Over the Top Veggie Burgers

I’ve heard so much criticism about veggie burgers.  They don’t resemble real meat.  Bland, mushy texture, soy after-taste, on and on.  They’re all true.

Damn!  I’ve ordered so many veggie burgers where they’re simply grilled, topped, and served.  Boring.  So here’s the secret to take that frozen veggie burger and sky rocket it to another galaxy. 

Craig’s, my hard rockin' guitarist boyfriend, favorites were the Double, Double – Animal Style from In and Out and the guacamole, bacon $6.00 burger from Carl’s Jr.  So you see, I did have a challenge.  Here are the results.

Secret Tips to Make Your Burger Dynamite:

1.         Start with fresh, good quality buns.  It definitely makes a difference. 

2.     .   There are tons of different frozen veggie burgers out there.  Don’t give up if you come across ones that aren’t working for you.  There are good ones and really, really bad ones.  I use Boca’s vegan burger (for Craig, these come close to the real thing).  On my list to try are Gardein’s sliders. 

3.         My secret weapon is doing a quick marinade.  I use a combo of liquid smoke, shoyu  (soy sauce), and vegan Worcestershire .  Play around with it to get the ratio you like.  If you can’t find vegan Worcestershire, skip it.  The most important part is the liquid smoke.  It’s kind of hard to screw it up too much.  I marinate until I have all sides covered and the color changes to dark brown (about a minute or they’ll get soggy and fall apart).

4.         Don’t be lazy and cook or heat up food in the microwave.  Cook the buns and burger on an oiled coated skillet on the stove, (for the health conscious, use extra-virgin coconut oil, but remember that the oil adds its own flavor).  

5.      .  Cook the burgers until they have a crispness to them and their color is dark brown.  The buns should be browned and crisp around the edges too.  If you find the burgers aren't crisping, add more oil and be patient.  

6.       Top them.  Use your imagination or go classic.  Here are some suggestions: 

The Classic:

Melt Daiya cheddar on top of the burger.   Spread Vegenaise and pour ketchup on one side of the bun.  Top with onions, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes, and pickles.  Mix Vegenaise, ketchup, and pickle relish to make a simple Thousand Island.   Spread the Thousand Island on the other side of the bun. 

Texas Style: 

Grill onions at the same time as you’re cooking the burger (it’ll give it some of that good smoky flavor from your marinade) or fry up some onion rings and top instead.  Melt Daiya cheddar on your burger.  Spread ranch on one side of the bun and pour some bbq sauce over it.  See my bbq sauce and Ranch post for fantastic, easy to prepare recipes.  Try substituting sour dough for this one.  

Teriyaki Style:

Grill pineapple slices and onions with a little teriyaki sauce, then top the burger.  Pour teriyaki sauce over.  Try adding sliced avocado on top and a sprinkle of sesame seed too.   For a hot Hawaiian, make a sauce using mango, jalapeno, and Vegenaise.  

Burger with a Kick:

In the mood for a little heat?  Try topping your burger with melted Daiya cheddar and diced jalapenos or try using Vegenaise Chipotle spread.   I make my own version using Vegenaise and chipotle in adobo.   

“Bacon” Guacamole Burger:

Melt Daiya Pepper Jack on top of the burger.  There are some good vegan versions of bacon.  I like using Light Life’s Bacon.   Honestly, it’s not an exact substitute, but you can get a Canadian bacon flavor with it.  Pan-fry the “bacon” until it’s crispy.  Top with guacamole (homemade guacamole is so simple to make, so don’t skimp if you don’t have to).  Spice it up with Vegenaise chipotle spread.  

Chili Cheese Burger:

Hot diggety dog!  This ones for all you meat eaters and junk food junkies out there.  Top your burger with veg chili and melted Daiya cheddar.  I make my chili from scratch (I'll share the recipe in a later blog).  You can use Trader Joe's or Hormel's veg chili.  It's actually pretty close to the real thing.  Top with a dollop of vegan sour cream.  Better than Sour Cream by Tofutti (blue label) is the closest I've come.  Not perfect, but will do.  

The Italian Burger:  

Melt Daiya mozzarella on your burger.  Top with pasta sauce and thinly sliced green pepper.  Substitute ciabatta or Italian bread, lightly toasted with a drizzle of olive oil.  Top with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan.  I like Galaxy or Go Veggie brands.  I recently heard of an aged vegan parmesan from Parmela.  It sounds good.  Can't wait to try it.  Buon Appetito!

There are endless combos and possibilities, so don’t get bored.  Use your imagination to create new flavor combinations.  Take yours over the top!