The Best Vegan Cheeseburger Ever
Every now and then, I get a serious craving for a classic McDonald’s-style burger. This vegan cheeseburger satisfies that craving and then some, with a juicy, flavour-packed patty that tastes even better than the original.
Ingredients
Veggies Patty
- 1 cup textured vegetable protein
- 1 cup veggie broth
- 200 g mushrooms sliced
- ½ cup cashews
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt + pepper
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs blitzed (or fine breadcrumbs)
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup plain flour
- ½ cup green onions sliced
Burger Bits (for two burgers)
- 2 slices vegan cheese
- ½ cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 5-6 dill pickle slices
- 2 tablespoon white onion finely diced
- 2 brioche buns
Big Mac Sauce (from Mike Haracz)
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoon sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon djion mustard
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- dash white pepper if you have it
Instructions
Rehydrate the TVP:
- Add 1 cup of textured vegetable protein to a bowl with 1 cup of hot veggie broth. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes to soak up all the flavour.
Roast the Mushrooms:
- Toss your sliced mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil and roast at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes, or until they look browned, shrunken, and a little crispy around the edges. Set aside to cool.
Make the Base:
- Pulse cashews in a food processor until crumbly (not powdery), then add in the roasted mushrooms and blend again until coarse and combined.
Add Flavour:
- Throw in mayo, soy sauce, Worcestershire, onion and garlic powders, smoked paprika, vegan parmesan, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until the mix sticks together a bit but still has texture. Add green onions and pulse a few more seconds.
Bring it All Together:
- Tip the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the soaked TVP, flaxseed, flour, and remaining breadcrumbs. Mix well — it should hold together when pressed. Too wet? Add more breadcrumbs. Too dry? A touch of mayo or broth helps. It still might stick a little to your hands, that's okay, it will firm up in the fridge.
Shape the Patties:
- Divide and shape into 6 burger patties (roughly 110g each), sized to match your buns.
Chill:
- Let the patties rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Overnight is even better if you're prepping ahead.
Prep Your Sauce:
- Grab a small bowl — you’ll mix everything in one place. Add vegan mayo, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and a dash of white pepper (optional – skip if you don’t have it). Stir it all together until smooth and well combined. You don't have to make the sauce if you want to sauce on time and extra ingredients, but it does give the whole burger an extra delicious kick!
Fry ‘em Up:
- Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook patties straight from the fridge, 3–4 minutes each side until golden and crisp. Add cheese once you flip and cover the pan lightly to help it melt.
Assemble Your Burger:
- Layer your bun with Big Mac sauce, shredded lettuce, onion, pickles, the cheesy patty (or two!), and top bun. Repeat if you're going double-decker style.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!