Want to know the secret to building a better burger? Variety. Those who’ve been scared off of veggie burgers because of the bland frozen discs take note: homemade vegetarian burger recipes are easy to make, taste far better than the commercial kind, and can be made with a huge variety of ingredients so eating them will never get boring.

A Variety of Meat Alternatives

Offer veggie burgers as a meat-free alternative to the regular beef patties when hosting a cookout, or set up an entirely vegetarian burger bar that will please even the pickiest meat-eaters. Burgers can be made with an endless variety of vegetables, beans, grains, and legumes – basically anything that can be formed into a patty. Try Vitamix's Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Aioli for a meat alternative.

Incorporate New Vegetables

Experiment with vegetables like zucchini, corn, broccoli, carrots, onions, peppers, potatoes, and mushrooms. Try them with mixed with tofu, black or garbanzo beans, lentils, sunflower seeds and nuts, or grains like barley, millet, or quinoa. Eggs, plus breadcrumbs or oats, make great binders to bring all your ingredients together.

Use Fresh Herbs and Seasonings

And don’t forget to add fresh chopped herbs for hit of fresh flavor: parsley, chives, oregano, cilantro and basil all make great additions. Or instead of patties, try grilling up marinated whole Portobello caps or sliced eggplant for a sandwich filling with earthy flavor and hearty, satisfying texture.

International Flair

Don’t be afraid to give your burger international flair with seasonings and other additions, too. Try adding pickled jalapenos or chipotles to a black bean patty slathered with guacamole for a Mexican kick, garam masala or curry powder to a garbanzo bean burger topped with chutney for an Indian-inspired sandwich, or olives and sundried tomatoes for a hearty Italian-style patty. Or, add tahini to falafel for an easy vegetarian recipe with a Middle Eastern influence sure to please vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Top your homemade veggie burger with any of these Vitamix Recipes:

  1. Chipotle Peanut Sauce
  2. Sriracha Aioli
  3. Chipotle Pepper Cream Sauce
  4. Mayonnaise
  5. Hummus
  6. Ketchup

See more Vitamix vegetarian recipes.