45 Burgers That Aren't Made With Beef
Whether you're committed to eating less beef or you're just craving a great veggie burger, these beef-free burger recipes will guide you toward a delicious dinner tonight. Some of these recipes lean on chickpeas and mushrooms, others call for lentils or quinoa. We have the secrets to the best turkey burgers and lamb burgers, too. Next, it'll be time to get working on your fry game. (Or your oven-fry game.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson1/44Black Bean Smash Burger
Photograph by Maria Be, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua2/44Spiced Chicken Burgers
Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Claire Saffitz3/44Extra-Juicy Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers always sound like a great idea, but they too often taste like a fat sawdust patty. No more, friends! Mashing avocado into the turkey mixture helps prevent the meat from shrinking and drying out during cooking, which is why these stay awesomely juicy, even when they’re cooked all the way through.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.5/44Crispy Golden Shrimp Burgers
Photo Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen6/44Easiest-Ever Grilled Veggie Burgers
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich8/44Double-Stack Mushroom and Chicken Cheeseburgers
Alex Lau9/44Ultimate Veggie Burger
Veggie burgers are not easy to make awesome, but we think this one nails it. We solved the “mush” factor by folding in bouncy mushrooms and pleasantly firm black beans, threw a hard sear on it for crisp texture on the outside, and seasoned it aggressively to combat any blandness. There’s no imitation protein or weird ingredients, just a rich, moist mixture of vegetables, grains, and nuts that work with any toppings you want to throw at it. It may not be vegan, but it’s pretty darn good. This is .…
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua11/44Chicken-Bacon Smash Burgers
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime13/44Seared Squash and Halloumi Burgers
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich14/44Lamb Burgers With Yogurt Sauce and Arugula
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens15/44Sesame Pork Burgers with Sweet and Spicy Slaw
Photo by Brian Leatart20/44Tamarind-Glazed Turkey Burgers
As culinary director for Balducci's, Katy Sparks brought take-out food to a whole new level. Instead of the typical fried chicken and heavy potato salad, the market offers horseradish-crusted salmon and grilled fingerling potatoes with lemon. In this recipe she's taken the often-bland turkey burger to a higher plane, with the addition of tamarind.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton23/44Black-Eyed Pea Burgers With Creamy Barbecue Sauce and Chowchow
These vegan burgers from Jocelyn Jackson start with creamy black-eyed peas that get a flavor boost from mushrooms, miso, tamari, and Scotch bonnet chiles. Slick them with a sweet-and-tangy barbecue sauce and pile on a spoonful of refreshing chowchow.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson25/44Salmon Burgers with Red Pepper Mayo
Made from canned salmon—plus a few pantry staples you likely keep in stock—and slicked with tangy red-pepper mayo, this budget-friendly burger is easy to toss together on the fly.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks31/44Veggie Burgers with Zucchini and Corn
Bright zucchini, sweet corn, nutty millet, and creamy white beans add vibrant flavor and texture to these gluten-free veggie burgers.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott32/44Lamb Burgers with Lemon-Caper Aioli and Fennel Slaw
These are the juiciest burgers ever, tenderly shaped and topped with a tangy lemon-caper aioli. Topped with crisp celery and fennel, they're a feast on a bun. Serve with a refreshing chicory salad.
Lisa Hubbard35/44Chicken Parmesan Burgers
If you love burgers and you love chicken parm, you'll adore this mashup burger recipe, which gets a stretchy layer of mozz and a few radicchio leaves for crunch.
Hugh Forte40/44Mushroom and Brown Rice Veggie Burger
Medjool dates add just a touch of sweetness to these meaty mushroom and chickpea-based burgers from The Sprouted Kitchen.
