I was craving a good garden burger one day and decided to try making my own using all the fresh veggies I love best – carrots, cauliflower, onions, shallots, mushrooms, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. I roasted all these veggies in the oven (you could also grill them on the barbecue) until they were aromatic and beautifully browned before processing them into tiny bits to add to the other ingredients. I was so happy with the result!

    There is something so delicious about a homemade veggie burger – the kind made from real vegetables you can see and taste, not like some dry mystery patty pulled from a freezer box. This veggie burger is hearty, savory, and packed with layers of flavor from simple, everyday ingredients. Whether you’re cooking for a meatless Monday, a vegetarian crowd, or simply craving something wholesome and homemade, this veggie burger really delivers on flavor and comfort.

    What I love most about this recipe is how adaptable it is. It’s a great way to use up extra vegetables and can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated. The patties, once cooked, freeze beautifully for easy weeknight meals. 

    Start with a flavorful base of shallots, onions, and garlic, roasted until tender, slightly browned, and fragrant. From there, mushrooms step in to add that rich, umami depth that makes veggie burgers feel just as satisfying as their meat-based counterparts. Finely chopped Brussels sprouts, carrots, and spinach bring a subtle earthiness and a boost of rainbow goodness, while fresh parsley brightens everything up.

    To give these burgers substance and structure, eggs, black beans, toasted walnuts, and cooked rice are blended in, creating a tender-but-hearty texture that holds together beautifully. A handful of panko breadcrumbs keeps the patties light rather than dense, and a fun blend of spices ties all the flavors together – savory, well-seasoned, and anything but bland. Here is where you can add some creativity of your own, by adding whatever spices you love best.

    Once formed, these veggie burgers cook up with a lightly crisp exterior and a soft center. They’re sturdy enough for a bun but just as good served open-faced, tucked into a pita, or plated alongside a big salad. Add your favorite toppings—melted cheese, avocado slices, caramelized onions, or a mound of shredded cabbage and you’ve got a meal that even non-vegetarians will happily devour.

Veggie Burgers

Servings: Six 4-oz. patties 
PREP TIME: 1 hour
COOK TIME: 10 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

1 whole yellow onion (coarsely chopped)
2 whole shallots (sliced or diced)
1 large clove garlic (minced)
1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
1/2 bunch broccoli (cut into florets)
2 whole carrots (peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces, or 1 cup shredded carrots)
16 oz. cremini mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)
10 whole Brussels sprouts (sliced or shredded)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cooked brown rice
14 oz. can cannellini or black beans (drained)
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper 
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (toasted)
2 cups arugula leaves
1/3 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup panko
2 large eggs
6 slices cheese of your choice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. 

    Clean veggies and cut into small chunks. Toss with olive oil and season with lemon pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper. 

    Arrange the veggies on a pan, organizing them into fast-cooking and slower-cooking varieties. For example, put onions, shallots, broccoli and carrots together, and mushrooms and chopped Brussels sprouts together. This makes it easier to remove veggies from the baking sheets as they cook for different lengths of time. 

    Bake veggies for 10-20 minutes, depending upon the veggie, until the veggies are tender to al denté and nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool completely. 

    Meanwhile, blend nuts, panko, arugula and parsley to a fine crumb in a food processor. Remove to a bowl. No need to wash the bowl of the processor at this point. 

    When veggies are cool, add them to the processor and process until well chopped, but not completely puréed. Remove mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the beans, rice, and eggs. Blend well. Finally, stir in the panko mixture. 

    Preheat a skillet or griddle and brush with olive oil. 

    Form mixture into 6 balls. Place them on a preheated griddle. Flatten them into a patty with a flat metal or plastic spatula. Sear both sides of the patty on medium-high to get a nice brown color, then lower heat to low. Continue to cook until heated all the way through. Lay a slice of your favorite cheese on top and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

    Once the cheese is melted, serve them with or without a bun, but be sure to add your favorite toppings!