Cooking Methods

Appears in

Veggie Burgers Every Which Way: Fresh, Flavorful, and Healthy Plant-Based Burgers

Published 2021

About

I’ve cooked veggie burgers in many different ways over the years: in a sauté pan, in the oven, on the barbecue, and even in the microwave on occasion. As I began to develop the recipes that appear in this book, I experimented with many different ways of cooking veggie burgers. Based on all my past experience and then my more-recent experimenting, I’ve settled on what I believe to be the one almost universally fail-safe method.

Best veggie burger cooking method: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In an oven-safe skillet or nonstick sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the burgers and and sear until browned on each side, turning once, 6 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the burgers are firm and cooked through. If cooking a larger quantity than will fit in your skillet, brown the burgers in batches and then transfer them to a baking sheet or roasting pan before going into the oven.
This combination of first “searing” the burgers and then finishing in the oven is the same method that restaurants often use on cuts of meat. I realize it’s a fairly nontraditional approach to veggie burgers. I repeatedly found that when the size of burgers I wanted to cook were cooked only in a sauté pan, they weren’t fully cooked in the center, forcing me to either overcook the exterior or add more bread crumbs than I’d like so as to dry out the mixture. Just baking the burgers is fine, but in my opinion the absence of a crisp, “charred” exterior is far too much of a compromise. My method resolves this issue and offers the best of both worlds: a crispy exterior and fully cooked interior. It also facilitates a slightly wetter mixture—which means that fewer bread crumbs are needed—because the burgers will dry out a bit and firm up in the oven.

That said, sometimes the stovetop sear plus oven bake is a bit much for a weeknight, and there are other ways to cook them that also work well.
To panfry: Heat oil in a skillet—your widest one, if cooking multiple burgers at once (a 12-inch/30 cm skillet is ideal—over medium-high heat. When hot, add the burgers, as many as will fit comfortably in a single layer. Let sizzle for about a minute and then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until evenly browned, then flip and finish cooking on the other side. They should feel slightly firm to the touch, and they will firm up further as they cool.
The “Smash Burger” Approach: This is a great method for vegan, bean-based burgers that may seem a touch too wet, such as the Chipotle Black Bean Burgers, or even the Spinach-Chickpea Burgers. Portion the veggie mixture into fat disks of about ⅓ cup (60 g) batter each. Heat your skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, then the burgers, allowing plenty of room between each one. Use a metal spatula to flatten the mounds to a thickness of ½ to ¾ inch (1.25–2 cm). Cook until well browned, usually 4 to 6 minutes, then flip and repeat. Thinner burgers like this have a higher proportion of crispy exterior, which provides helpful structural assistance.
To bake: This is a good method for burgers that are too delicate for the frying pan, such as Baked Cauliflower Burgers and Baked Falafel Burgers. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet, roasting pan, or other oven-safe pan. Transfer the burgers. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until firmed and lightly browned on each side.
To grill: Just about everyone likes food that’s been prepared on an outdoor grill or barbecue, but that can be a challenge with homemade veggie burgers because so often they need to be cooked before they become firm enough to stay put over the grates of a grill. For best results, I typically precook my veggie burgers and then reheat them over the grill. But you can also treat the grill as more of an oven, cooking them in a heat-safe skillet or on a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil over indirect heat and with the lid closed. The burgers will require about 15 minutes of cooking time in a grill that’s in the moderate heat range. Flip them halfway through. The strength of any grill’s heat varies greatly, so be sure to keep an eye on the burgers. Watch for them to brown on the exterior and firm up, indicating that they are fully cooked through. If you want grill marks, place them directly over the grates once they’ve firmed up.
Cooking “sliders”: Sauté the sliders in oil, turning once, for 6 to 10 minutes. It is not necessary to transfer them to the oven to finish heating. To keep a batch of sliders warm, preheat the oven to 275°F (140°C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper, transfer the sliders, and place in the oven. I often enjoy them when they’re fully cooled; they make great snacks for packed lunches and road trips this way.