High-Protein Vegan Burgers

Friends, I just made the most amazing vegan burgers ever.

Seriously, I tried a lot of different veggie burgers, and while most were delicious, they always lacked that meaty texture, except the Beyond Burger ones.

So, how could I recreate a texture similar to Beyond Burger? My first try revolved around TVP crumbles, as these are chewy, meaty, and absorb any flavor super well. The problem was that my burgers were falling into pieces. It was a BIG FAIL. However, after over 10 tests, I finally nailed what I believe are the best homemade vegan burger patties. What changed? I used vital wheat gluten as a binder, and that is GAME CHANGING. It not only holds together all of the ingredients but also adds an extra layer of meatiness. Not only my vegan burger patties are super meaty, but they are also tender and juicy!

Please note that my recipe has been copied and adapted time and time again. Don’t fall for the copycats. You are on the ORIGINAL page. 

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

Unbelievably meaty and high-protein.

Combining soy curls with vital wheat gluten creates the perfect combination of chewiness and meatiness. My plant-based burgers are also incredibly moist and tender. It’s time to say goodbye to dry vegan burgers!

On top of that, they are also packed with protein. With 25g of protein per serving, these are on par with real burgers. If you are looking for different ways to up your protein intake, these delicious burgers will come to the rescue!

Cheaper than store-bought.

Tired of paying $5,99 for 2 vegan burgers? I was, too, and that’s one of the reasons I started developing this recipe. According to my calculations, it will cost you about $2 to make 3 large burgers. Please note that this might differ depending on which country you live in, but there is very little chance it will reach $3, which is already half the price of the ones you can find at the supermarket.

Plus, they taste just as good as store-bought without preservatives or additives!

Simple and made with just a few ingredients.

While the recipe may sound complicated, it’s not! You will need just 10 ingredients plus a few spices. The main process consists of blending white beans with seasonings to make a flavorful sauce, then incorporating soy curls and vital wheat gluten. The final steps consist of shaping the burgers, wrapping them, and steaming them for a few minutes. It’s very simple, and I’m sharing step-by-step photos to show you exactly how to make it!

Loved by readers.

The reviews speak for themselves: my burger recipe got an average of ★★★★★ stars from over 60 ratings! Here is what some readers are saying:

Justin said: “These are Delish! Thanks for the recipe! It’s one of the best veggie burger recipes I have tried!

Hanna said: “Definitely the best vegan burgers I ever made. I tried trillions of recipes. The idea of combining soy granules with shredded beans plus gluten is as simple as it’s stunning. The texture is amazing. Thank you so so much for this idea!”

Shannon said: “This is hands down the best flavor, texture, and appearance in a veggie burger I’ve ever experienced. It’s so savory and satisfying to eat. They turned out perfect.”

🫘 Ingredient Notes

Yes, the combination of ingredients in this recipe might sound a bit unusual, but it works wonderfully! It’s obviously not on the level of Beyond Burger, but it’s getting pretty close. Here is what you will need to prepare these burgers:

Soy curls

Soy curls are a dehydrated product made from soybeans. I use them as a base to make the burgers. They bring a meaty and chewy texture.

What I love about soy curls is that they are high in protein, low in fat, and usually pretty cheap. Another advantage is that since they are a dry product, they will keep forever in the pantry. You just need to rehydrate them before using them.

Recommendation: Butler’s soy curls are a great choice if you have access to them. Otherwise, any textured vegetable protein (TVP) chunks will work. You can now even find curls or TVP made from peas instead of soy! I have personally tried this recipe with different brands, some made from soy and some made from peas, and I got great results each time.

Cooked Beans

The reason I incorporate cooked white beans in these burgers is that they add moisture and make the burgers softer. As opposed to other vegan burger recipes, I do not use the beans whole or slightly mashed. I completely blend them with the seasonings to make a thick sauce – don’t worry, you won’t find any mushy beans in these burgers!

Substitute: While I went with white navy beans, red or black beans will work too.

Vital Wheat Gluten

Here comes the magical ingredient of this recipe: wheat gluten! It’s an essential component that helps the burgers bind together and creates a slightly stretchy texture. Vital wheat gluten also adds extra protein.

Nutritional Yeast

If you’ve been cooking plant-based dishes for a while, you’re likely familiar with the savory, cheesy taste of nutritional yeast. In this recipe, I primarily use it to enhance the umami and complexity of flavors rather than for its cheesy qualities.

Soy Sauce

Instead of plain salt, soy sauce adds saltiness + extra flavor. I also use dark soy sauce to slightly darken the color of the burgers, giving them a more authentic appearance.

Sugar

A tablespoon of sugar balances the saltiness. Don’t worry – it won’t make the burgers taste sweet! You can use granulated white sugar or coconut sugar.

Oil

I found that without the addition of oil, the burgers didn’t have the richness of traditional burgers and were a bit drier. Hence, I add three tablespoons of oil to the mixture.

Which oil to pick: I suggest going for a neutral oil such as canola, sunflower, or grapeseed oil.

Liquid smoke

A few drops of liquid smoke enhance the burgers with a rich and warming smokiness. No liquid smoke? Add an extra teaspoon of smoked paprika!

Spices

Smoked paprika, garlic, and onion powder. You don’t want your burgers to be bland.

Add extra flavor: My burgers have a mild flavor, so you can easily customize them to your liking by adding more spices or dried herbs. Another option is to add flavorings such as vegan Worcestershire sauce (use 1 teaspoon) or Better than Bouillon No-Beef Base (use 1/2-1 teaspoon).

🍔 How to Make Them

1. Rehydrate the soy curls

1. Add the soy curls to a bowl. Start by adding the dried soy curls to a bowl.
2. Cover with water and rehydrate. Next, cover with hot water and let the soy curls rehydrate for about 20 minutes or until soft.
3. Drain well. Drain the soy curls and rinse them a couple of times under cold water. This step helps get rid of the soybean flavor. Next, use your hands to squeeze the moisture from the soy curls.

2. Process the mixture

1. Process the remaining ingredients. Add the cooked white beans, oil, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, sugar, spices, liquid smoke, and water to a food processor and process until smooth.

2. Add the soy curls and process again. Then, add the rehydrated soy curls to the food processor and process for 4-6 seconds or until it looks like a bolognese sauce. You want the soy curls to be finely chopped but not completely puréed. Otherwise, you will lose the texture. The soy curls should be about 1/4 inch (5-6mm). Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the gluten and form patties

1. Stir in the vital wheat gluten. Add the vital wheat gluten to the blended soy curl mixture and mix using a spatula or your hands until it forms a paste resembling ground meat. Knead for about 10 seconds. The vital wheat gluten will absorb some of the liquid, and the mixture will thicken.

2. Divide the mixture. Divide the mixture into 3 even balls to make 3 large burgers. If you prefer thinner burgers, divide the mixture into 4.

3. Wrap each burger. Place one ball of the mixture on top of a sheet of parchment paper and shape it into a burger patty. Carefully wrap the patty in parchment paper. Next, wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil. Note: Your burger patties will be double-wrapped, once in parchment paper and then in aluminum foil. Repeat with the two remaining patties.

Cook the Burgers

1. Steam. The final step consists of steaming the burgers for about 1 hour. To do so, you can use an Instant Pot or a bamboo steamer basket placed on top of a pot of boiling water.
2. Let cool. After steaming, remove the burgers from the foil and parchment paper and let them cool for at least 10 minutes. You can now cook the burgers in a skillet or grill them!

🧂 Marinade

While optional, there is an extra step that I highly recommend taking. It consists of marinating the burgers overnight or for at least 4 hours. It adds flavor and saltiness and makes the burgers extra juicy! Here is the process:

1. Place the burgers in a deep baking dish.
2. Add 1/2 cup of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, and 2 tbsp of oil.
3. Marinate the burgers overnight or for at least 4 hours, flipping them once.

You can then grill them or fry them in a pan!

🥗 How to Serve Them

You can serve these veggie burgers with buns, along with pickled cucumber, tomato slices, salad leaves, and sriracha mayo (or your favorite burger sauce!). Or, you can serve the burgers without the buns, with some grains and vegetables on the side for a complete meal.

💬 FAQ

If you are looking for the best vegan burgers, look no further! These seitan burgers are incredibly meaty, tender, and high in protein!

🔥 More High-Protein Vegan Recipes

The Best Vegan Chicken

Tempeh in Creamy Mushroom Coconut Sauce

The Best Vegan Meatballs

Vietnamese Braised Tofu & Mushrooms

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!