The Only Vegan Smash Burger Recipe You'll Ever Need

The joy of biting into a juicy burger with crispy edges and all the classic burger toppings doesn't need to be a thing of the past if you follow a vegan lifestyle. Vegan smash burgers are going to change the way you think about plant-based eating. Black beans and lentils make up the base of the burger along with a host of other flavorful ingredients to build bold flavor and a texture that rivals the real thing. The trick to pulling off a patty with caramelized edges and a satisfying texture is to form a ball with the smash burger mixture and use a flat lid or metal spatula to press it down firmly in a hot cast iron skillet or griddle. Of course, we're pairing the patty with a restaurant-quality creamy sauce that sits on a toasted bun with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and tangy pickles to make each bite as satisfying and flavorful as a regular burger.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Homemade veggie burgers can sometimes be soft on the inside, and this method of cooking the burgers results in a far superior texture. This might become your new favorite veggie burger recipe."

To make this recipe, you're going to need lots of spices so check your spice cabinet for garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, and pepper. We also use plenty of condiments like vegan mayo, ketchup, mustard, dill pickle relish, and soy sauce.

For the base of the burger pick up black beans, cooked brown lentils, oat flour, breadcrumbs or panko, nutritional yeast, and tomato paste. If you have rolled oats in the house, you can add them to a food processor and grind them up instead of buying oat flour. Make sure you have a neutral oil for frying and for topping you'll need vegan cheese, red onion, tomato, lettuce, pickles, and of course, buns.

In a small bowl combine the vegan mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and the pepper. Put it in the refrigerator to chill until the burgers are ready.

Add the beans to a bowl and mash with a fork or use a food processor to break down the beans. If using a food processor, transfer the mashed beans to a bowl.

Add the lentils, oat flour, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, onion powder, remaining garlic powder, remaining smoked paprika, remaining salt, and pepper.

Mix with your hands to blend all of the ingredients together.

Divide the mixture into 4 balls.

Add oil to a cast iron skillet and bring the heat to medium-high.

Place one of the balls in the skillet and using a flat lid, smash it down until it is about ¼-inch thick.

Cook for 3 minutes until crispy, then flip and add a slice of vegan cheese. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Repeat with the other patties.

While the burgers are cooking prep the toppings.

To assemble, spread the burger sauce on both sides of a lightly toasted bun and layer on 2 patties, onion, tomato, lettuce, and pickles.

Serving this vegan smash burger in a bun is great, but there are other ways to enjoy the goodness. Turn the burger into a salad by serving it over fresh greens lightly tossed in a simple vinaigrette dressing. If you want to add more ingredients, try sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, or avocado slices, and use the tangy smash burger sauce as the dressing. If you prefer the dressing thinner, add a tablespoon or so of water.

Instead of using a bun, serve the burger on sourdough bread or another type of rustic bread. For a low-carb option, instead of the bun, wrap the patty in iceberg or butter lettuce and include all of the toppings inside.

The burger is also nice served over roasted vegetables like grilled zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant. Turn your smash burger into a taco filling and add shredded lettuce, vegan cheese sauce, salsa, and jalapeños. Or use the patty in a burger bowl alongside brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, and fresh tomatoes.

You can meal prep the veggie burgers in a few different ways. If you plan to have them throughout the week, roll the burger mixture into balls and keep them in an airtight container until ready to cook. Or you can take it one step further and flatten out the patties, separate them with parchment paper, and store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. If you want them to last longer you can freeze them as well. Lay the patties on a baking sheet and freeze them until they are solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container and they will last up to 3 months.

If you want to cook up the batch and store them that way, then they would simply need to be reheated. For the best results don't add the cheese until you reheat them and warm them up in the oven or air fryer. The sauce can be easily made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week. The toppings are best cut right before serving.