5 recipes that will help change your mind about veggie burgers

Whether you don’t eat meat or just occasionally want a plant-based sandwich, a veggie burger may be just the meal you’re looking for They’ve come a long way since the mealy, brown, hippie hockey pucks that originally gave them a bad name Still, they can have their pitfalls I consulted with our resident vegetarian, Post Food editor Joe Yonan, for a few tips for success: Use your hands to mash the ingredients, leaving large pieces for texture Pureeing them in a food processor will give you a uniform and gluey consistency

Firmly pack the burgers You want them to hold together, so don’t be afraid to really compact the ingredients When flipping during pan-frying, gently lift them with a large spatula and carefully flip them over as close to the surface of the pan as possible The higher and rougher you are, the more likely that they will go splat and break If the whole pan-frying thing bothers you in terms of structural integrity, you can bake veggie burgers before or instead of cooking them in the skillet Just know the crust may not be quite as brown and crispy Despite your best efforts, veggie burgers can still squish as you bite them inside a roll That’s just physics It doesn’t bother me, but there’s no rule that says a veggie burger has to be eaten on a bun Or try open-faced for less smooshing So now it’s time to put your new know-how to the test Here are five trusty recipes from our archives: BGR Veggie Burgers, above These lean sweet, which makes them a perfect foil for typical burger condiments such as mustard, onions and pickles  You get a batch of 12, but extras can be frozen after the initial bake (before pan-frying) (Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post; tableware from Crate and Barrel) Mushroom-Chickpea Burgers  These also employ the bake-before-frying method

Rather than frying, you can grill these burgers for extra savory, smoky flavor (Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post) Black Bean Burgers The secret ingredient in these fast burgers? Yup, it’s applesauce (Dixie D Vereen for The Washington Post) Beefsteak Sandwiches Skip making patties by using a big slice of tomato instead in this signature sandwich from José Andrés’s fast-casual Beefsteak chain If you’re not vegan, you can use real mayonnaise instead of the suggested plant-based spread (Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post) Superiority Burgers Feeling ambitious? You can make your own version of the veggie burger from Brooks Headley that has had fans lining up in New York More from Voraciously: This risotto doesn’t need constant attention — but it will cause a stir Four steps to making a great grain salad, every time Yes, you can make great pizza at home without any special equipment

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