How Easy is That? Easy Bean Burgers for Summer

A recipe from Lukas Volger's latest cookbook

As someone who loves cookbooks and has been a vegetarian for over a decade, I’m used to playing a certain game with cookbooks. At a store or an event, I flip through the book or try to find an index, calculating if there are enough vegetarian recipes to justify the cost and shelf space. With Lukas Volger’s cookbooks, I never have to wonder. He writes vegetarian cookbooks for everyone and also writes the newsletter

Family Friend by Lukas Volger

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I have three of his cookbooks and recommend them all for cooks of all levels, vegetarian or not. I wrote about Start Simple in early 2020 and was thrilled to receive a copy of Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, Second Edition: Fresh, Flavorful, and Healthy Plant-Based Burgers—Plus Toppings, Sides, Buns, and More. I dove right in and loved seeing all the ways to make veggie burgers, which Volger eats on a bun and also on top of salad, in a quesadilla, and so much more. He ran a veggie burger company for years and brings lessons from that experience to this book.

I made these Easy Bean Burgers with a can of white beans and they were a huge help during my first few days in the office. The recipe is easy to follow, detailed, and based around lots of pantry staples. In addition to all kinds of veggie burgers (grain based, soy based, veggie based, bean based, you name it), the book also includes sides, sauces, and even homemade bun recipes. I’m so excited to share Lukas’ recipe with you and recommend grabbing a copy for summer meals and switching up your cooking routine. How do you like your burgers? I’d love to hear in the comments. I had these on a potato roll with yuzu mayo, ketchup, aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. 10/10

Easy Bean Burgers

Makes four 4-inch (10 cm) burgers

These simple burgers can be made from almost any medium or large bean, but the starchier ones work best: white beans, black beans, kidney beans. In those categories, I find that this recipe is also a good place to experiment with heirloom beans or a bean variety— particularly if you’re multiplying the recipe to cook for a crowd. To make these vegan, simply omit the egg and substitute nutritional yeast for the cheese, then cook them “Smash Burger” style.

Photo credit: Evi Ebeler