Low carb vegan mushroom burgers are something that’s been on my “to do” list for a long while. I really like the flavor and texture of a nice, grain-based mushroom burger, but not so much the carbs and their effects. So, I figured it was time to add a vegan keto mushroom burger to my recipe catalog. If you follow me on instagram, you know that this went through many, many iterations over the past few weeks, but I’m so excited to finally found the right ratio to make a delicious and keto-friendly burger.

You guys make a lot of requests for the ingredient content of these recipes, and I try to listen and make everything as accessible as possible to those with dietary needs. So, with that in mind, this high-protein, low carb, vegan mushroom burger contains:

• no soy
• no flax
• no coconut
• no nuts
• no oils
• no psyllium
• no gluten (none of my recipes have gluten!)

Whew, that’s quite a list. Instead of any of those ingredients, this burger is simple and includes relies on just seven things, including seasoning:

• mushrooms
• chia seeds
• tahini
• pea protein powder
• smoked salt
• pepper
• rosemary

You may notice that there’s no oil listed above and that the directions call for the mushrooms to be cooked in a pan, without oil. If you have a nonstick skillet, you may not need to add anything, but I like to add a splash of water in place of where oil would be. When I was a Healthy Eating Specialist at a pretty-well-known natural grocery store, we used to do this for any veggies that needed cooking and called it “water sauteing.” You basically cook whatever food you would normally cook in oil, in just a little bit of water.

What to Expect From Low Carb Vegan Mushroom Burgers

Do they taste like a Beyond Burger or an Impossible Burger? Nope! That’s a project for a different day. These burgers are more along the lines of a standard grain-based veggie burger you might find in the freezer section of your grocery store, but without the carbs or grains.

Notes on Making Low Carb Vegan Mushroom Burgers

• This recipe doubles really nicely.
• The pink stuff on the burger in these pictures is vegan keto beet hummus. I also added sauerkraut, broccoli sprouts and made the wrap from lettuce from my garden!
• If you don’t like pea protein powder, or don’t have any on hand, you could use whichever plain, plant-based protein powder you like best.
• Soy/chickpea/lupin flour can also be subbed in for the protein powder in a 1:1 ratio.
• If you want  a slightly less firm burger, 1-2 tbsp of pea protein powder should do the trick. For a firmer burger, 3-4 tbsp will work. I found 4 tbsp to be a bit too firm, and 1 tbsp to be a little soft, so the 2-3 range is the “Goldilocks zone” for me, but to each their own.
• While I used smoked sea salt and dried rosemary here, you could use whatever salt/seasoning blend you prefer. Truffle salt and rosemary or parsley is also really nice here.
• While I strive to provide accurate nutritional information, please keep in mind that different brands and variety of ingredients have differing nutritional values, so your calculations may vary.

Low Carb Vegan Mushroom Burgers (gluten-free, soy-free, high-protein)

Print Recipe

These protein-rich mushroom burgers are delicious, savory and a perfect low-carb dinner!

Course entree

Cuisine vegan keto

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 3 mushroom patties

Calories 171

Ingredients

• 8 oz ~225g sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup 60g tahini
• 1 tbsp ground chia seeds
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt I used smoked sea salt
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground dried rosemary or your seasoning of choice - cumin and paprika is also lovely here
• 2-3 tbsp unflavored pea protein or protein powder of choice

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a large skillet, cook mushrooms on medium-low heat until they are completely soft. Be sure to stir them frequently.
• Let cool for a bit, drain off excess liquid and roughly chop up mushrooms either by hand or in a food processor or blender (see images below for what this should look like).
• Stir the tahini, chia seeds, salt, pepper and rosemary in with the chopped mushrooms until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Let this mixture stand for about five minutes, so the chia can absorb excess moisture and the mixture thickens.
• Stir in the protein powder until it's completely absorbed, starting with just two tablespoons and adding the third a teaspoon at a time. You don't want the mixture to be dry, so stop adding the protein powder if it doesn't mix in thoroughly.
• Form into three equal patties, about 4in (10cm) across and 1/2in (~1cm) thick. Place the patties on the baking sheet (no need to worry too much about spacing) and bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm. You can flip them after 15 minutes, but it's not totally necessary.
• Remove the patties from the oven, let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Notes

Start off with just 2 tbsp of the protein powder. If the dough is still sticky, continue to add in 1 tsp at a time until the dough is relatively "dry" looking, but no crumbles of powder appear. In all the tests I did, this was usually about 2.5-3 tbsp, sometimes less, sometimes more. Nutrition info is for the 3 tbsp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.5g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12.2g | Fiber: 3.3g