BEST Keto Veggie Burger—Low in Carbs, But Not in Flavor!
Our low carb veggie burger is easy to make and oh so tasty!
Calling all keto-lovin’ vegetarians!
This low-carb veggie burger recipe has your name on it! I can only imagine how hard following a keto lifestyle must be for all you non-meat eaters out there. Some readers are vegetarian keto-ers and have been inquiring about a good veggie burger recipe.
Readers, ask and you shall receive! 🙌
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to happily nosh these low carb veggie burgers.
Yep! Although these vegetable-based burgers are meatless, they’re super tasty. The mushrooms add a rich flavor and meaty texture. And I promise they don’t taste “mushroomy”. So for any of you who typically avoid this friendly fungus—try these! You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
What’s more, for anyone who must have meat as their main course, these veggie burgers make a banging side dish! Or, if you’re going the finger food route—I highly suggest dividing the mix into 24 portions to make mini veggie burger bites! Serve with ranch dressing or sweet mustard dipping sauce. YUMMO!
Keep these recipe tips in mind when making low carb veggie burgers:
- Be sure to cook your vegetables long enough. If the excess moisture isn’t cooked out, you may end up with mushy veggie burgers. Bleck!
- If making mini burger bites, be sure to adjust the cooking time because appetizer-sized bites will cook faster.
- I do not recommend using a silicone mat when baking the burgers. It creates excess moisture and the patties don’t crisp up as well. (And yes, a silicone slip mat is shown in the photo above—So trust me, I’m speaking from personal experience. 😭)
- If your burgers don’t seem firm enough, pop ’em back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. The veggie burgers are done once the patties are well-browned with crispy edges.
- If using an 8-ounce block of cheese and you don’t have a scale, I recommend cutting the block of cheese in half before shredding. Freshly shredded cheese is hard to measure so this helps to ensure that you are using 4 oz. of cheese. (And BTW, you really should get a kitchen scale.)
Keto Veggie Burgers
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 25 MINUTES
cook time: 30 MINUTES
total time: 55 MINUTES
These meatless burgers are super tasty AND they're super low-carb & low-cal, too!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, very finely diced (I use sweet yellow onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup celery, very finely chopped
- 8 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and very finely chopped (I use baby bellas)
- 10 oz. bag frozen riced cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese (must be equal to 4 oz.)
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions
1
In a large non-stick skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.
2
Add mushrooms and riced cauliflower. Stirring as needed, cook for an additional 10-12 minutes to remove unwanted moisture from the veggies. If the veggies begin to brown, the excess moisture has likely been cooked out. Remove the pan from heat.
3
To the warm veggie mixture, add tamari, salt, parsley, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Add the shredded cheese and mix until the cheese has melted and is fully incorporated. Next, add the flax meal and chia seeds. Stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside to cool and thicken.
4
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by either greasing it very well or using my preferred method and line it with parchment paper. As noted in the tips, silicone mats are not recommended.
5
Once the mixture has cooled enough to easily touch (about 5-10 minutes) form the dough into 6 patties and place on the baking sheet. The mixture will be sticky and should come together easily. I recommend oiling your hands to help with sticking. If your dough wants to fall apart, you may need to add another tablespoon (or more) of flax meal and leave it to thicken a bit longer before forming patties.
6
Bake veggie burgers for 30 minutes or longer (oven temps may vary). Patties are done when they are nicely browned with a crispy exterior. Allow cooling for a minimum of 5 minutes before serving. Patties will harden/thicken as they cool. Enjoy!
7
Storage and reheating:
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat frozen veggie burgers in an air fryer at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes (preferred method) or in a 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes. I also enjoy them cold.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 6 veggie burgers, Serving Size: 1 veggie burger
Amount Per Serving:
173 Calories | 12.5g Fat | 9g Total Carbs | 4.3g Fiber | 2.5g Sugar | 8.5g Protein | 4.7g Net Carbs
Now it’s time to top that veggie burger!
These keto veggie burgers are fab on their own. However, they are also AMAZING loaded with my fave toppings! What’s on the list? I love tangy sprouts, avocado slices, garlic aioli, melted cheese, and for you meat-heads—bacon. Yep, I said bacon on a veggie burger! How truly unorthodox. 😉
Serve these veggie burgers wrapped in lettuce to keep it light and low-cal. Or, try it on this Italian focaccia bread—So good! Another fun idea that I’ve personally never tried but will soon—avocado “buns”! Probably messy and probably worth it!
My Hip sidekick Jenna tried this recipe too, and here’s what she had to say:
“Wow this was such a fun recipe! The steps are super helpful and full of informative tips. That’s appreciated because this is a more intimidating recipe. One of my favorite things in the world is portabella burgers so having another keto vegetarian burger option is seriously so good! I love the use of the mushrooms, white cheddar, and riced cauliflower as the base. What a delicious creation!
The tip for oiling your hands worked out perfectly for me and the cooking time was spot on. They turned out crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and they held up perfectly! I used our delicious keto cloud bread as the bun.” – Jenna
For another yummy vegetarian meal, try a Mexican Ketodilla (it’s our keto take on a quesadilla)!
Made these tonight and they were super yummy! Even my meat eating hubby liked them!
Hi there,
Can you use I egg white or egg in place of flax product . Looks amazing.
Hi, Kimberley! You could try an egg white along with 2-3 tablespoons almond flour to help absorb the liquid and add bulk. Hope that helps!
egg white – vegan burger?
Yea, eggs are not vegan. If you are strictly vegan, you would not use the egg white.
I always Make burgers in big batches and freeze them but I add xantham gum to it and it’s holding together pretty well.
How much xanthan gum would you add to this recipe?
Yeah but you wouldn’t use cheese either
Is there a reason why you don’t sauté them instead of baking? Have you tried it?
Hi Ann! We have not tried it this way yet. You most certainly can try to saute them. I would let them set up in the fridge first so they are firm. Hope this is helpful❤
Thank you for I am looking forward to trying them Do you have recommendation for what to use instead of the gum thickener can’t really see spending 12-15 dollars on something that I can use that is keto friendly for I have cornstarch is not keto friendly thank you I love a lot of the recipes that are posted here.
Hi Kim! Sorry for the late reply. The best substitutes, to keep things low carb, are psyllium fiber, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, or gelatin. Hope that helps!
From my understand Gelatin isn’t vegan! Agar agar is sometimes marked as gelatin and that is vegan because it’s made from a red algae while gelatins gelatins is made from boiling animal leftovers. So I think it’s important to look at the back of the ingredients
Cheese also isn’t vegan and there are 4 oz of it used it this recipe… No one said this was vegan…
They are Vegetarian not vegan. Eating no animals is vegetarian, no animal products is vegan. I could not give up cheese so only vegetarian. Some people eat them just because they are tasty like my husband even though he is a meat eater.
There’s loads of delicious vegan cheeses available on the market today…. dairy is addictive and for a reason. Soooo unhealthy and such a brutal industry!
Is there a good sub for celery, which I can’t have? Broccoli? Also, I don’t buy frozen riced cauliflower, I make my own; should I cook it at all first? Thank you.
Hi there, Paula! You could leave out the celery or substitute broccoli instead! We recommend cooking first to remove any any excess moisture! Hope this is helpful! ❤️
These were great! Even my Keto loathing husband said the need to become our regular burger.
Yay! Super happy he enjoyed them too, Lesli! Thanks a bunch for the feedback!
This was a fantastic burger-five stars! I love bean burgers but since going keto, I can’t have them. This really satisfied my craving and was excellent! I followed the recipe as written except that I had just under 1/4 cup flax so I used hemp hearts to make up the difference. I also used freshly riced cauliflower. I’m sharing this recipe with the other vegetarian keto dieters in my family!
Woohoo! That’s awesome! Thanks for the review, Amy! Super happy to hear these were a hit! 🙌
Edens makes black soy beans, which are delicious and substitute 1:1 for a can of black beans. You can find in Fresh Market, on Amazon, or in some other specialty grocery stores.
Thank you for this recipe. It looks fantastic. I am trying to go more plant-based, and this will be a big help to me.
You are so welcome, Linda! Good luck!
Can’t wait to try this! – could you recommend a substitute for the cheese as I don’t eat dairy. Thank you!
Hi Connie! There are low carb vegan cheeses available. Just be sure to double check the ingredients. Hoping that helps!
Smells so good! Mine are in the oven right now. I used liquid aminos in place of Worster. I also added 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts for a crunch. I am imagining all of the possibilities- adding jalapeños, spinach, pepitas, curry powders instead of Mexican spices, Thai ingredients…. can’t wait to try this first batch!
There is no worcestershire sauce in this recipe??? What are you saying you subbed liquid aminos for? Salt?
What kind of bun did you use? Looks delicious! Is there a recipe?!
Yes! Here you go! https://hip2keto.com/recipes/low-carb-rosemary-sea-salt-italian-focaccia-bread/
Hi! Can these be prepared and refrigerated overnight?
They can stay in the fridge or be frozen to use later, Sherry!
If freezing, do you bake & then freeze or freeze after pattied out?
I would freeze before baking them. Just have them in the patty shapes and ready to go.
Is there a sub for mushrooms? (Allergy) Zucchini?
Although I haven’t personally tried it, I think zucchini would be great! Please let us know how it turns out!
Mushrooms are also a major source of “umami” flavor in this recipe so if you do substitute zucchini, definitely add something else to compensate like soy sauce, tamari, and/or nutritional yeast.
Hello. This recipe looks fantastic. Unfortunately, I cannot eat mushrooms, shellfish, gluten or nuts due to food allergies. Is there a Keto friendly substitute for mushrooms?
Hi Andrea! We have not tried it, but zucchini may be a good substitute. Hope this helps❤
Of all the veggie burgers I’ve made, these are by far the best and tastiest. I’ve made them several times now, and every time they’ve been a hit.
Yay! Happy to hear you’ve been enjoying these, Jani! Thanks for letting us know what a hit they have been!
I would love to try these but my oven on broken..Do you think I can air fry them?also, I am not a big fan of celery ,can I omit it?
Hi there! You can certainly omit the celery! I would suggest to refrigerate the patties for 30 minutes to assure they are firm enough to air fry. Then I would make sure you use a non stick spray to coat the bottom of your air fryer. Cook at 350° for 9 to minutes flipping half way in between. Hope this helps❤
I didn’t have cauliflower rice, so I cooked a bag of frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix and then pulsed in food processor. Delicious! I have made this many times, and it’s very forgiving and delicious. You’d be hard pressed to find another veg burger that’s this good that is also keto.
I bet your modification tasted great!
DELICIOUS! I’m so grateful and excited to have this recipe and I won’t be buying packaged in plastic burgers ever again! Thank you so much!
You are very welcome!
I do want you to know that I had to sauté the mixture a lot longer than the recipe states to get most all the moisture out. But we’re making them again today and Hubby is going to use some in tacos!
Yum! Thanks so much for letting us know how these cooked for you! Enjoy!
I made this for my family and followed the recipe exactly ,it’s delicious !!! we all loved it!
Yay! SO glad it was a hit with everyone, Melynee! Thanks for the feedback!
Could i Just use different seasonings instead of the ones provided? This looks so good to make, and cheap if I don’t try to add on different seasonings but instead of the ones I got instead like Tony’s or Mrs dash ranch seasoning.
Yes! I think you could add any seasoning you like! 😍
Love them but as a guy I’d love to eat two, but 9.4 carbs is a bit much for me for a meal. I reduced the onions to reduce the carbs.
Oh good! Happy you could adjust the ingredients to fit your plan, Allen! Thanks for sharing with us! 🥰
If you don’t have/ don’t want to use your oven for these: I hate to use the oven in the summer, so I made about 1/2 of this batch in my countertop “pizza baker” appliance (still on parchment). I flipped them at the halfway point. They were done in about 20 minutes. I also had a little extra that wouldn’t fit in my pizza baker, so I put that in my mini waffle iron – it was done in just a few minutes, and worked remarkably well : ) It broke in 1/2 on removal – but for such a time savings, I could deal with that. I froze the last two patties – hoping to try them out in my waffle iron in the future. (the waffle griddle could be a great option for those who are single, or the only family member eating this way.)
Thanks for letting us know how well these cooked up in your pizza baker and the mini waffle iron, Anna! Such great alternatives to heating up the kitchen with the oven during the summer time! 🙌 ❤️
I was very dissapointed in the result of my attempt. Firstly they took a long time to make. Longer than I anticipated so had to leave the forming and baking until the next day while we got something else for lunch. Secondly although I thought I had driven off all the mositure the patties never got crisp. I left them cooking for as long as I dare and even turned the oven up for a while. They got brown round the edges and were sizzling but oh so soft still!
I’m so sorry to hear they were still so soft, Sandy. ❤️Here are a couple of tips that might be helpful for if you try these again. Be sure to first cook and saute the veggies until brown. That way you’ll be able to see that all of the moisture has cooked out. Also, avoid using a silicone mat when baking these as they won’t crisp up as well. I sure hope these turn out perfectly for you if you decide to try once more! 🤗💞