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The Ultimate Homemade Vegan Burger Experience (Fluffy Buns & Hearty Patties)

Craft the perfect vegan burger entirely from scratch! This guide walks you through creating wonderfully soft whole wheat buns and deeply flavorful black bean and mushroom patties for an unbeatable homemade meal.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 39 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 54 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 398kcal

Ingredients

For the Fluffy Whole Wheat Vegan Buns (makes 12) :

Yeast Activation:

  • Active Dry Yeast: 2 ¼ teaspoons
  • Warm Water approx. 105-115°F / 40-46°C: ¾ cup
  • Sugar for yeast: 1 teaspoon

Dry Ingredients:

  • Whole Wheat Flour: 2 ¼ cups approx. 270g
  • All-Purpose Flour: 2 ¼ cups approx. 270g
  • Flaxseed Meal ground: 2 tablespoons (approx. 14g)
  • Baking Soda: ¾ teaspoon
  • Salt: 1 ¼ teaspoons

Wet Ingredients & Dough Enrichment:

  • Sugar for dough: 2 teaspoons
  • Warm Water approx. 105-115°F / 40-46°C: 1 ½ cups (Note: For a softer roll, you may replace up to ¾ cup of this water with warm unsweetened non-dairy milk)
  • Avocado Oil or 1 ½ tablespoons room temperature, softened vegan butter: 1 ½ tablespoons (approx. 21g)

Optional Seeding Topping:

  • Unsweetened Non-dairy Milk: 1 ½ tablespoons
  • Vegetable Oil: 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Sesame Seeds Poppy Seeds, or other desired seeds: for sprinkling

For the Hearty Black Bean & Mushroom Patties (makes 4) :

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 oz 225g cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 can 15 oz / 425g black beans, rinsed and very well-drained
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs panko or oat flour work too
  • 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, set aside 5-10 mins
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast (optional, for cheesy/umami flavor)
  • ⅛ Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional: handful of fresh parsley or cilantro chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoons oil for cooking patties

Instructions

Part 1: To Make the Fluffy Whole Wheat Vegan Buns

  • Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup warm water, 1 tsp sugar, and yeast. Let stand 5-7 mins until foamy.
  • Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk flours, flaxseed meal, baking soda, and salt.
  • Form Dough: Add dry mix and 2 tsp sugar to yeast. Begin by gradually mixing in about 1 cup of the warm water (or water/milk combo from the total 1 ½ cups). Continue to add more of the remaining water slowly, a little at a time, observing the dough's consistency, only adding enough until the dough starts to come together and looks shaggy but not overly wet (you may not need all 1 ½ cups). Add oil; mix until a smooth, slightly tacky dough forms. Add a bit more water if too dry.
  • Knead: Knead on a lightly floured surface or in a mixer with a dough hook for 6-8 minutes total, until smooth and elastic.
  • First Rise: Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for ~1.5 hours, or until doubled.
  • Shape Buns: Gently deflate dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces; shape into smooth balls.
  • Second Rise: Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Cover; let rise in a warm spot for ~1 hour, or until puffy.
  • Preheat & Prep Topping: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Mix topping ingredients if using.
  • Bake: Brush buns with optional topping and sprinkle with seeds. Bake 22-27 minutes, until golden.
  • Cool: Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Part 2: To Make the Hearty Black Bean & Mushroom Patties (Can be prepared while buns are rising or baking)

  • Prepare Flax Egg: Mix 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 Tbsp water; set aside 5-10 mins to thicken.
  • Sauté Aromatics: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Sauté onion until soft (3-4 mins). Add garlic and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are browned and liquid has evaporated (5-7 mins).
  • Mash Beans: In a large bowl, roughly mash rinsed and drained black beans.
  • Combine Patty Ingredients: Add sautéed mixture, flax egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, nutritional yeast (if using), ⅛ tsp salt (or to taste, sparingly), pepper, and optional herbs to the beans. Mix well but don't overmix.
  • Chill (Recommended): Cover and chill mixture for at least 15-20 minutes.
  • Form Patties: Divide into 4 portions; form into patties ~¾-inch thick.
  • Cook Patties: Heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties 5-7 minutes per side, until browned and heated through. (Or bake at 375°F/190°C for 20-25 mins, flipping halfway; or grill).

Part 3: Assemble Your Ultimate Burger!

  • Lightly toast the inside of a cooled bun if desired.
  • Place a cooked patty on the bottom half of the bun.
  • Load up with your favorite vegan toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, vegan cheese, sauces, etc.
  • Place the top half of the bun on top and enjoy your completely homemade vegan burger

Notes

  • Storage: Cooled buns keep in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days or freeze for 3 months. Cooked patties keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or can be frozen.
  • Scaling: To make 12 burgers, triple the patty recipe ingredients.
  • DASH Diet Consideration: This recipe is designed to be lower in sodium. Always check labels on ingredients like breadcrumbs and beans, opting for no-salt-added or low-sodium versions when available to further align with DASH diet goals.
 
Combined Nutritional Information (Per 1 complete burger: 1 bun + 1 modified low-sodium patty, excluding optional toppings/condiments)
  • Calories: ~403 kcal
  • Protein: ~15.2 g
  • Fat: ~12.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: ~62.7 g
  • Fiber: ~10.9 g
  • Sodium: ~589 mg
  • Added Sugar: ~1.1 g
 
This information is consistent with the previous calculation and represents the nutritional profile for one serving of the complete homemade vegan burger.