There’s nothing quite like a delicious, freshly grilled burger with crispy lettuce, and toasted sesame buns slathered with ketchup!
Burgers are a classic staple meal for people all around the world, but just because you may be conscious of cutting meat out of your diet, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this comfort food! You simply need to replace a few elements from a classic burger and turn it into a plant-based burger! That’s right; there are so many plant-based variations of burgers that will leave you utterly surprised.
So, if you happen to be craving a delicious burger lately, here’s how you can build a plant-based burger!
Choose Your Base
First things first, you need to choose a base for your plant-based burger.
You should be thinking beyond your average, typical wheat bun at this point. There are so many options for the base, such as:
- Sprouted English muffins
- Whole-grain roll
- Whole wheat pita bread
- Lettuce wrap
While things like lettuce wrap and pita bread might sound strange as burger base, but know that the end result will be nothing but delicious!
Choose Your Patty
When it comes to a plant-based burger patty, the options are endless. There’s so much you can do here, such as:
- Black bean patty
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Beetroot patty
- Chickpea patty
- Sweet potato patty
- Zucchini and mushroom patty
The patty is the most crucial part of your plant-based burger, so you want to pack as much flavor in it as possible. Also, since you aren’t using the fat like in most traditional meat-based burgers, you need to use a heavy hand with the herbs and spices.
Spices like chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and many others are an absolute must for veggie-based patties. You can also amp up the flavor with herbs like fresh cilantro, basil, thyme, rosemary, and chives, to name a few. If you are looking to add that extra ‘kick’ in the patty, add some heat or acid with ingredients like lemon juice or chili paste.
Your Choice of Veggies
There are no limitations here, and you can go crazy with the vegetables in your burger!
Here are some basic veggies that you can use:
- Tomato
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Onion
- Cucumber
- Kale
- Sautéed mushrooms
Sauce and Toppings
This is the last and the fun part where you can add your choice of vegan toppings and sauces to your plant-based burger.
Some popular options are:
- Vegan garlic mayo
- Dairy-free cheese
- Ketchup
- Chili sauce
- Mustard sauce
- Pickles
- Olives
- Jalapenos
- Guacamole
- Hummus
- Pickled radishes
- Roasted peppers
- Grilled pineapple
It all comes down to what you are likely to enjoy the most in a burger as well as what goes well with each other.
Build an amazing plant-based burger with your choice of base, patty, veggies, sauces, and toppings and have a totally unique kind of burger experience!
