Giant homemade vegetarian meatballs, flattened and served on a toasted garlic bread bun with marinara and mozzarella. What more can you ask for?
I know I just posted an awesome turkey burger recipe the other day, what more can I say? I’m on a roll. (*groan*)
Not too long ago, Shawn and I went for dinner at a place with a pretty extensive burger list and the meatball burger caught my eye. It totally wasn’t something that I would normally order, but for some reason, I just couldn’t resist. I enjoyed every last bite, laughing the whole time that it was such a guy sort of thing to order.
So, what’s a meatball burger? It’s a giant meatball that gets smashed into a patty. It’s served on garlic bread, smothered in sauce and cheese. It’s a like a meatball parmesan sub, but smaller and with more meatball and less sauce.
They’re awesome. I also knew they’d be perfect for this week’s Sunday Supper, which has a “man food” theme. Making them at home posed a few problems though: First, I usually add an egg to my meatballs, and I’m not a fan of well-done burgers. Serving a medium well burger with egg in it was definitely not an option. Second, I just started a 21 day plant-based challenge and meat definitely isn’t part of the program. (I had hoped to make these before I started the challenge, but due to problem #1 that didn’t happen.)
Both problems were solved when I decided to swap out the traditional meatball patty for a vegetarian version. The vegetarian option might be a little less stereotypically “man food” but they definitely still got two thumbs up from Shawn.
Meatball Style Veggie Burgers
These are some of the most delicious – and easiest to make – homemade veggie burgers I've tried. Seasoned as they are here, they definitely have a meatball vibe to them but you can easily swap out the Italian seasoning and parsley for other flavors if you want to make a more traditional burger to use with other toppings. For other veggie burger options, be sure to check out my Ultimate Veggie Burgers and Smokey Chipotle, Lentil, and Cauliflower Burgers.
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, carrots, and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until they start to soften.Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Add the cooked vegetables, rice, walnuts, parsley, and seasonings to a food processor. Process until a crumbly mixture forms, 20-30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Form the mixture into 4 large balls. Roll the balls in flour until they're lightly coated, then flatten them into patties (about ½ inch to ¼ inch thick).
Melt the butter in your sauté pan. One by one, place the cut sides of the rolls into the melted butter to coat them. Place on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Season with garlic powder. Bake 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Place the mozzarella on the top half of the rolls; cook 3-4 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt.
In the same pan, cook the veggie burgers for 5 minutes on each side.
To serve, place a veggie burger on a "bottom" roll. Cover with 2 tablespoons warmed marinara. Top with a "top" roll, cheese side down.
Nutrition Facts
Meatball Style Veggie Burgers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 432
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hi, I'm Lauren! I'm a certified plant-based cook and enthusiastic omnivore who loves looking for creative ways to make weeknight meals more nutritious. I'm the author of Heathy Eating One Pot Cookbook and Healthy Meal Prep Slow Cooker Cookbook. I also blog at The Busy Foodie.
