**Origin and Development of Veggie Burgers:**
– Various claims of invention of the veggie burger.
– Possible creation of the name “veggie burger” in London in 1982 by Gregory Sams.
– Gardenburger developed by Paul Wenner in 1980 or 1981.
– Introduction of veggie burgers in fast-food companies since the early 21st century.
– Burger King introducing veggie burgers in 2002 and the launch of the Impossible Whopper in 2019.
**Global Presence of Veggie Burgers:**
– McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and KFC serving veggie burgers in India.
– McDonald’s opening its first vegetarian-only restaurant in India in 2012.
– Availability of veggie burger options in various countries like Finland, Greece, and New Zealand.
– Different veggie burger options permanently served in McDonald’s restaurants worldwide.
– Burger King offering veggie burger options in all restaurants in Germany since 2010.
**Ingredients and Stabilizers in Veggie Burgers:**
– Common stabilizers in veggie burgers include tapioca starch and vegetable gum.
– Tapioca starch as a cheaper thickening agent that aids in patty cohesion.
– Vegetable gum contributing to patty cohesion.
– Oils like safflower, coconut, and olive oil used to lubricate the grain mix and enhance flavor.
– Proper oil use facilitating thorough mixing and heating of ingredients for better taste.
**Preservatives and Naming of Veggie Burgers:**
– Salt acting as a preservative in veggie burgers by reducing water activity.
– Proper salt usage extending the shelf life of the food product.
– EU rejecting a proposal to rename veggie burgers to veggie discs in October 2020.
– Continuing debate on the naming of veggie burgers in different regions.
– Major fast-food chains globally introducing veggie burger options.
**Resources and Further Reading on Veggie Burgers:**
– Lukas Volger’s book ‘Veggie Burgers Every Which Day’ offering vegan and vegetarian burger recipes.
– Additional resources on veggie burgers available on external platforms.
– Insights into creating flavorful and healthy veggie burgers from the book.
– Inclusion of recipes for toppings, sides, and buns catering to diverse and nutritious burger options.
– Media coverage on the history and popularity of veggie burgers and the role of inventors like Paul Wenner.
A veggie 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.
 Double vegan burger with tomato, lettuce and sauce | |
| Type | Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Vegetables, textured vegetable protein, legumes, nuts, mushrooms, or grains or seeds |
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.
Some popular brands of veggie burger include the Boca Burger, the Gardenburger, Morningstar Farms, and Quorn. In the 2010s, realistic imitations were developed, led by the companies Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.