The Cooking Tip You Need For Tastier Vegan Burgers

The patty makes or breaks a vegan burger. No amount of delicious sauce or sautéd veggies can mask a patty that tastes dull and has a mushy texture. Thankfully, plant-based alternatives like the Impossible Burger have gotten vegan burgers closer to replicating real beef than ever. Still, there is no perfect replacement for meat, and even this soy-based option has its flaws. (For example, Impossible Burgers contain more sodium and less protein than beef.) Instead of striving for perfection, it's better to work with what you have. The key to making the best vegan burger is mashing the patty down — smash burger style.

A simple smash burger recipe is a stripped-down version of the classic American burger. There are no frills in sight — just pickles, mustard, and cheese accompany the thin patties. Smashing the patties on the grill brings out a rich, charred flavor and a crispy texture. This also applies to vegan patties such as Impossible and Beyond Burgers. One of the biggest mistakes people make with veggie burgers is neglecting the texture, but smashing them is a simple fix, and this technique instantly elevates your vegan burger game.

A great vegan smash burger starts with top-notch ingredients, so check out our 11 best grocery store meatless burgers. For the best results when cooking, use weighty tools such as a grill press or a metal spatula. Even a heavy saucepan can yield a crispy burger. Press down hard enough with the tool to create small holes around the edges of the patty. This thin, lacy texture not only helps the burger brown and develop a more complex flavor but also eliminates the mushy interior that vegan patties often have. Since thin burgers cook fast, use the cooking instructions as a guideline and adjust based on how much the burger is browning.

To further enhance your vegan burger, smash in some finely shredded onions. These onions will quickly cook into the patty and caramelize, adding a delicious sweet and savory flavor. Stack a few of these patties on a burger bun and dress with pickles, mustard, and ketchup to keep it simple, or customize with avocado, sautéed mushrooms, or vegan mayo to make it your own.