Welcome the grilling season with these flavorful veggie burgers! Serve in rolls, over a salad or on its own. However you serve them, don’t drizzle the creamy Green Goddess sauce on top!
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Trust me, I love grilled meats as much as the next blogger, but I also want to feed my veggie friends something tasty, and store-bought frozen veggie patties don’t always get the job done. I find so many of them underflavored and mushy.
How to make a delicious veggie burger
These burgers are packed with spices like cumin and paprika and a few other ingredients to hold them together on the grill. I like to start the burgers with a chickpea base, which gives them a great mouthfeel — that’s a fancy way of saying they have good texture-wise — and can handle the heat of a grill. Carrots are joining the party to bring a little sweetness and color!
They’re so full of flavor you won’t miss the beef. Even my three year old ate a whole burger!
How do these veggie burgers hold up to the grill?
A common problem with veggie burgers is how they hold up on the grill. Will they fall apart? These hold up well provided you have a clean grill, meaning the burgers won’t stick and flip easily. If you’re really worried about sticking, you can also brush the grill with some oil or use a griddle.
What to serve with these veggie burgers
This whole meal gets a little boost with this herb-packed, creamy Green Goddess Sauce. I based this sauce on the classic Green Goddess Dressing but added some avocado to thicken it and make it easier to spread on burgers.
These veggie patties are also flavorful enough to serve alone or over a salad. This makes them pretty easy to serve to guests who are gluten intolerant – just make sure you use gluten-free bread for the breadcrumbs to bind them. Simply spoon the Green Goddess Sauce on top and serve!
Say hello to BBQ season with these gorgeous Homemade Veggie Burgers!
More great vegetarian BBQ recipes
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Grilled radicchio salad
- grilled pizza
- Grilled eggplant sandwich
- Grilled lamb’s lettuce
Green Goddess Veggie Burger
If you don’t have access to a grill, you absolutely can cook these in a skillet. Form patties and fry in a pan over medium-high heat with a little oil, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned and set.
You will almost certainly have green goddess sauce left over. It makes a great dip with fresh veggies, or you can dilute it with a drizzle of vinegar and olive oil and make a salad dressing. It will keep well in the fridge for at least a week, but will then lose some of its fresh herbal flavors.
ingredients
- For the veggie burgers:
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2 (15-ounce) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
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1 medium carrot, grated, about 1 cup loosely packed
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1 clove of garlic
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2 teaspoons ground cumin
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2 teaspoons of peppers
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 large egg
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1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- For the Green Goddess Sauce:
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3/4 cup mayonnaise
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3/4 cup sour cream
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1 ripe avocado
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1/2 cup fresh parsley
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1/4 cup tarragon
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3 tablespoons chopped chives
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2 tablespoons lemon juice
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salt and pepper
- Serve:
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6 burger buns
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Green salad
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Sliced red onion
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6 slices Monterey Jack (or any melt-in-your-mouth) cheese (optional)
special equipment
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food processor
method
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Make and Chill the Patty Mixture:
In a food processor, add the chickpeas, grated carrot, garlic and spices. Pulse the mixture a few times until it combines into a coarse paste. Add the egg and breadcrumbs and pulse a few more times until the mixture is evenly combined.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours. Chilling will help the mixture hold together a little better when forming the patties and grilling.
Patties can also be formed and grilled immediately, but they are quite delicate. We recommend using a grill pan to grill the patties.
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Shape meatballs:
Divide the burger mix into six even patties and place on a plate or sheet pan for easy transporting to the grill. If you’re not going to grill right away, loosely cover the patties and refrigerate until ready to grill.
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Make the Green Goddess Sauce:
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until sauce is smooth, uniform in color and consistency. It should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
This sauce can also be made a few days in advance and kept refrigerated.
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Prepare all other burger ingredients:
Make sure your burger buns, lettuce, sliced onions, and cheese are all prepped and arranged near the grill.
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Preheat grill:
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to direct medium-high heat. Prepare all other burger ingredients (lettuce, red onion, cheese).
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Grill burgers:
When you’re ready to make burgers, lightly oil the grill grates or a grill pan with canola oil.
Grill the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until a crust forms on the outside. If using cheese, add sliced cheese in the last minute of grilling.
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Surcharge:
Serve the burgers immediately with fresh lettuce, red onions and spread with the Green Goddess sauce.
Cooked burgers keep well in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, and uncooked burgers should be cooked within a day or two or frozen for later and then thawed before grilling.
