I have tried a variety of veggie burger recipes, and although there are many delicious vegan options for burgers, not every veggie burger tastes meaty like ground beef. If a meaty taste is unappealing, this is not the recipe for you. But if you are looking for the type of burger that you wouldn’t guess is vegan, try these easy meaty vegan burgers.
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Ingredients
The ingredients are quite simple. They include:
- Cremini mushrooms
- Yellow onion
- Soy protein (also called textured vegetable protein or TVP)
- Vital wheat gluten
- Vegetable broth of your choice (a vegan beef flavoured broth is ideal)
- Soy sauce
- Nutritional yeast
- Montreal steak spice
- Parsley
- Refined coconut oil
I was inspired to create this recipe by this video called “Never Buy Fake Meat Again” by Sauce Stache.
I like using soy protein in a variety of recipes (such as my favourite vegan meatballs). Soy protein is, as you might guess, high in protein. But it is also low in fat, and a healthy, cholesterol-free choice that is low in calories and very filling.
Soy protein has a neutral taste, so it takes on the flavour of the seasonings you add to it. This is said of tofu as well, but I find that tofu does have a taste of its own, while soy protein does not really taste like anything by itself.
These easy meaty vegan burgers have a rich, beefy flavour from the seasonings and the mushrooms and onions. Make sure to use refined coconut oil, which does not have a coconut taste. The coconut oil should be solid at room temperature. Coconut oil does increase the fat content of these burgers, so if you are looking for a healthier, lower fat option you can omit it. Including coconut oil creates a very realistic burger that cooks just like beef and has the same mouthfeel.
The texture of this burger mixture is surprisingly like ground beef when assembling the burgers and also while cooking them.
How to Make Easy Meaty Vegan Burgers
To create these burgers, mix all dry ingredients, diced onion and diced mushrooms. Then add the broth and soy sauce. Mix everything together thoroughly. The TVP should soften and the mixture should easily clump together. If the TVP pieces feel hard or the mixture is falling apart it is too dry. If there is any liquid visible, the mixture is too moist. Add small amounts of water (a tablespoon at a time) if too dry, or add a teaspoon of vital wheat gluten at a time if too moist.
Once everything is mixed together and the texture is correct, add the coconut oil in clumps. Make sure to lightly mix so clumps remain throughout the vegan ground beef. Put the mixture in the freezer for a few minutes while a pan preheats.
Form into 4 burgers. Cook on low-medium heat for 5 – 8 minutes on each side or until burgers are browned on each side and cooked through. Serve right away or put in the oven at 350 F to keep warm or firm up a little more.
These are great burgers, and so easy to make!
Easy Meaty Vegan Burgers
Ingredients
- 3 Cremini mushrooms
- 1/4 Yellow onion
- 2/3 cup Textured vegetable protein
- 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp Montreal steak spice
- 1 tbsp Parsley Fresh, or use 1/2 tsp dried
- 2/3 cup Vital wheat gluten
Liquid ingredients
- 1/2 cup Vegetable broth Vegan beef flavoured broth is ideal
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
Add at the end
- 1 tbsp Coconut oil Refined, no coconut taste
Instructions
- Dice the onions and mushrooms into small pieces.
- Mix the dry ingredients, onions, and mushrooms. Stir until thoroughly mixed together.
- Add the broth and soy sauce to the ingredient mixture. Stir until fully combined. The TVP should soften and the mixture should easily clump together. If the mixture is falling apart, it is too dry. Add a tiny bit more water, t tbsp at a time, until the TVP is soft and the mixture holds together when squeezed into a lump. If there is visible liquid, the mixture is too moist. Add 1 teaspoon of vital wheat gluten at a time.
- Once everything is mixed together and the texture is correct, add the coconut oil in clumps, dropping each bit of coconut oil in a different place in the bowl. Fold the mixture to very lightly mix so clumps of coconut oil remain throughout.
- Preheat a frying pan on medium heat, and while the pan is heating up, put the mixture in the freezer. This keeps the coconut oil solid while you form the burgers.
- Create 4 burger patties by dividing the mixture in half twice, rolling each portion into a ball, and flattening into a burger.
- Cook on low-medium heat for 5 – 8 minutes on each side or until burgers are browned on each side and cooked through. They can be served right away or put in the oven at 350 F to keep warm or to firm up a little more if desired.
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