Sometimes you crave a classic veggie burger — simple, satisfying, and full of flavor. This grilled Buffalo white bean and walnut burger delivers on all counts. Made with whole-food ingredients, it has great texture, a tangy buffalo glaze, and a crunchy ranch slaw that keeps each bite bright and refreshing.

While I enjoy store-bought plant-based meats for convenience, there’s something special about a well-made veggie burger. These patties combine creamy white beans with chopped walnuts for a satisfying bite. They’re easy to prepare in a food processor and hold up nicely on the grill. If you don’t have a grill, they also bake well in the oven.

This recipe originally ran as part of a collaboration last year and was made gluten-free, though it works with regular panko if you prefer. The simple ranch slaw is inspired by the classic pairing of crunchy vegetables with buffalo sauce — toss chopped celery, romaine, and sliced onion with vegan ranch and you’ve got a perfect cool counterpoint to spicy patties.

Substitutions and Tips:

• Walnuts: Pecans are a good alternative and provide a similar texture. Avoid nuts that will be either too soft or too hard.
• White beans: A drained 15-ounce can is convenient; if using cooked-from-scratch beans, use about 1 1/2 cups.
• Vegan Worcestershire: Available at many natural-food stores. If you don’t have it, substitute tamari. For a soy-free option use coconut aminos and a little extra salt.
• Bread crumbs: Gluten-free crumbs are less coarse than panko and help bind the mixture, but panko works as well.
• Vegan ranch: Store-bought works fine, or use your preferred homemade ranch.
• If you want a bolder buffalo flavor, fold 2 tablespoons of buffalo sauce into the burger mixture.
• Grilling: Grill temperatures vary, so watch the patties closely. The times provided are guidelines.
• Food processor: Recommended to achieve the right balance between chunk and spread. If you don’t have one, finely chop the walnuts and onion, mash the beans, and combine by hand.

Other Burger Recipes You’ll Love!

• Supreme Nacho Burger
• Vegan Grilled Eggplant Burgers
• Down Home BBQ Burger

Yield: 4

Grilled Buffalo White Bean Walnut Burger

Sometimes you just want an old school veggie burger, am I right? But, really, this white bean walnut burger slathered in buffalo sauce is made with whole foods and great on the grill!

Ingredients

Burger Ingredients:

• 1 cup (85 g) walnuts
• 15-ounce (425 g) white beans, drained/rinsed
• 1/2 cup (70 g) diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce (GF if necessary)
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup (120 g) gluten-free breadcrumbs
• Buffalo sauce, for brushing

Assembly Ingredients:

• 1 cup (70 g) thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup (50 g) thinly sliced romaine lettuce
• 1/3 cup (40 g) thinly sliced yellow onion
• 3-4 tablespoons (45-60 ml) vegan ranch
• 4 gluten-free, vegan buns
• 1/4 cup (46 g) vegan mayo

Instructions

1. Place the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until the pieces are about 1/4-inch or slightly smaller. Add the white beans, diced onion, vegan Worcestershire, tomato paste, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the beans are mostly broken down but still have a few small chunks.
2. Remove the blade and fold in the breadcrumbs until evenly combined. Line a plate with wax paper and dampen your hands. Scoop heaping 1/2-cup portions (about 145 g) of the mix and shape into patties about 3/4-inch thick. This should yield four large patties. Freeze the patties for 1 hour to help them firm up.
3. While the patties chill, make the slaw by tossing the sliced celery, romaine, and onion with vegan ranch. Chill until ready to serve. When there are about 15 minutes left of freezing time, preheat the grill to 400°F. Spread a light coating of mayo on the cut sides of the buns.
4. Grill the patties, brushing the top side with buffalo sauce. Grill 5–7 minutes until pronounced grill marks form and the patties release easily, then flip, brush with more sauce, and grill another 5–7 minutes. During the last 2–3 minutes, toast the buns mayo-side-down on the grates.
5. Remove burgers from the grill and let rest for about 5 minutes. Assemble each burger: bottom bun, patty, additional buffalo sauce if desired, ranch slaw, and top bun. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Walnuts: Pecans are an acceptable substitute for a similar texture.
• White beans: A single 15-ounce can drained is the easiest option; use about 1 1/2 cups if cooking beans from dry.
• Vegan Worcestershire: Found at many natural-food stores; if unavailable, use tamari or coconut aminos (for soy-free).
• Bread crumbs: Gluten-free crumbs are finer and help bind the patties, but panko will also work.
• Grilling: Times are approximate—adjust to your grill’s heat and hot spots.
• Food processor: Preferred to achieve the right texture. Without one, finely chop walnuts and onion, mash beans, and combine by hand.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 burger

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 642Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCarbohydrates: 93gFiber: 12gSugar: 8gProtein: 16g

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