These homemade air fryer veggie burgers are probably the quickest and easiest vegan burger recipe you'll ever make, but most importantly, they're seriously delicious! Pantry-friendly ingredients are mixed in a bowl, formed into patties, and cooked in the air fryer or baked in the oven. These vegan burgers are firm and meaty, won't fall apart, low in fat, and high in protein thanks to TVP, beans, and vital wheat gluten. Make them gluten-free with one simple swap!
Why This Recipe Works
Quick, filling, high-protein, low-fat, smoky, savory, and tender but not mushy! These are just some of the words that come to mind when describing these air fryer veggie burgers.
One of the things we all love so much about the air fryer is how quickly it cooks foods, right? So I thought it would be fun to create a veggie burger mixture that's equally as quick!
Sautéing ingredients like onion, garlic, and mushrooms is a great way to add flavor and create truly delicious veggie burgers, like these vegan mushroom burgers. But sometimes you just really need a short cut!
So think of this as your short-cut veggie burger recipe, that's both delicious AND healthier than store-bought veggie burgers.
You'll love this recipe because it's:
- seriously low effort - NO chopping or hauling out the food processor
- ready in 25 minutes
- nut-free with oil-free and gluten-free options
- low in fat and high in fiber and plant-based protein
- a great base for experimenting with different seasonings
- and if you don't have an air fryer you can bake them in the oven!
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
- TVP - textured vegetable protein is usually easy to find in the bulk bins at the grocery store or order online. I use this TVP from Anthony's.
- vital wheat gluten - this is a high-protein flour created from wheat. It's used to make seitan. I have an entire seitan category if you need other ways to use vital wheat gluten. To make these veggie burgers gluten-free, use your favorite GF flour blend.
- soy sauce - or certified gluten-free tamari.
- beans - I've tested the recipe with black beans and kidney beans. Black beans create a more beefy, neutral color (pictured above). Kidney beans add a touch of red color to the burgers (used in the uncooked mixture below).
- sriracha - we're not using enough to make the burgers spicy, just enough to add subtle tang and sweetness in the background. Use ketchup or BBQ sauce if preferred.
- smoked paprika - adds a naturally smoky flavor.
- oil - optional; 1 tablespoon of oil gives the patties a bit more moisture but isn't required. We really enjoy them both ways.
- apple cider vinegar - a little bit of apple cider vinegar balances the flavors.
- seasonings - dried oregano, onion, garlic, and smoked paprika add savory and smoky flavor. If you have dried parsley, go ahead and toss some of that in, too!
See the recipe card below for quantities and full step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Veggie Burgers
- Heat up ⅔ cup water and pour over the TVP. Set aside.
- Place the beans in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add all remaining ingredients except the flour/vital wheat gluten, and stir to combine.
- Add the vital wheat gluten (or GF flour) to the bowl and stir. Now use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. Lightly knead and mix for 30 seconds or so, to develop the gluten.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F (see oven instructions below). Form the mixture into a rectangle and divide evenly into 4 pieces. Shape into patties about ⅝-inch thick. Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping at the halfway point.
Tip! Air fryers tend to vary, so it's always a good idea to keep a close eye on the food the first time you try any air fryer recipe. You may need to slightly adjust the cook time.
Baking Instructions
If you don't have an air fryer that's no problem! We also tested these veggie burgers in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 370 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, flipping the burgers at the halfway point.
Variations
- Gluten-free - instead of vital wheat gluten use your favorite GF baking blend. I tested the recipe with King Arthur's gluten-free flour.
- Oil-Free - if you strictly avoid oil in your diet you'll be happy to know you can simply omit it from the burgers without issue.
- Spicy - feel free to add more sriracha, a different hot sauce, black pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes.
RELATED: if you like these easy vegan burgers, be sure to try air fryer soy curls.
Equipment & Batch Size
I use the 6-Quart Instant Vortex Air Fryer, but any type of air fryer should work for this recipe.
If you plan to make a double batch, 8 burgers, you'll need to either air fry them in two batches or bake them in the oven.
To prep the burger mixture, you'll also need 1 small bowl to hydrate the TVP, 1 mixing bowl, and a few measuring cups/spoons and utensils.
Storage
Store leftover patties in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
More Ways to Use TVP
Top Tip
Air fryers vary quite a bit, so the first time you try any air fryer recipe it's a good idea to keep a close eye on the food. Check the burgers at the halfway point and during the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking.
I suspect our air fryer runs hot compared to others. So you may find you need to slightly adjust the temperature and/or cook time. When the veggie burgers are crisp around the edges and piping hot in the middle, you'll know they're done.
More Vegan Burger Recipes
I hope you enjoy these Air Fryer Veggie Burgers. If you try the recipe be sure to leave a comment below to let us know!
Recipe
Homemade Air Fryer Veggie Burgers
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- ⅔ cup hot water
- ¾ cup cooked black beans or kidney beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry - see Note 1
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce - or tamari for GF
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon oil, optional - or smooth raw almond butter
- 2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce - or ketchup or BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley, optional
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup vital wheat gluten - or a gluten-free all purpose flour blend; see Note 2
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F or oven to 370 degrees F.
- Combine TVP and hot water in a bowl and stir well.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the beans with a fork. Add the hydrated TVP and all remaining ingredients except the flour/vital wheat gluten. Stir to combine.
- Add the vital wheat gluten/flour to the bowl and stir. Now use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. Lightly knead and mix for 30 seconds or so, to develop the gluten.
- Form the mixture into a rectangle and divide evenly into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a patty about ⅝-inch thick. Note: flatter/thinner burgers will be firmer and more dry; slightly thicker patties will be softer and more moist inside. We like them both ways!
- Air fry for 11 to 13 minutes, flipping at the halfway point. The burgers are done when firm, crisp around the edges, and piping hot in the center.
- Or to bake in the oven, place the patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes or until piping hot and firm.
- Let cool for a few minutes then serve on a bun or in a grain bowl or salad.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Lonna
I have been experimenting with so many veggie burgers and have yet to find anything my family likes, until now. These burgers are excellent!! The only thing I substituted was some liquid smoke for the smoked paprika since I didn’t have any. The flavor is soooo good!! I did find them to be a bit dry for my taste and think I may try adding some chopped up mushrooms next time to see if it adds a little moisture, or maybe some shredded zucchini. But overall, I found this to be an excellent recipe, I will definitely be making lots of these!! Thank you!
LC
I don't have tvp. Could I use 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup cooked pot barley in place of the tvp?
Lori
Hi LC, though I can’t be certain without trying it, I do think that sounds promising! Both will add great texture.
Laura
Tasty burger. About the best I've tried, but it still had a bit of "squish" factor (you take a bite and the rest squishes out of the bun". Looking for something firmer.
Lori
Hi Laura, that's an easy fix, though I'm a little surprised because we don't find them to be squishy at all. You can increase the amount of vital wheat gluten to make them firmer. Also, you can bake the beans first to dry them out, or experiment with a lesser amount, since beans are the main culprit in squishy veggie burgers. But vital wheat gluten is the easiest fix. Hope that helps!
Jeff
These are a game changer! So good. I don’t think I’ll need buy impossible/beyond burgers. Can’t wait to try meatballs for spaghetti.
Thanks for the recipe.
Mary Beth Elderton
OMGoodness! I am new to plant-based/vegan cooking, so I am just learning the products and techniques. I've tried other "burger" recipes that made some tasty sandwiches--but they were not *burgers.* These are Burgers! Thank You!
Valerie
Love this veggie burger! I had just enough TVP to double the recipe for meal prep, and I’m so glad I did. I did not use air fryer, but used convection setting on my regular oven. Came out perfect!
Tom
great food
Chris
Lori, huge compliment on these burgers! I've tried many veggie burger recipes over the years and never made a recipe more than once because they were just ok, not bad but also not great, so I kept looking for THE perfect one and I finally found it here on your website. I love the addition of TVP granules and making them in the air fryer gives them the perfect texture. My husband and two teen sons say thank you : )
Rachel W
Made these tonight and they were AWESOME! Omnivore husband couldn’t stop raving about them and ended up eating two! I also used soy curl bits in place of TVP. Great flavor, super easy, and one bowl (thank you for making an amazing veggie burger that doesn’t require dragging out the food processor) - making them in the air fryer is a huge bonus too since they’re ready in a flash. Will definitely be adding these to my rotation! Thanks for all the super recipes 🙂
Edamommy4life
So, I made these tonight! I was going to make in the air fryer and then realized that is where my fries will be cooking, so had to make in the oven, lol. I used soy curl tiny pieces instead of TVP. I put a whole can of beans by mistake, but it didn't seem to be an issue. Maybe because it was soy curls instead of TVP? Not sure, but consistency felt right when I was forming them, so went ahead and baked them. They turned out perfect! These burgers don't fall apart, that is for sure! I bet they have more protein in them than beef!
Dave Sweet
Tried these last night. I added a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to the TVP water to give it a bit more flavor and two sautéed onions (because I love onions) to the patties. I had them with a bit of mayo and some homemade bread and butter pickles. The burgers were fantastic!
Shellie
These sound great. Can I use soy curl crumbs in place of the TVP? I've got a big bag filled with the crumbs.
Lori
Absolutely! I actually started to mention that in the post. If there are any big pieces you can give them a quick chop after soaking. Hope you enjoy!
Diane McFadden
Looking forward to making these. Any idea how they would be formed into “meatball” shapes? I’m still looking for a good recipe for these, and so far haven’t been satisfied with flavor or texture (such as falling apart) in the recipes I’ve tried
Lori
Hi Diane,
UPDATE: the meatballs turned out great! Here is the recipe: Easy Vegan Meatballs
I think it will be great as meatballs, especially if you're able to use vital wheat gluten. It does a great job binding and firming them up. I would also recommend baking/air frying before adding them to marinara sauce. The exterior crisps up and that will really help them hold together.
I'm going to try it today, with a few tweaks to the seasonings to make them more Italian-ish.
Btw, my maiden name is McFadden. I've noticed your email address before and it makes me think of my dad, Don. 🙂