OWNFoodRecipesHealthy Eating

4 Delicious Dishes You Can Make With Veggie Burger Patties

These creative uses go way beyond patties on buns.
By Lynn Andriani
A Pizza That Gives New Meaning to "Veggie Slice"
Credit: iStock
If you can manage to squeeze in one more topping among the broccoli, peppers, spinach and mushrooms on your vegetable-loaded pizza, let it be bits of veggie burger. Italian-spiced ones lend themselves especially well, since they often feature oregano, basil and other ingredients that play nicely with tomatoes and cheese. Just brown a patty in a frying pan, cut it into a 1/4-inch dice and scatter on your pie towards the end of baking.
Dinner Spuds with a Brilliant Shortcut
Credit: iStock
Baked potatoes for supper are a throwback everyone loves—well, everyone but the cook, since the meal can entail preparing fixings ranging from bacon to fried onions to sautéed mushrooms. Using a cooked and chopped veggie burger, instead, is one hack we're absolutely on board with; the burger adds flavor and substance but is ridiculously easy to prep. Along with sour cream and/or shredded cheddar or pepper Jack, you'll have a tasty meal that comes together with truly minimal effort.
A Big Bowl of Deliciousness
Credit: iStock
With their (almost) anything-goes feel, meals in bowls are one of the most laid-back dinners you can eat, usually consisting of a grain, such as rice or quinoa; cooked vegetables; protein; and, some sort of sauce, from a tahini- or miso-based dressing to oil and vinegar. No matter how many components you pack in, the bowl helps you get a little bit of everything in each bite. Try cubing a cooked veggie burger and folding it into the mix; it can take the place of your protein, especially if it's a bean-based patty.
Nachos Where Each Chip Is a Winner
Credit: iStock
A box of Mexican-spiced or black-bean veggie patties is a surprisingly terrific accompaniment to a bag of tortilla chips. Plus, this version of nachos will satisfy your craving for the dish while still keeping you on a healthy track. Defrost a few patties (about one per person) and cut them into six wedges; place each one on a round tortilla chip on a baking sheet, so each chip gets its own veggie-burger wedge. Scatter shredded cheese on top and broil until the cheese is bubbling. Serve with whatever accompaniments you'd like, from diced chilies to a dash of hot sauce.

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Before You Go

9 Vegetarian Casseroles Even Meat Eaters Will Love
Another Reason to Love the Tiny Little Superseed(01 of09)
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This simple quinoa bake, from Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking, by Dana Shultz, is packed with vibrant produce yet still delivers that warm, wintry, comfort-food vibe. You cook quinoa in vegetable broth to give the seeds rich flavor, and the dish gets a woodsy, earthy taste from roasted butternut squash and mushrooms. Dark green kale brings even more nutrition and a burst of color.

Get the recipe: Butternut Squash, Kale and Quinoa Bake (credit:Dana Shultz)
A Revised Rendition of Everyone's Favorite Savory Pie(02 of09)
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These potpies, made with a hearty mix of mushrooms, barley and white beans, are just as delicious as the traditional chicken version -- but won't leave you in a food coma. You top each one with phyllo dough, which is a quicker, flakier and lighter alternative to the usual butter-heavy dough.

Get the recipe: Vegetable-Barley Potpies (credit:Andrew Purcell)
The Rice Dish with Unexpected Flavor(03 of09)
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We don't often see traditional Asian ingredients in casseroles, yet they come together just as beautifully in the oven as they do in the more traditional stove-top method of cooking. This flavorful dish starts with a layer of cooked brown rice. Next comes a tasty combination of sautéed Swiss chard, onion and ginger mixed with coconut milk, soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil. On top of that, you crack eggs and bake just until the whites are set; when they come out of the oven, the bright yellow yolks look stunning against the greens.

Get the recipe: Sesame Baked Eggs (credit:Leann Mueller)
A Twist on Deep-Dish Pizza (Minus the Grease)(04 of09)
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Ground polenta -- aka corn grits -- is an underutilized secret weapon for busy cooks. Long a staple in southern Italy and the American South, it's cheap and wildly versatile, and the uncooked version will keep in the pantry or refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a year. In this flavorful recipe from Georgina Fuggle's Take One Pot, you cook the grain until it thickens into a soft cake, and then top it with thinly sliced mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and crumbled feta. Under the broiler, the tomato skins burst, the mushroom wilts and the cheese melts; the results are savory and tangy.

Get the recipe: Polenta Bake with Tomato, Feta and Mushrooms (credit:Tara Fisher)
A Mac 'n' Cheese with Some Heft (and Pep)(05 of09)
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This version of the traditional pasta-and-cheese casserole includes colorful and good-for-you broccoli florets and sun-dried tomatoes; a rich medley of cheddar, Gruyère and Gouda; and just a touch of cayenne. The grown-up additions turn a simple comfort food into a gourmet delight.

Get the recipe: Lunch Lady Doris's Spicy Mac and Cheese (credit:Thinkstock)
A Risotto with a Salad's Worth of Greens(06 of09)
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You could call it a lazy woman's risotto -- but this cheesy Italian entrée or side is a lot quicker to make and just as tasty as the classic Arborio rice dish (plus, it has a healthy dose of leafy greens). After sautéing an onion, the grains, wine and vegetable broth, you stir in 2 cups of spinach and grated Parmesan, and then transfer everything to a baking dish. Slide it into the oven, and 35 minutes later you've got a hot and bubbly meal.

Get the recipe: Spinach and Risotto Casserole (credit:Thinkstock)
The Garden Lasagna (That's So Not Garden Variety)(07 of09)
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A handful of spinach leaves does not a vegetarian lasagna make -- which is why this take, exploding with veggies, is so wonderful. It's made with two eggplants, six zucchini, five portobello mushrooms and two red onions. Plus, the recipe has an additional healthy twist, suggesting cottage cheese instead of ricotta.

Get the recipe: Vegetarian Lasagna (credit:Thinkstock)
The Reason We Cannot Resist Butternut Squash and Sage(08 of09)
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Butternut squash and sage are a tried-and-true pairing; together, they deliver rich flavor that rivals that of sausage or smoked meat. This recipe has you mix roasted cubes of the winter vegetable with penne pasta and a sauce made from Fontina, blue cheese, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan. A sage-bread-crumbs topping adds delightful texture.

Get the recipe: Penne Pasta Quattro Formaggi with Butternut Squash and Sage (credit:Paige Green)
A Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner Bake(09 of09)
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Okay, this last one isn't technically a casserole, but it is a one-dish meal that you bake -- and it happens to be brimming with fresh zucchini. And although it cooks in a pie dish, the assembly doesn't involve rolling out dough, since the shredded vegetables, eggs, baking mix (such as Bisquick) and cheddar cheese form the crust on their own.

Get the recipe: Savory Zucchini Pie (credit:Ron Manville)
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