Best store bought veggie burger?

I’m giving up trying to make them from scratch. They’ve all been a fail or just ridiculously labor intensive. I’m not a vegetarian so I’m not looking for meat analogues like Beyond Meat.

I don’t want to age myself but back in the day, the only veggie burger available in restaurants were the grain based Garden Burger which I quite liked. I’m looking for something like that. There are a few ingredients in Garden Burger original that upset my stomach, so that brand is out.

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Chickpeas and herbs, ground… with sautéed onions, shrooms, and garlic, S&P and other spices (cumin, chili powder, etc.) to taste. You can grind it all up, or layer it however you want.

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I don’t know about store bought veggie burgers, but I’ve made these a few times. They are tasty, use ingredients that I usually have on hand and are quick and easy to cook.

Not very fancy, but I like Morningstar Farms Grillers. I heat them in a few drops of oil in a pan with sliced onion and Hatch chilis which, with a little thousand island dressing, top the burger which goes on a toasted bun, cheese optional.

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A few years ago I tried a lot of vegan/vegetarian burgers. I don’t know if they’re still available, but my favorite was MorningStar Spicy Indian Veggie Burger. Runner-up was Boca Original Vegan Veggie Burger.

Recently, we’ve enjoyed these including my omnivore hubby. Here are some lo-fi photos.

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I like Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers. From what I remember, Garden Burgers were a little firmer than these, but they are pretty good. I also like these Thai veggie burgers from Trader Joe’s…

I recently purchased Dr. Praeger’s mushroom risotto burger, the store didn’t carry the California Veggie burger which I would have preferred. I’ll try it out in the next few days.

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Trader Joe carries the Dr Praeger CA veggie patties, 4 to a box. They are only $3.49. Safeway and WF charge much more. I just pan fry with a tiny bit of grapeseed oil.

I’m also a fan of the Boca burgers for a classic veggie burger. I know plant-based, faux meat is kind of a different animal, but I think the Impossible Burger patties are the best in that category. I can now find Impossible Burgers at a few of my local grocery options, including Costco.

Mark likes Boca Burgers and Aldi’s Black Bean Chipotle Burgers, but there are so many out there you probably just have to try what looks good to you.

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This!

My favorites have been the Ashoka Masala Vegetable Pattice, Morning Star Spicy Black Bean Burger (a long-time favorite), and Earth Grown Asian veggie burger patty (ALDI).

I usually have one of these on hand but don’t use them often. They’re not that satisfying to me because of the small size and the need to buy special buns to fit them.

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If you are near a Trader Joe’s, you might want to check out the selection of veggie burgers in their freezer case. More variety than I can find at my grocery store. Other folks have already mentioned some of the TJ’s options in this thread. You could choose to fit your particular taste.

I don’t have a particular go-to I can recommend as I’m trying different ones myself.

If you’re not a vegetarian, why WOULDN’T you consider a meat analog burger? I like Boca Burger, but I LOVE an Impossible Meat burger. Pea-based Beyond Meat doesn’t fool me but no sooner did I taste my first IM burger than I forgot it wasn’t beef.

Years ago, my vegetarian daughter and I passed through Lawrence, Kansas, and had what we thought was the best veggie burger ever at a local place. Now you can buy Hilary’s veggie burgers frozen. They have several varieties, and one is called World’s Best!

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If Trader Joe’s is nearby, they have an Indian style potato masala burger. It tastes just like samosa filling, and is quite yum.

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Not the OP but I’m not a vegetarian and I love a good burger once in a while. I don’t eat veggie burgers to pretend I’m eating a hamburger, I eat them because they are (or can be) a low calorie option to put on top of a salad for lunch or a quick dinner on occasion. And I like them.

The one time I looked at the nutrition info on the Impossible burgers in the supermarket, I decided that if I’m going to eat something with pretty much the same calories/fat as a real burger, I might as well just eat the real burger when I want it and eat the veggie burger when I’m looking to keep my nutritional requirements in check.

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I love those masala burgers but as a substitute for home fries. I know there are people who eat french fries between slices of bread, but the closest I come to a starch sandwich is leftover baked beans on a bun.

I do understand the starch on starch comment. Then again, what is a samosa but starch in starch? Or a pierogi for that matter. Or a potato vareniki. You get me :slight_smile: It can be done as a wrap or protein style for less of the bready component.

To me, the difference is that a knish, samosa, or dumpling has a thin layer of starch encasing the tasty filling. Love them all! But a bun, roll, or two slices of bread really amps up the starch experience, and I find the aesthetics of white on white offputting.