In his treatise on black bean burgers on the website Serious Eats, J. Kenji López-Alt goes even further to reduce the moisture by roasting the beans before adding to the mix. I absorbed this trick into my recipe and used kidney beans to keep the flavor a bit more neutral. I also adopted his use of mayonnaise, which made the burgers succulent and almost juicy.

I like how tempeh and ground nuts added a nubby meat-like texture to other burger recipes I tried, and the way mushrooms and cheese added a savory umami character. Grated roasted beets gave the burger a slightly pink color that resembled beef, so I added that, too. Finally, pimentón lent spicy, smoky notes. To my taste, I had arrived at the ultimate veggie burger.

This recipe has a long list of ingredients and several steps to complete. But the ingredients are easy to find and the steps are simple. And you can make a double batch and freeze the extra mix. The next time the veggie burger craving hits, you’ll be ready.

Recipe: The Ultimate Veggie Burger