savory. A little bit of vegetarian Worchestershire sauce goes a long way, and some maple horseradish mustard adds just the right amount of kick. You could really take the flavorings in any direction though, so have fun.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil, for grilling
For the maple horseradish mustard:
- 4 tablespoons horseradish mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
For serving:
- 4-6 burger buns
- 4-6 lettuce leaves
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- Onion slices
Instructions
- Place the onion into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Pulse a few times until the onion is coarsely chopped. Add the chickpeas, walnuts, panko breadcrumbs, flaxseed, garlic, Worchestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, paprika and black pepper. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped and well-blended. Test a bit of the mixture by pressing it together to see how well it holds; pulse a few more times if it seems too crumbly. Shape into 4-6 patties.
- Lightly oil a large skillet and place it over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, place the burgers into the skillet and cook them until they're browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the opposite sides, about 4 minutes more.
- Stir the horseradish mustard and maple syrup together in a small bowl.
- Stuff the buns with the burgers and top with the maple horseradish mustard, lettuce, tomato and onions, then serve.
Susan says
I have some good friends who are vegan, and these would be great for feeding them. I'm sure my husband and I would enjoy them, too. From reading the list of ingredients, they sound like they would definitely be substantial.
Alissa says
They really are very substantial - probably some of the heartiest veggie burgers I've made. I hope you give them a try and enjoy them as much as I did! 🙂
Arthur in the Garden! says
Nice! I will have to try these this weekend!
Alissa says
Thanks Arthur! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Elise says
These burgers are delicious. I love the consistency, he simplicity of preparing and cooking and the taste. Thank you.
Alissa says
Thanks so much Elise! Glad you enjoyed them!
Suzanne says
I made these the other night and they were fantastic. The only thing I did differently is used non-vegan Worchestershire (sorry!) and added some cayenne. Yummy. The next day I put one over greens for lunch and that was almost like a falafel salad. I'm definitely adding this one to my repertoire. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Alissa says
Serving these over greens sounds perfect and I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed them! Thanks so much!
Dr. L J says
These sound amazing but do you have any substitute ideas for the panko breadcrumbs? I am gluten free and the GF ones are so ultra processed!
Alissa says
You could try oats or chickpea flour. I've used both in veggie burgers with good results. You just might have to play around a bit with the amounts - I'd start with a little bit and keep adding until you get something that you can shape into a patty. I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Diana says
Great firm consistency! I love this recipe, it's so versatile. I didn't have some of the ingredients so I used smoked paprika and an 80/20 blend of pecans/sun flower seeds. Then I divided the mixture and added cilantro and jalapeño. So nutty and yummy. Thank you!
Alissa says
Awesome! Glad you liked it! This recipe is totally customizable, and those all sound like delicious choices! 🙂
Nyte Owl says
The first time I've made veggie burgers and they were delicious, thank you.
Do you know if they will freeze?
Alissa says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed them! I haven't frozen these, but most veggie burger recipes I've tried freeze just fine, so I think these should too. You could also probably freeze the mixture before shaping them into patties, then the day of serving thaw, shape, and cook. 🙂
Amanada says
These look great! I don't have any flax on hand - any substitute suggestions? Thanks!
Alissa says
You could try just leaving them out - the burgers might be a little more delicate, but I think the recipe would still work. 🙂
Jessi says
Interesting flavor but I morphed this quite a bit just because my food processor is too small: I overloaded it and the ingredients weren't mixing. So I added an egg. Then I had to blend it a lot which resulted in something similar to paste. Oops! I added a little cheese and a little flour to firm it up. Mmm delicious fillers...
My only real suggestion is to put the mix in the fridge for 30min to firm it a little.
jonny b says
Worchestshire sauce has anchovy in it here in Australia so it cannot be vegetarian nor vegan thank you..
jonny b says
Nutburger recipe was very good thank you..
Alissa says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Alissa says
Sorry to hear that! We have a few options here in the U.S. including Annie's brand and sometimes store generic brands. You might have some luck if you search online!
Michelle says
I made this for the first time today. Very delicious, but I over processed them into a paste. I recommend to those of you reading this to leave it a little chunky. I also halved the recipe because I have a small processor and it worked fine.
PENNEY GOODWIN says
These are the best ever! They were devoured!My meat lover has been talking about how they were all week!