Mushroom Veggie Burger
on Jul 28, 2023, Updated Apr 16, 2026
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These mushroom veggie burgers are designed to solve the biggest problem with homemade veggie burgers: texture. Instead of falling apart or turning mushy, these hold together, develop a crisp exterior when baked, and have a rich, savoury flavour from mushrooms, black beans and walnuts.
If you’ve tried veggie burgers before and been disappointed, this version fixes that.
Top Review
The absolute best!!! I omitted cayenne and chili pepper because I’m sensitive to heat. I’ve made these a few times and they always come out great – they make great leftovers too!! So delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Why You’ll Love these Mushroom Burgers
These vegan mushroom black bean burgers are a great option if you’re looking for a homemade veggie burger that actually holds together.
I tested this recipe many times to get the texture right and the combination of ingredients and seasonings consistently produces a firm, meaty, satisfying and flavourful veggie burger.
They’re easy to make with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for meal prep, burgers, salads or a plant-based main. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Holds together (no crumbly or mushy burgers)
- Hearty, satisfying texture (not soft or pasty)
- Balanced flavour with deep umami from mushrooms + walnuts
- Works for meal prep, freezing and leftovers
- Flexible: serve as burgers, bowls, or salad toppers
If you’re working on building better plant-based meals that are actually satisfying, these veggie burgers use similar principles of texture and structure:
🔍 Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 15 min
Chill Time: 40 min
Servings: 8 burgers
Nutrition: 266 calories | 10g protein | 8g fibre
Diet: Vegan. Can be gluten-free.
Difficulty: Moderate.
What Makes These Mushroom Burgers Work
Most veggie burgers fail because they rely too heavily on one element, either beans for structure or vegetables for moisture, which leads to burgers that are either dry or mushy.
This recipe works because each ingredient plays a specific role:
- Mushrooms add moisture and umami flavour
- Black beans provide structure and protein
- Walnuts create a firmer, more “meaty” texture
- Oats and breadcrumbs absorb moisture and help bind everything together
The result is a burger that holds together well, with a firm texture and balanced flavour, without being dry or heavy.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The ingredient list looks long, but most of it is just spices. Here’s what you’ll need and any substitutions you can make.
- Walnuts: Create a firm, meaty bite. Use raw walnuts without added oil or salt.
- Mushrooms: Add moisture and umami flavour. You can use any variety of fresh mushrooms like white, cremini or shiitake mushrooms or a mixture. I used a mixture of cremini (brown) and white button mushrooms. You can use portobello mushrooms if you remove the gills first.
- Onion: You can use white or yellow onion. Red onion is ok too if you don’t have white or yellow.
- Spices: The recipe calls for chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and cumin but you can omit the cayenne if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Oats: The oats and breadcrumbs absorb moisture and help bind everything together. You can use quick oats, rolled oats or large flake oats.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Gluten-free or regular Panko breadcrumbs work.
- Nutritional Yeast: This adds a nutty, cheesy, umami flavour. It can be omitted but it adds depth of flavour.
- Black Beans: Provide structure and protein. Canned black beans work. You should be able to substitute another variety of bean though I haven’t tested it.
- Fresh Herbs: Use fresh parsley or cilantro, or a mixture of both!
- BBQ Sauce: Any BBQ sauce works though be sure to read the label if you’re vegan or gluten-free as not all are.
- Tamari: Substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos.
How to Make Mushroom Burgers
Before you start, consider toasting the walnuts to enhance the flavour. This is optional but only takes a few minutes and you’ll need to get a skillet out anyways. Add the walnuts to a skillet and toast over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until browned and fragrant. Watch closely to prevent burning. Transfer to a plate.
Step 1: Chop Onion and Mushroom. I recommend using your food processor to pulse-chop the mushroom and onion. Aim for a fine dice so the mixture holds together and the flavour is evenly distributed.
Do the mushroom first, then the onion, then set the food processor aside for the next step. There’s no need to clean it out.
Step 2: Cook Onion and Mushroom. Add 2 tsp oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom and onion and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350°F while the mushrooms cook.
Cook for 6-8 minutes until the mushrooms release their liquid and most of it evaporates. Add the spices and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Blend Dry Ingredients. While the onion and mushroom are cooking, add the oats, walnuts, Panko bread crumbs, flax, nutritional yeast and cilantro or parsley, and blend briefly to mix.
We don’t want to completely pulverize the walnuts, there should still be some larger pieces.
Step 4: Add Beans and Sauces. Add the black beans, BBQ sauce and tamari and pulse a few times to combine.
Step 5: Combine. Transfer the onion-mushroom mixture and food processor components to a large mixing bowl, or add the food processor components to the skillet if you feel it’s large enough to easily mix.
Mixing in a bowl is easier than using a skillet.
Step 6: Shape Patties and Bake. Spoon packed 1/2-cup portions to form 8 large burgers. If you prefer, you can make them a little smaller, in which case, you’ll get 10-11 burgers.
Optional: brush with BBQ sauce.
Bake the burgers for 15 minutes, then carefully flip with a turner and bake another 12-15 minutes.
Below you can see how they look after baking. Let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes to firm.
These burgers should feel firm on the outside with a slightly crisp edge and hold together easily when handled.
Enjoy your mushroom burgers as is, they make a great snack, vegetarian main or side, salad topper, or on a toasted bun with your favourite burger toppings.
Expert Tips
- Finely chop the mushrooms and onion for better structure.
- Use a food processor to keep the texture consistent.
- Mix in a large bowl for easier handling.
- Measure ingredients accurately for best results.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not cooking off mushroom moisture leads to soggy burgers.
- Over-blending the mixture creates a paste-like texture.
- Not packing patties firmly causes them to fall apart.
- Flipping too early breaks the patties before they set.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can grill these burgers though I’d recommend using a grill tray to make sure they’re well supported until cooked and firm. Grill about 6-8 minutes per side. You can baste them with some BBQ sauce before and after flipping if you like for extra flavor and moisture.
Yes. To pan fry, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet and cook the burgers 6-7 minutes per side over medium heat until browned and firm.
Yes, to cook mushroom burgers in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350F. Spray the basket with cooking spray then cook the patties for 12-15 minutes, flipping once half way through.
There are so many different ways you can go with these burgers! Here are some ideas: guacamole or avocado slices, Swiss cheese, pesto, cucumber, sautéed mushrooms, homemade spicy cashew mayo, pickles and of course the classics, onion, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard.
This recipe can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free Panko and gluten-free certified oats. Be sure to confirm your BBQ sauce is gluten-free as well.
Freezing & Storing
- Store cooked patties in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze raw or cooked patties for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze after baking.
- To freeze, place patties on a tray until solid, then transfer to a container with parchment between layers.
- Thaw in the fridge before reheating or cooking.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
More Recipes to Try!
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Mushroom Veggie Burger
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw walnuts, 120 g
- 3 cups finely diced mushrooms, 300 g
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced, approx. 1 cup, 150 g
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup oats, 25 g
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 100 g
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 15 g
- 1 tbsp ground flax, 7 g
- ¼ cup packed roughly chopped parsley or cilantro, 15 g
- 1 can (540mL) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp BBQ sauce, 45 g
- 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 15 mL
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Toast Walnuts (Optional): Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the walnuts. Toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Transfer to a plate. This step is optional but will help bring out the flavour of the walnuts.
- Chop Mushroom and Onion: While the walnuts are toasting, chop the mushroom and onion. It's suggested to pulse-chop them in a food processor to achieve a fine dice. Do the mushrooms first, then the onion. There's no need to clean out food processor at this point.
- Cook Onion and Mushroom: Heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet (if you toasted walnuts), then add the chopped onion and mushroom. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the mushrooms release their liquid and most of it evaporates. Add all of the spices: chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne. Cook for 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Prepare for Baking: Once onions and mushrooms are cooking, preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend Dry Ingredients: Add the oats, Panko bread crumbs, walnuts, nutritional yeast, flax and herbs to the food processor and season with salt and pepper. Blend briefly to combine and break down, but not completely pulverize the walnuts.
- Add Beans and Sauces: Add the black beans, BBQ sauce and tamari to the food processor and blend briefly to combine. Again, you don't want to completely blend the beans and walnuts, some larger bits of walnuts and whole beans should remain for texture.
- Combine Everything: Now you can either add the mushroom and onion to the food processor and pulse to combine or add the food processor contents to the pan and mix, if you think either is big enough to mix everything. If not, add everything to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Shape Patties: Using a packed 1/2-cup measuring cup of the burger mixture, form 8 large patties using your hands and placing each on the baking sheet. You can make them a little smaller if you like, in which case you'll get at least 10 burgers. Option to brush each patty with BBQ sauce.
- Bake: Bake for 15 minutes then carefully flip with a turner and bake for another 12-15 minutes until brown and firm. Let cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes. They will continue to firm as they cool.
- Serve: Serve on toasted buns with your favourite burger toppings like vegan cheese, pickles, mustard, sprouts, mayo, tomato, lettuce, red onion or anything else you enjoy on a burger.
These were easy to make, freezer friendly, and tasty!