I don’t mean to brag, but I really do make some pretty awesome veggie burgers. I haven’t reached the stage where I can make the actual patty from scratch, but when it comes to dressing up a store bought veggie burger, I’m an ace. I haven’t eaten meat in 23 years so I’ve had ample time to scour through the different brands of veggie burgers and to perfect the art of building the ultimate veggie burger. Here’s a three step approach to get you started:
1. When deciding on which brand of veggie burger to choose, you have to ask yourself whether or not your in the mood for a heavier ‘meaty’ consistency, or if you want something a little lighter. I’ve narrowed it down to two go to brands. Boca burgers are on the ‘meaty’ side of the spectrum. I tend to refer my meat eater friends or my semi-vegetarian friends to Boca brand burgers because of that ‘meaty’ consistency. The Gardenburger brand, especially their Malibu Burger line (available at club stores like Costco), is generally a lighter consistency and a great choice for the not-so-novice vegetarian. Both brands are pretty delicious in their own right so you just have to pick the one that suits your consistency craving and prepare it according to the package.
2. After you have the veggie burger brand of your choice, you’ll want to pick the right bread. The bread you choose can make or break your veggie burger. I personally like to use Brioche hamburger rolls because they’re not as soft as regular hamburger buns, yet not as firm as ciabatta rolls. The idea is that you want the bread to be firm enough to hold the veggie burger with all the fixin’s without crushing it and making a big mess.
3. Just like with a regular hamburger, you can add any number of toppings and condiments to suit your taste. My favorite combination is a veggie burger topped with melted cheese and red onions (sauteed in a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce) on a bed of lettuce. Crazy good!
What are some of your favorite burger toppers?
***If you’re not ready to take the veggie burger plunge yet, you should check out this post from a fellow blogger on turkey burgers as an alternative to red meat.
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