Burger Recipe | Veggie Burger

This Burger Recipe covers everything needed to make delightful veggie burgers from scratch, including how to prepare and pan fry delicious homemade vegetable patties. And because no veggie burger is complete without its own special sauce, I have included instruction on how to make the perfect tangy, sweet and spicy mayonnaise dressing.

What is typically in a Veggie Burger

Veggie burgers have become a popular healthy alternative to meat based burgers. These days, grocery stores and restaurants are offering many options, that try to mimic a meat texture, to custom made black bean and veggie patties and more.

A veggie burger recipe can be made with beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, tempeh, quinoa and a mix of different vegetables.

I have been making a Vegetable Cutlet for years, so when I began getting requests for a vegetarian burger recipe, I was happy to take that recipe and adapt it into this perfect veggie burger where the patties are made with various mix veggies.

So you won’t get a chewiness or a meat like texture in my burger recipe. Instead you will be surprised to find crispy flavorful moist patties sandwiched between soft toasted buns with vibrant freshness from sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, onion and a bright mayo dressing – making for the perfect veggie burger experience. 

This all-veggie patty can compete with any Indian restaurant veggie burger and is by far better than the store-bought patties.

Veggie burgers are an all time favorite in my home. Anytime we are craving street food like burgers with french fries, I reach for this burger recipe.

Even though it takes some time to make homemade veggie patties, they are so much better than the store-bought ones, so it is totally worth it.

Why this burger recipe works

The biggest challenge with making veggie patties from scratch is having them hold together. If you’ve tried to make veggie patties before, then you know how frustrating it can be when they fall apart while cooking.

This burger recipe uses the right combination of mixed vegetables and breadcrumbs along with a tried and tested method of steaming and mashing the veggies.

The extra step of coating the patty in a batter and layer of breadcrumbs adds an amazing crispness to the burger and further helps the entire patty to stay intact while cooking.

Ingredients you need

1. Mixed Vegetables: Steamed potatoes, carrots, French beans and green peas make up the bulk of the patty. Garlic, ginger and green chilies (hot peppers) are sautéed and then added to the patty mix for an amazing flavor.
2. Spices: I use Indian spices in this burger recipe to flavor the patties, including coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder or cayenne pepper and turmeric powder. These spices combine for a very flavorful patty. You can play around with the combination of these spices and also add your choice of herbs and spices. 
3. Burger Buns: I used fresh whole wheat burger buns that I got from a local bakery. You can also make homemade burger buns, if you prefer. Since it takes time to make the veggie burger patty itself, I recommend making the buns in advance.
4. Spiced Mayonnaise Dressing: I used an eggless mayonnaise as the base for the dressing in this burger recipe. For a vegan burger use vegan mayonnaise. Spices, lemon juice, vinegar, oil and a bit of sugar is added to the mayonnaise for a custom dressing that complements the veggie burger perfectly.

How to make Veggie Burger from scratch

You are just nine basic steps away from making this classic vegetarian burger recipe: First make your breadcrumbs.

1. Preparing breadcrumbs

If you have breadcrumbs then simply skip these steps and move on to the steps of preparing veggies below. For a more crispy texture, I recommend using panko bread crumbs.

1. Break 6 to 7 slices of bread and add in a mixer or dry grinder. You can use a few days old bread like white, brown, multi grain or whole wheat bread.

2. Grind to a semi-fine consistency and do not make it floury or powdery. Place the bread crumbs in a plate or bowl. Set aside.

Breadcrumbs are used to bind the vegetable patties. Breading them with breadcrumbs also makes them crisp.

2. Preparing veggies

3. Now rinse and steam 3 medium to large potatoes, 1 medium to large carrot, 8 to 9 french beans and ⅓ to ½ cup green peas until they are completely cooked. You can cook or steam the vegetables in a stove-top pressure cooker, pan or instant pot. I have listed the cooking methods below.

1. Stove-top pressure cooker: Peel and chop potatoes, carrots and beans. Place them with the green peas in a pan or bowl. Add 2 cups water in a 3 litre cooker. Place a small trivet inside. Place the bowl with the veggies on the trivet. Pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes on medium-heat. Let the pressure fall naturally in the cooker and then only remove the lid.
2. Instant pot method: Pour 1.5 cups water in the steel insert of 6 quart IP. Keep a trivet inside the steel insert. Place the whole potatoes, carrots, beans in a steamer pan or on the trivet. Take green peas in a small bowl and place it on the steamer pan or on the trivet. Pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes until veggies are tender. Let the pressure release naturally.
3. Cooking in a pan: Peel and chop potatoes, carrots in small cubes. Chop the beans to small pieces. Place the chopped veggies and green peas in a pan. Add water just about covering the vegetables. Cover and simmer on medium-low flame until veggies are fork tender.

Once cooked strain the vegetables well. There should be no water or moisture in them.

4. Peel and roughly chop the potatoes when warm. Also peel the cooked carrots and finely chop them and the french beans.

5. Then mash the potatoes with a potato masher.

6. When the mashed potatoes cools down completely, add the chopped carrots and beans. Also add the steamed peas.

7. Mix everything well and set aside.

8. Then finely chop 1 medium sized onion and crush 4 to 5 garlic cloves, ½ inch ginger and 1 or 2 green chilies (hot peppers) into a paste. Set aside. You can crush them together or separately.

3. Making veggie patty mixture

9. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan. Add the ginger-garlic-green-chili paste. Sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.

10. Add the chopped onions.

11. Stir and sauté until the onion turns translucent or light brown.

12. Add ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.

13. Stir and mix the ground spices with the rest of the mixture.

14. Switch off the heat and then add the chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) or fresh parsley.

15. Stir very well and add this sautéed onion mixture to the mashed veggies.

16. Add salt as per taste and 5 to 6 tablespoons of bread crumbs.

17. Mix very well. Set aside the patty mixture. Check the seasonings and add more salt and ground spices if required

18. Make the size of the veggie patties the same as the size of the buns. If the mixture looks soft or crumbles, then add some more breadcrumbs and mix everything again very well. Cover the veggie patties and set aside.

4. Making mayonnaise dressing

19. Place 3 tablespoons Eggless Vegan Mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds which have been crushed or powdered in a small spice grinder or mortar-pestle. Also add ½ teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper.

20. Add ½ to 1 tablespoon lemon juice. You can also add lemon juice as per your taste.

21. Add ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or olive oil.

22. Season with ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar. Add sugar as per taste. Add ⅛ teaspoon or 2 to 3 pinches of salt.

23. Whisk the dressing very well. Set aside. Do check the taste and add salt, sugar, lemon juice if required.

24. Slice 1 small onion, 1 small tomato and 1 small cucumber thinly. Shred or chop 4 to 5 small lettuce leaves or blanched cabbage leaves. Cover and set these veggies aside.

5. Preparing batter

25. In a medium sized mixing bowl take 3 tablespoons maize flour, polenta or fine cornmeal, 3 tablespoons rice flour and 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan or chickpea flour).

TIP: Instead of gram flour & rice flour you can also use all purpose flour. Instead of maize flour, you can use corn starch.

26. Add ½ cup water. Stir and mix everything to a smooth batter without any lumps. The batter should be of medium consistency.

6. Breading

27. Begin to heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil for pan frying the vegetable patties. When the oil becomes medium hot, dip the veggie patty in the batter.

28. Coat evenly with the batter. Place the batter coated veggie patty on the breadcrumbs.

29. Dredge the batter coated veggie patty evenly with the breadcrumbs. You can repeat the breading method twice for more crispiness.

7. Frying patties for burger recipe

30. Place the breadcrumb coated veggie patty in the medium hot oil. Batter coat another veggie patty in the same way and place it also in the pan.

Depending on the size of your pan, you can fry from 2 to 4 patties. The veggie mixture makes 4 regular burger sized patties. 

2 to 3 tablespoons oil is used for pan frying 2 veggie patties. For frying 4 patties, you will need 4 to 6 tablespoons oil.

If you want you can shallow or deep fry. Deep frying will give a more crisp texture than pan frying.

31. When the base is lightly browned or golden, then flip the veg patties.

32. Flip a couple of times until the patties are pan fried evenly and the crust becomes crisp and golden.

33. Drain the veggie patties on paper towels to remove excess oil.

8. Toasting burger buns

34. Slice the burger buns in equal halves. Spread some butter on the burger bun slices.

35. Heat a small pan and toast the buttered side of the burger bun slice. For a vegan option, toast the burger bun with little oil.

36. The buttered side should become lightly crisp and golden. Toast all the burger buns this way. If you want you can toast the second side too.

9. Assembling Veggie Burger

37. Now spread the spiced mayonnaise dressing on the butter toasted side.

38. Place the vegetable patty on the bun.

39. Top up with sliced veggies like onion slices, tomato slices or cucumber slices.

40. Spread some mayonnaise dressing on the second halve of the burger bun and top up with some shredded or chopped lettuce (which have been rinsed and then dried of all the moisture) or blanched cabbage leaves.

This is optional and just me just doing something new :-). Or for a more hassle-free process, just place the shredded lettuce on the onion-tomato slices.

41. Place the burger buns on top of each other. You can also add grated cheese or a cheese slice for a cheese burger recipe. You can be innovative and change the veggie filling of your burger as per your taste. Example, You can add some grated carrots in the burger. Or you can spread some coleslaw on the burger bun.

42. Your veggie burger is ready. Assemble all veggie burgers this way.

43. Serve these delicious homemade veggie burger immediately with some tomato ketchup or mustard sauce. French fries, potato wedges and potato chips make great sides to your veggie burger.

Serving Suggestions

• Once your veggie burgers are assembled, serve them immediately with tomato ketchup, mustard sauce and some French Fries or Potato Wedges.
• If you don’t have tomatoes and cucumbers, sliced avocado or Guacamole works as a great topping as well. Or you can use grated carrots or Coleslaw as an additional or substitute veggie topping.
• These veggie burgers are great snacks, but they are also filling enough to be a tasty lunch too. This burger recipe makes four regular sized veggie burgers.

Expert Tips

• Vegan options: The veggie patties in this burger recipe are vegan and full of delicious healthy veggies. The mayonnaise dressing can easily be made dairy-free also by using a vegan mayonnaise. For a completely vegan burger, be sure to use oil instead of butter when toasting the buns.
• Mix vegetables: This veggie patty recipe is highly customizable and you can easily adapt it with the vegetables you have. Carrots, green peas, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, pumpkin, beets, sweet potatoes, spinach, sweet corn, mushrooms are great options in a burger recipe.
• Toppings: Try adding some shredded cheese or cheese slice for a cheesy burger. You can also add pickled gherkins, pickled beets or onions, jalapeños, guacamole, salsa, grated carrots, tomato ketchup or sauce, tzatziki, hummus and mustard sauce.
• Make ahead: The veggie patties can be made a day earlier and can be refrigerated. Before assembling, simply fry them. Freezing also works well for these patties. Shape them and keep them in an air-tight freezer safe container for a couple of weeks. The mayo dressing sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for a week.
• Binding & breading: For binding the patties, you can use lightly roasted chickpea flour, rice flour, all-purpose flour, quinoa flour, oats, almond flour. For breading, crushed oats, corn flakes, semolina (sooji or rava), vermicelli are some suggestions.
• Baking: For baking the patties, simply place them on a baking tray. Brush some oil all over. Place them in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake until golden and crisp. Preheat oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit). Flip halfway through baking.

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This burger recipe from the archives (May 2015) has been republished and updated on 29 December 2020.