Best Darn Veggie Burgers (Vegan & Grillable) Recipe

We’re crazy about these veggie burgers. I’m not usually one to title recipes as “Best Ever!!,” or “Ultimate!!” because I’m quite a shy person and that seems loud, but I am absolutely smitten with these.

First of all, they’re grill-able! Bring them to your backyard bbq or your 4th of July cookout. You can even make them a day or two in advance because, of course, you’d rather be spending time in the sun versus spending time in the kitchen.

Second, YUM!! A mix of shiitake and portobello mushrooms are the base of these burgers. creating great texture and umami-rich flavor. They’re seasoned with tamari, balsamic vinegar, smoked paprika, and sriracha. It may sound like an odd combination, but these ingredients help build an amazing savory/smoky flavor. Crushed walnuts give them a not-mushy texture, and freshly made sticky short grain brown rice gives them grillable cohesion. Even if you’re not a mushroom person, I think you’ll still love these. In the end, they’re just really darn good veggie burgers.

In these photos, I made the burgers as sliders, but the recipe works as larger-sized burgers as well.

Did I mention that these are vegan? Between the sticky brown rice and the flaxseed, there’s no need for an egg to bind these. Flax is the way to go here, whether you’re vegan or not.

So meaty! Of course, these are not intended to replicate real meat – it’s just a really good veggie burger! As they come off the grill, I brush them with vegan Worcestershire sauce (which I prefer to it’s non-vegan counterpart). It adds even more flavor and is a nice juicy addition.

Buns out (suns out)! Load these up however you like – I like mine with avocado, red onion (rinsed if you have a strong onion), mustard, avocado mayo (which is not vegan, but you can use vegan mayo if you wish), sprouts, and a squirt of sriracha. If you simply like ketchup and mustard, that’s fine too!

Happy Grilling!

Shiitake Veggie Burgers

 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 2 shallots, chopped (⅔ cup)
• 16 ounces mushrooms (mix of shiitake + portobello), de-stemmed and diced
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin (or ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons sriracha, more if desired
• ½ cup crushed walnuts
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• 2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice (freshly cooked so that it’s sticky)*
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
• vegan worcestershire sauce, for brushing
• nonstick cooking spray, for grilling
• desired burger fixings (buns, vegan mayo or avocado mayo, mustard, ketchup)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until soft, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, a generous pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and browned, 6 to 9 minutes, turning down the heat slightly, as needed.
2. Stir in the tamari, vinegar, and mirin. Stir, reduce the heat, then add the garlic, and smoked paprika, and sriracha. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a food processor, combine the sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, flaxseed, brown rice, and ½ cup of the panko. Pulse until well combined.
4. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining panko.
5. Form into 8 slider-sized patties or 6 burger-sized patties.
6. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Spray the grill with nonstick cooking spray and drizzle or brush the patties with olive oil. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until char marks form. Remove from the grill, brush with Worcestershire sauce, and serve with desired fixings.

The patties can made in advance and stored in the fridge, on a tray, until ready to grill. They can also be grilled in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days – they reheat surprisingly well.

*It’s very very important that your brown rice is freshly made and sticky so that the burgers will be cohesive. (Long grain rice isn’t as sticky, so be sure to get short grain rice). I like to cook my rice in a rice cooker, or use this stovetop method:

Stovetop Brown Rice: Combine 1 cup rinsed short grain brown rice in a pot with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.

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