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Veggie burger

Double vegan burger with tomato, lettuce and sauce
Alternative names	Meatless burger
Type	Sandwich
Main ingredients	Vegetables, textured vegetable protein, legumes, nuts, mushrooms, or grains or seeds
Media: Veggie burger

A veggie burger or meatless burger is a hamburger made with a patty that does not contain meat, or the patty of such a hamburger. The patty may be made from ingredients like beans (especially soybeans and tofu), nuts, grains, seeds, or fungi such as mushrooms or mycoprotein.

The essence of the veggie burger patty has existed in various Eurasian cuisines for millennia, including in the form of grilled or fried meatless discs, or as koftas, a commonplace item in Indian cuisine. These may be made of entirely vegetarian ingredients such as legumes or other plant-derived proteins.

Preparation

Whilst commercial brands of veggie burger are widespread, hundreds of recipes exist for veggie burgers online and in cookbooks, aimed at the home cook and based on cereal grains, nuts, seeds, breadcrumbs, beans, textured soya protein, with starchy flours or flaxseed meal to stabilize the mix. Recipes offer a variety of flavors and textures, often containing herbs and spices and ingredients, like tamari or nutritional yeast, to increase the umami taste. Desirable characteristics include mouthfeel, a seared surface, crunch, chewiness, spiciness and resistance to crumbling. Like a meat burger, they can be pan fried, grilled, barbecued or oven cooked. Some are designed to be eaten in a toasted bun or brioche, with similar accompaniments to a traditional meat burger, such as tomato slices, onion rings, dill pickled cucumber, mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup. Others are stand-alone patties that are eaten with other vegetables, salad or a dipping sauce. Home produced veggie burgers can be frozen and stored, just like commercial varieties.

Commercial brands

Products include dried mixes to which water is added before cooking, or ready-made burgers, often found in the store chiller or freezer compartments. Some popular brands of veggie burger include the Boca Burger, the Gardenburger, Morningstar Farms, and Quorn. In the 2010s, realistic meat-like burgers were developed, led by the companies Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.

Origin

There have been numerous claims of invention of the veggie burger. The dish, by name, may have been created in London in 1982 by Gregory Sams, who called it the 'VegeBurger'. Sams and his brother Craig had run a natural food restaurant in Paddington since the 1960s; a Carrefour hypermarket in Southampton sold 2000 packets in three weeks after its launch. An earlier reference can be heard in the 7 June 1948 episode of the American radio drama series Let George Do It called "The Mister Mirch Case" where a character refers to "vegeburgers" as a burger made of nuts and legumes.

Using the name Gardenburger, an early veggie burger was developed by Paul Wenner around 1980 or 1981 in Wenner's vegetarian restaurant, The Gardenhouse, in Gresham, Oregon.

Restaurants

Some fast food companies have been offering vegetarian foods increasingly since the beginning of the 21st century.

India

In India where vegetarianism is widespread, McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and KFC serve veggie burgers. In 2012, McDonald's opened its first vegetarian-only restaurant in India. A popular type of burger is the Vada pav, also known as the Bombay burger. It originated in or near the city of Mumbai and consists of a fritter (vada), cooked with potatoes mixed with green chilis and various spices, enclosed in a bread roll (pav).

United States

Burger King (BK) introduced a veggie burger in 2002, the first to be made available nationally in the U.S. They have also sold veggie burgers in their Australian franchise, Hungry Jack's. In 2019, BK rolled out the Impossible Whopper as a veggie burger that realistically imitates their signature beef-based Whopper hamburger.

Veggie burgers have been sold in certain Subways and Harvey's, as well as many chain restaurants, such as Red Robin, Chili's, Denny's, Friendly's, Culvers, Johnny Rockets, and Hard Rock Cafe. Occasionally the veggie burger option will appear at the bottom of a menu as a possible substitution for beef or turkey burgers, rather than as an individual menu item.

McDonald's

Different kinds of veggie burgers, including the vegetarian McVeggie, the vegan McVegan, and the McPlant, are also served permanently in McDonald's restaurants in:

• India (McVeggie, consisting of a fried, breaded patty of ground vegetables, with lettuce and ketchup, in a wholewheat, sesame or focaccia bun)
• Bahrain
• Cheung Chau, Hong Kong (McVeggie, in Cheung Chau Bun Festival)
• Egypt (McFalafel, consisting of a falafel patty with tomato, lettuce and tahini sauce)
• Finland (McVegan)
• Germany since February 2010, McDonald's Germany, its fourth-biggest global market, is serving veggie burgers in all its restaurants.
• Greece (McVeggie, consisting of a breaded and fried vegetable patty with tomato, iceberg lettuce and ketchup, in a sesame bun)
• Malaysia
• The Netherlands (Groentenburger=Vegetable Burger)
• Portugal (McVeggie, since November 2016)
• New Zealand (McVeggie, since December 2019)
• Sweden (McVegan)
• Switzerland (Vegi Mac)
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom (McPlant)

Manufacturing process

Manufacturing often follows certain steps. One commercial recipe runs as follows.

The grains and vegetables used in the patties are first washed and thoroughly cleaned to help ensure the removal of dirt, bacteria, chemical residues, and other materials that may be on the raw products. This process can either be done by hand or through the use of machinery such as high-pressure sprayers. With the use of a conveyor belt, the food is moved along under a high-pressure sprayer to remove the debris listed above. Another method that may be used by companies is the use of a hollow drum which circulates the food while water is sprayed onto it to remove the debris.

Next, a steam-heated mixer is used to cook the grain and remove any extra debris and excess water. The mixer typically has oils within it (such as safflower oil). As the oil simmers, the grains are gradually added in and the blades are used to mix the grains around. The steam created in the mixer allows the grains to cook resulting in a puree.

Next the vegetables are cut up into smaller pieces to allow more surface area for cooking purposes. This can be done by hand or through the use of machines in factories.

The vegetables are then added to the grain mixture in the steam-heated mixture. The exact ratio of grains to vegetables is unique to each company, resulting in different textures and tastes that are produced.

As the vegetables are being cooked in the mixer, their natural sugars release, resulting in caramelization. The sweet flavors thus created from this caramelization are mixed uniformly in the mixer. The technique used for the creation of this caramelization mixture is called mirepoix. This technique is very important to the production of veggie burgers, as it adds both texture and flavor to the patty.

The mirepoix mixture is then placed into another mixing tub, where dry ingredients such as oats, walnuts, potato flakes, and more are added. The mixture is then folded together to make a uniform mix. The moisture from the vegetables causes the mixture to become sticky, thus clumping together like cookie dough. This is important, as it allows the veggie burger to stick together to form the patty.

The mixture is now put into an automatic patty-making machine or press. The press then punches out the patties into a disc shape onto a conveyor belt underneath. A constant spray of water may also be used to prevent any of the mixture from sticking to machinery parts. Once on the conveyor tray, the patties move along to be put onto baking trays.

Patties are first inspected to make sure they are the correct shape, size, and texture to ensure a high-quality product. The trays are then put into a heated convection oven at a designated temperature and time.

Once out of the oven, the patties are quickly frozen with techniques such as individual quick freezing and cryogenic freezing. These quick-freezing methods freeze the patties within 30 minutes to lock in nutrients and preserve texture by the formation of a number of small ice crystals.

The frozen patties are again placed on a conveyor belt that takes them to a vacuum-packaging machine. The machine seals the patties into measured plastic sleeves and draws out any excess air. The packages are then loaded into printed cardboard boxes with the aid of another machine or done manually. The flaps on the box are then sealed closed and the product is kept in temperature-controlled storage before, during, and after delivery to grocery stores.

Purpose of ingredients

Grains

Grains are primarily used in the manufacturing of veggie burgers to act as a meat substitute. The grains, such as rice and wheat, provide carbohydrates and protein components and to provide bulk to the patty. They also provide texture to the burger, which can change depending on the type of grain used. This texture and look is important as they wish to make the patty look like a beef patty.

Vegetables

Vegetables, such as corn, carrots, and mushrooms, provide texture and taste. Additionally, they provide moisture when heated. This allows the disc shape without breaking apart easily. The vegetables also provide nutrients with the addition of some vitamins and minerals.

Dry ingredients

Adding dry ingredients, such as oats, flours, nuts, or breadcrumbs, can absorb excess moisture and liquid, which results in the patty sticking together tightly. This could turn the moist veggie patties into a sticky consistency, which also helps the patties shape easily. Dry ingredients provide proteins and fiber, which add nutritional value to the veggie patty. Dry ingredients, such as walnuts and almonds, are also rich in energy, vitamins and minerals.

Stabilizers

Tapioca starch and vegetable gum are two common ingredients used as stabilizers in veggie burger. Tapioca starch is often used as a thickening agent due to its cheaper price. It gets sticky once it is wet, which helps to hold the burger patty tightly together. Vegetable gum also helps to hold everything together in the patty.

Oils

Oils, such as safflower, coconut, and olive oil, can lubricate the grain mix, and allow further cooking processing when the wheat is added. This facilitates the Maillard reaction and brings out the flavors of the veggie burger. Oils can also prevent the ingredients from sticking to the mixing machine, thus allowing them to be mixed well and heated together.

Salt

Salt is typically used for flavor, and may also be used as a preservative in veggie burgers. With the use of salt, the water activity of the food is reduced. This helps prevent the growth of micro-organisms and prolongs the shelf life of the food.

Naming

In October 2020, the EU rejected an amendment proposed by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development which, if passed, would have resulted in companies being forced to call veggie burgers by the term "veggie discs".

Gallery

• A Burger King Veggie combo meal, including a veggie burger, from Germany
• Vegan burger and French fries
• Vegan burger
• Example of vegan veggie burger
• Order from a vegetarian deli: veggie burger with French fries and salad
• Mostly-veggie burger with the addition of one egg to better bind ingredients together

See also

• Beyond Meat – Producer of plant-based meat substitutes
• BK Veggie
• Boca Burger – Veggie burger produced by Kraft Heinz
• Coconut burger
• Gardenburger – American brand of veggie burgers
• Impossible Burger – American company making plant-based meat substitutesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• List of hamburgers
• List of meat substitutes
• List of sandwiches
• List of vegetable dishes
• Meat analog – Plant-based food made to resemble meatPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Morningstar Farms – Division of Kellanova
• Quorn – Meat substitute based on mycoprotein
• Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company – Business enterprise owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Soy pulp – Byproduct of tofu production
• Vada pav – Indian fast food item
• Veganism – Practice of abstaining from exploitation of animals and the use of animal products
• Vegetarian cuisine – Food not including meat
• Vegetarianism – Abstaining from the consumption of meat

References

1. Torrella, Kenny (17 April 2023). "Were the Impossible and Beyond burgers a fad, or is plant-based meat here to stay?". Vox. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
2. "The Vegeburger Story". www.gregorysams.com. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
3. "And Here Comes the VegeBurger". The Observer. UK. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
4. "Inventor of the Week – Paul Wenner". MIT. Archived from the original on 11 December 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
5. Fernandes, Mabel (27 July 1999). "Rediff on the NeT: Meatless Burgers Gain Popularity Across America". www.rediff.com.
6. McDonald's new TVC pushes McChicken, McVeggie products Indiantelevision.com
7. "Burger King Brings Beef-Free Whoppers to India". The Wall Street Journal. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
8. "McDonald's opens vegetarian-only restaurant". BBC News. 4 September 2012.
9. The Food Agenda (25 August 2022). "Unique burgers from around the world". Erudus.
10. Zunitch, Victoria (14 March 2002). "Burger King serves up veggie burger". CNN Money. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
11. Hungry Jack's. "Veggie Burger". Archived from the original on 5 May 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.
12. ^ "The Love Burger, Seaweed Fries, and Other Curiosities". Tikifish.com. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
13. "About.com Middle Eastern Food: McFalafel". Mideastfood.about.com. 17 June 2010. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
14. "McDonald Introduces McFalafel, Just for Egypt". Touregypt.net. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
15. Suomi, McDonald's. "McVegan". www.mcdonalds.fi. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
16. "Veggie burger, coffee to fuel McDonald's in Germany". Reuters. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
17. "McDonald's veggie burger page at the German McDonald's homepage". Mcdonalds.de. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
18. "McVeggie burger - McDonalds". 5 April 2010. Archived from the original on 5 April 2010.
19. "McDonald's Malaysia Drive-Thru Challenge - Hot-screensaver". 21 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
20. "McDonald's Netherlands: Groenteburger (Vegetable Burger)". Mcdonalds.nl. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
21. "McDonald's Portugal: McVeggie". Mcdonalds.pt. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
22. Woodyatt, Amy (6 December 2019). "In New Zealand, McDonald's new McVeggie burger is not strictly vegetarian". cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
23. "McVegan". www.mcdonalds.com. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
24. "McDonalds Food from Around the McWorld". Nowthatsnifty.blogspot.com. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
25. "McDonald's Switzerland: Vegi Mac". Mcdonalds.ch. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
26. "mcdonalds veggie burger calories?". 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008.
27. "The Vegan Burger with Beyond Meat". www.mcdonalds.com. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
28. How It’s Made (27 May 2015), How It's Made Veggie Burgers, retrieved 3 August 2017
29. "How vegetarian burger is made - making, processing, product, industry, machine, Raw Materials". www.madehow.com. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
30. Gibbs, W. Wayt; Myhrvold, Nathan (2011). "Cryogenic Cooking". Scientific American. 305 (2): 31. Bibcode:2011SciAm.305a..31G. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0811-31. PMID 21827120.
31. ^ "The Ultimate Veggie Burger Guide | Perfect veggie patties | Gourmandelle". Gourmandelle | Vegetarian Blog. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
32. "Mirepoix: This Simple Veggie Trio Will Change the Way You Cook Forever! | One Green Planet". www.onegreenplanet.org. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
33. "Nuts nutrition facts and the health benefits of nuts". Nutrition And You.com. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
34. "Tricks for Making Veggie Burgers That Won't Fall Apart | One Green Planet". www.onegreenplanet.org. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
35. "What's Inside Your Veggie Burger? | Care2 Healthy Living". www.care2.com. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
36. Bailey, Milton E.; Um, Ki Won (5 August 1992). Lipid Oxidation in Food. ACS Symposium Series. Vol. 500. American Chemical Society. pp. 122–139. doi:10.1021/bk-1992-0500.ch008. ISBN 978-0841224612.
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38. Sabrina Barr (23 October 2020). "EU rejects plan to rename veggie burgers 'veggie discs'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022.

Further reading

• Volger, Lukas (2010). Veggie Burgers Every Which Day: Fresh, Flavorful and Healthy Vegan and Vegetarian Burgers - Plus Toppings, Sides, Buns and More. The Experiment. ISBN 978-1-61519-019-5.

External links

• Veggie Burger Recipes

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