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These vegan burger patties are everything you want in a plant-based burger: savory, well-seasoned, and satisfyingly meaty, with a texture that holds together whether you use a pan or a grill. Gluten-free and made with 10 ingredients, they’re the kind of patties you’ll want to pile on a bun and serve on repeat!
A lot of you have asked for a gluten-free version of my high-protein burger patties. This recipe is my answer! They are everything you want from a burger patty: meaty with some chew, hold together perfectly, well-seasoned, and can be grilled without falling apart.
No gluten, no breadcrumbs, no rice or beans, no oil, and no weird ingredients! Yet, a chewy, meaty texture that does wonders in homemade burgers!
These Patties Are the Only Ones I Make Now
Let’s get this straight: this recipe made me stop buying the store-bought brands. First reason being the high cost – meat alternatives are more expensive than real meat, can you believe that?! – and second, the flavor and texture. I actually much prefer this homemade version compared to store-bought, which often feels too fatty. These vegan patties are moist without feeling greasy or tasting dry.
One of the key ingredients here, the psyllium powder, forms a gel that helps the meaty TVP hold together and give the burgers an almost fatty mouthfeel without the need for oil. This recipe has been in the works for a long time, so I’m really excited to finally share it!
📋 Ingredient Details
Here are some notes on the ingredients you will need. Remember that you can find the exact measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
TVP forms the base of these burgers. I’ve tested this recipe with 2 different brands of TVP, and the recipe worked great with both when measured by weight rather than volume.
Note: Always weigh TVP for accuracy and consistent results. Cup measurements are inaccurate due to variations in TVP shape and density. For one batch of this recipe, you will need 2.3 ounces (65g).
Vegetable Broth
You’ll need vegetable broth to rehydrate the TVP and infuse it with savoriness.
Substitute: For those of you who have access to it, feel free to use Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base.
White Miso
White miso adds umami and a subtle saltiness.
Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce contributes depth, acidity, and complexity to the seasoning. It’s a key ingredient here. Ensure you use vegan Worcestershire sauce, as the original contains anchovies.
Liquid Smoke
Liquid smoke provides a subtle smoky flavor that enhances the overall taste without making the patties overly smoky.
Note: Use liquid smoke sparingly (I recommend only 1/8 tsp). The goal is to add just a hint of smokiness, not a dominant one.
Nutritional Yeast & Onion Powder
Nutritional yeast for a savory, slightly cheesy flavor, and onion powder for a mild sweetness and extra depth. Do not substitute fresh onions for the onion powder, as it would add moisture and alter the texture of the patties.
Dark Soy Sauce & Beetroot Powder
Dark soy sauce is not there for seasoning but for coloring. It makes the patties darker in color, so they look more like real beef patties. Along with dark soy sauce, beetroot powder contributes to the color. It’s not there for taste either, but to give the mixture a red hue.
Psyllium Husk Powder
The magical ingredient of this recipe! Psyllium husk acts as a binder, replacing gluten, and helping the mixture hold together during shaping and cooking.
Tip: There are different types of psyllium husk powder. Use the one that comes as a very fine powder (not whole or coarse husk). Coarse psyllium husk will not bind the mixture well and will yield a grainy texture.
🥣 Instructions (With Photos)
- Rehydrate the TVP. Add the TVP chunks to a bowl and cover with hot vegetable broth.
- Let them sit. Allow the TVP to rehydrate for about 20 minutes or until soft. Then, drain it and squeeze it to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Transfer to a food processor. Next, transfer the TVP to a food processor and add all of the other seasonings.
- Process. Process for 5-8 seconds or until the mixture resembles ground meat.
- Add the psyllium. Add the psyllium husk powder and process for another 3-4 seconds.
- Check the consistency. Take some of the mixture and press it using your hand. It should hold together into a ball.
- Transfer to a pastry ring. Transfer about 1/3 cup of the mixture to three 3-inch (≈ 8 cm) pastry rings.
- Press it. Use your hands or the bottom of a glass to press the mixture into the pastry ring.
- Cook the patties. Finally, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- The burger patties will brown and become crispy on the outside!
📔 Thomas’ Tips
Process the TVP into a fine texture.
It’s important to process the TVP until it resembles fine-ground meat, with pieces measuring less than 1/4-inch (0.6 cm). Otherwise, if your TVP is not processed enough, your patties won’t hold together and may crumble.
Make 3 medium or 2 large patties.
One batch of this recipe makes three 3-inch (≈ 8 cm) patties or two large 4-inch (≈ 10 cm) patties. You can easily double the recipe to make more patties – they keep very well in the fridge.
🍚 Serving Suggestions
You can use these patties pretty much anywhere you would use meat patties. For example:
- In burgers: Layer one or two grilled patties with chopped lettuce, burger sauce, cucumber pickles, vegan cheese, and sliced cucumber in soft hamburger buns.
- As is with: Air-fryer corn on the cobs, steamed rice, couscous salad, carrot and kale salad, or vegetable stir-fry.
❄️ Storing and Reheating
- To store: You can keep these patties in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: Heat some oil in a non-stick pan and cook the patties on each side for 3-4 minutes.
💬 FAQs & Troubleshooting
You have either under-processed the TVP or omitted the psyllium husk.
No. Since these patties contain no vital wheat gluten, there is no need to steam them. Just shape and pan-fry!
Yes. These patties hold together just like real meat patties and have passed the grill test.
And there you have it, my ultimate vegan burger patties recipe! Vân and I have made these over and over again since I’ve developed this recipe. Hope you will love them as much as we do!
🍗 More Meat Alternatives
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Meaty Vegan Burger Patties (Gluten-Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (65 g) TVP chunks (It should weigh 2.3 ounces / 65g)
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth (or Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) water
- 2 tbsp (16 g) nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp (10 g) white miso
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp beetroot powder
- 1/8 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp (11 g) psyllium husk powder
Instructions
- Rehydrate the TVP. Add the TVP chunks to a bowl and pour the hot vegetable broth over them. Allow the TVP to rehydrate for at least 20 minutes, or until soft. Then, drain it and squeeze the chunks between your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Don't skip this step as it is essential.
- Transfer to a food processor. Next, transfer the drained TVP to a food processor. Add the two tablespoons of water, nutritional yeast, vegan Worcestershire sauce, white miso, onion powder, dark soy sauce, beetroot powder, and liquid smoke. Process for 5-8 seconds or until the mixture resembles ground meat.
- Add the psyllium. Add the psyllium husk powder and process for another 3-4 seconds. At this point, the mixture should resemble fine ground meat. Take some of the mixture and press it using your hand. It should hold together into a ball. If not, process for another 2-3 seconds.
- Shape into patties. Transfer about 1/3 cup of the mixture to a 3-inch (≈ 8 cm) pastry ring. Use your hands or the bottom of a glass to press the mixture into an even patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture. You will end up with 3 patties.
- Cook the patties. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until slightly brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
Process the TVP into a fine texture.
It’s important to process the TVP until it resembles fine-ground meat, with pieces measuring less than 1/4-inch (0.6 cm). Otherwise, if your TVP is not processed enough, your patties won’t hold together and may crumble.Make 3 medium or 2 large patties.
One batch of this recipe makes three 3-inch (≈ 8 cm) patties or two large 4-inch (≈ 10 cm) patties. You can easily double the recipe to make more patties – they keep very well in the fridge.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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