Mushroom Walnut Burgers

Name: Mushroom Walnut Burgers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: 1/2 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 275 grams mushrooms; 80 grams walnuts; 185 grams black beans; 75 grams fresh or dry bread crumbs (Use GF bread if needed); 1 egg substitute (or an actual egg) (*See recipe notes); 2 teaspoons Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (*Soy sauce also works); 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons oil (for frying)

Written by Paula Published on November 18, 2020 Updated on June 21, 2023

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Mushroom Walnut Burgers are the best! I’m a big fan of veggie burgers in general, but let’s face it —there are a lot of bad veggie burgers out there. This Walnut Mushroom Burger recipe is my idea of a GREAT veggie burger.

someone holding a mushroom walnut burger over a plate.

My fave Mushroom and Walnut Burger delivers everything that pleases me in a veggie burger. It’s fatty and juicy, it has a nice hearty texture and a rich, meaty flavour from all the mushrooms. Plus: They can easily be made vegan and/or gluten-free by using egg substitutes (eg. flax, “Just Egg”, or some liquid from the canned beans) and gluten-free bread crumbs.

What you’ll need to make this recipe

Mushrooms: I use cremini mushrooms, but button mushrooms or portobellos would be fine too. If you’re using portobello mushrooms, I’d recommend scraping away the gills first or your patties will be quite dark in colour.
Onion: The ultimate savoury ingredient that really pumps up the flavour in these burgers.
Garlic: Again, added savouriness and a good base flavour.
Walnuts: I love walnuts in these burgers because they offer a really buttery texture. I don’t toast them because I’m not really looking for a pronounced nutty flavour, but feel free to toast them if you’d like.
Black beans: These add a lot of hearty oomph to the burgers, plus some protein and fibre.
Bread crumbs: I like to save up my bread scraps in a tub in the freezer, and when I’ve collected enough—I grind them into bread crumbs. Panko also works. Use GF bread crumbs if needed.
Egg replacement (or an egg): You need something to bind this veggie burger mixture. A flax egg, or even some of the juice from the canned black beans works great. (Of course, an actual egg or “Just Egg” also works.)
Worcestershire sauce: Use the vegetarian version if needed. This delivers the beefiest flavour you can get without beef.
Salt: For flavour.
Vegetable or olive oil: For frying.

How to make these Mushroom Walnut Burgers

Follow these steps to make what are possibly the best veggie burgers you’ve ever had. 😳

Step 1 – Load up your food processor with the walnuts, chopped onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Pulse until you have a coarse—yet evenly chopped mixture.

mushrooms, walnuts, and onions in a food processor. — The burger patty mixture, ready to be processed.

chopped mushroom, walnut, and onion mixture in food processor. — The evenly, yet still coarsely chopped burger patty mixture.

Step 2 – Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon of oil. Transfer the mushroom walnut mixture to the pan, and fry, while stirring, for 7-9 minutes.

Step 3 – Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for several minutes. While it cools, grind the black beans in the food processor until they are coarsely chopped. Add the bread crumbs, the chopped black beans, the Worcestershire sauce and the egg to the cooled mixture. Mix well to combine (I use my hands), and chill the burger patty mixture for 20 minutes to an hour.

mushroom walnut burger patty mixture, cooling in a dish. — Not the prettiest looking mixture, but I promise it makes the best veggie burgers!

Step 4 – Divide the mixture into six portions, and form into patties. You might need to wet your hands for this part so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.

Step 5 – Add a drizzle of oil to a large nonstick or cast-iron pan or griddle, and heat over medium-high. When the pan is hot, lay the patties into the pan (be careful not to splash hot oil on yourself). Cook for 4-5 minutes on one side, then flip them and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Step 6 – Doctor up your bun of choice with whatever toppings you fancy, and you’ve got burgers!

close-up shot of a mushroom walnut veggie burger with lettuce and cheese on a sesame seed bun.

Success Tips

Follow these handy tips to ensure your Mushroom Walnut Burgers turn out perfectly.

If you decide to wash your mushrooms before cooking them (a highly personal and situational choice) there might be a bit more water trapped inside the mushrooms and the mixture might take a bit longer to cook in the pan. It’s ready when it looks like a juicy paste—but with no liquid coming out of it.

Making a big batch? Great idea. This recipe makes the maximum amount most food processors can handle, but you can easily make a bigger batch by blending the mixture in batches.

Make sure the mushroom walnut mixture is no longer hot before adding the egg, or it will cook as soon as it hits the mixture. We don’t want that.

Make sure you chill the mixture well before frying the patties. If you prefer, you can shape the patties and then chill those, but either way, the patties should be cold when they hit the pan. This will ensure they keep their shape and don’t fall apart on you.

What goes well with these Mushroom Walnut Burgers?

There are so many possibilities. Anything you’d serve with a burger is fair game for these Mushroom Walnut Burgers. A big crisp salad, caesar salad, oven fries, you name it. Throw a few pickles on the side while you’re at it!

These burgers are also great with a bowl of soup on the side. Perfect for chilly evenings!

A few ideas to get you started

The Creamiest Kale Caesar Salad
Kohlrabi Salad OR Kohlrabi Fries!
Quick Veggie Slaw with Maple Miso Vinaigrette

How to store, freeze, and reheat

These burgers are best eaten right away, but they also freeze really well, and they do ok for a few days in the fridge too.

The best way to freeze these Mushroom Walnut Burgers is after frying them. If your freezer is big enough, place the fried patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once they’re solid, transfer them to a plastic bag or a sealed container and keep them frozen for up to a month.

You can also store these finished burger patties in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, simply fry them in a frying pan over medium heat with the lid on until warmed through and slightly crispy, or use a toaster oven or a regular oven at 400 degrees F.

Frequently asked questions

Should I wash mushrooms before cooking with them?

This is a very contentious issue and you’ll get a different answer depending on who you ask. Washing mushrooms doesn’t harm them, it only causes them to soak up a bit of water. In this application that’s ok because we’re cooking out the liquid before shaping the patties. If your mushrooms are water-logged, that process might take a bit longer. No biggie.

Personally, I only wash mushrooms if they look really dirty. Most of the time, there is only a little fleck of dirt here and there, and I kinda just brush that away.

If you choose to wash your mushrooms, My favourite method is to place the mushrooms in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Swish the mushrooms around for 5 seconds before removing them from the cold water and looking at all the dirt you’ve left behind. (Very satisfying). Spread them out on a tea towel to allow them to dry somewhat before cooking with them.

Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?

Yes. I love garlic powder. I’d use about a teaspoon here.

What about other seasonings? Can I jazz these up?

Sure! I love the pure, mushroom flavour of these as-is. But you can definitely make them your own by adding some herbs and spices to suit your mood. Fresh or dried thyme is always a good combo with mushrooms. Coarsely ground black pepper is always welcome, and chili powder could be a great little addition for some added kick.

Can these be made vegan?

Yes! Use the instructions provided in the recipe card to make these mushroom walnut burgers vegan.

What are some good toppings?

I’m pretty basic with my burger toppings. Lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions—those are my go-to’s. These burgers would also be incredible with caramelized onions. Really, the world is your oyster.

As far as condiments go, I’m a big fan of the classic mustard, mayo (homemade mayo that is), and ketchup. This burger would also be super delish with my Zucchini Miso Butter – which is an amazing vegan, low-fat spread.

Can these be made be made gluten-free, egg-free, onion-free, etc?

Yes indeed. I’ve given a few recommendations on how to make these burgers vegan and gluten-free, but my mom also wrote a companion article sharing her experience modifying this recipe with great success. Check it out here!

I hope you love these burgers! Let me know if you make them by leaving a comment here, or tagging me on Instagram @howtomakedinner. Enjoy!