We’ve updated our recipe, now the Kitchen Alchemy DIY Plant-Based Burger 2.0! Click the link to see!
Who says a delicious DIY Plant-based burger is impossible? Believe it or not, a juicy flavorful plant-based patty is not beyond your reach. With this easy, versatile recipe, every cook can create a delicious, nutritious plant-based ground ‘beef’ in your own kitchen in just a few simple steps. Remember, we’ve specially sourced the key ingredients in this recipe for the perfect texture, flavor and experience. Sourcing the main ingredients from other suppliers will not guarantee that you’ll get the same phenomenal plant-based burger experience!
Comments (91)
December 23, 2019 12:40 pm
[…] our Kitchen Alchemy DIY Plant-Based Burger recipe a try! Who says a delicious DIY Plant-based burger is impossible? Believe it or not, a juicy […]
March 2, 2020 8:53 pm
Why not use fresh garlic, onion etc?
March 3, 2020 10:50 am
We did not want to add any textures you would not find in traditional ground beef. But if that’s what you prefer it’s absolutely fine to do so.
December 24, 2019 9:50 am
[…] Recipe Link: Kitchen Alchemy DIY Plant-Based Burger […]
December 24, 2019 1:41 pm
I love how you used ‘impossible’ and ‘beyond’ in this description,very clever. Lol
December 30, 2019 11:23 am
He mentions a specific beet powder but then doesn’t say where to get it. Suggestions? Brand?
December 30, 2019 11:56 am
It’s Sunfood Superfood organic beet powder
April 10, 2020 8:12 pm
Do you think I could skip the beet powder? With covid-19 delays, it could be while before I can get some and I have all the other ingredients. But I don’t want it to fail to work without it. Thanks!
April 11, 2020 5:54 pm
You can skip the beet powder if you’re not concerned about having the pink color.
August 4, 2020 11:39 pm
beet powder 3/4 tsp … Necessary or not?
August 4, 2020 11:40 pm
Sorry – did get that far in comments … my bad
August 5, 2020 7:51 am
We prefer to add it for the color and a bit of extra flavor. Seasonings and flavorings can always be customized to taste.
January 3, 2020 6:09 pm
Very impressed. I’ve been working on this awhile myself using methylcellulose but never thought to use HV, which is what did the trick. I was worried that it might be vinegary, so I reduced that a bit. Only change. Great job guys!
January 3, 2020 8:01 pm
Thanks Skye! Glad you liked it.
February 19, 2020 8:31 pm
Hopefully you will give these guys credit (which you never do) before you steal their recipe and make a profit off of it. Let me guess, you are going to change the ingredients with ingredients that you make and say that it’s your creation after you say ‘you’ve been working on it for awhile’? You say the same thing with every recipe you steal, I mean ‘get inspired’ by.
February 20, 2020 9:40 am
Woah, if you watched our video on this recipe you would know that we gave Sauce Stache a shout out for the original idea, which is how we learned about it. We always credit chef Skye for the original vegan cheese recipes as well. The nature of cooking is evolutionary. People take things they like and admire and put their own spin on it. We certainly did a ton of R&D to get our burger to where we felt totally happy with it, and if someone takes that recipe and adapts it to make it their own, that’s great. In fact we encourage it. How boring would it be if we all did the same recipe the exact same way for the rest of time?
March 5, 2020 3:02 pm
Janie,
I’m quite certain the comment from Truth Hurts was not directed at you or your associates, but addressed to the one above his/her own comment – with good reasons.
September 1, 2020 3:47 pm
well said!
January 8, 2020 7:00 am
I tried to make Marbling fat, but it did not emulsify, probably because I put all the coconut oil at once?. The water used in the Marbling fat and in burger mix, should be at room temperature or cold (from the refrigerator)? Does the marbling fat have any binding effect in the burger?
January 8, 2020 9:17 am
water for the marbling fat should be room temp. And yes, you have to slowly add in the coconut oil with your blender on low to give it a chance to distribute evenly with the water/methylcellulose mixture. The marbling fat is there to add juiciness to the burger and will not bind the burger by itself.
September 10, 2020 12:36 pm
I cannot seem to get the methylcellulose to thicken in the blender. My blender does not have a slow option, can I use a hand whisk or will a high speed blender still work?
September 12, 2020 10:42 am
No, you need to be able to control the speed. Hand whisking will not work.
January 8, 2020 7:35 pm
Can this be frozen before cooking? I live alone and that is a lot of “meat”. I will be cooking a patty tonight but will have a lot leftover.
January 13, 2020 12:30 pm
Yes it can. We recommend thawing it under refrigeration to prevent the fat from liquefying.
January 14, 2020 10:57 pm
Hi.In other videos and instructions I ever saw on youtube, about methylcellulose use for vegan burger, they said to cool everyrthing before add methycellulose. But in this recipe you instruct to add methylcellulose to the protein mixutre without cool anything. Jut the marbling fat it’s instruted to cool,but just to make the coconut oil solid. May I ask how the methylcellulose can work this way for the vegetal protein without cool? Is just this brand of methylcellulose that do not require cooling???
January 15, 2020 10:52 am
This recipe does not heat the methylcellulose so it does not require cooling. Methylcellulose gels when it’s heated, so if other recipes are heating it up then yes it will need to be cooled. In our recipe the only point when it is heated is during the cooking process, which is when you want it to gel anyway to provide the juiciness you see in our videos.
January 30, 2020 1:04 pm
what can i use to substitute the faba bean protein ? i cannot find it anywhere here
thank you
January 30, 2020 2:33 pm
and also i tried to substitute the faba bean protein with some organic plant protein, and i didn.t had Methylcellulose HV i used Carboxy Methyl Cellulose/CMC FOOD GRADE; and the result was very viscose ;way too much, was not a pleasent texture, any advice ? thanks
January 30, 2020 3:09 pm
This recipe is very specific to the ingredients listed, any substitution will not result in the desired mixture.
February 5, 2020 10:21 am
I may be unable to find but where can I find the nutritional information on this recie?
February 5, 2020 11:04 am
We have not compiled a recipe nutritional guide since our recipes are for home cooks and restaurants.
February 5, 2020 11:24 am
i tried again with the proper ingredients and is very mushy even when overcooked this texture of uncooked flour stays , any advice?
February 5, 2020 11:30 am
If you’re sourcing ingredients from different places and not Modernist Pantry then we have no idea of knowing what you got or what the properties of those ingredients are. This recipe is very ingredient specific as not all TVP is the same, not all coconut oil is the same, and so on and so forth. I would recommend trying it with our products.
February 5, 2020 11:59 am
i live in indonesia ……………
February 5, 2020 11:28 am
i found all the proper ingredients, and replicate it as the recipe said, but i can’t get rid of the mushy viscose texture, that almost taste like uncooked flour, i tried even to over cook it ,still that texture stays
i tried to add tvp to make it more dry, still
any suggestion?
February 5, 2020 5:08 pm
You guys rock!! I am a plant-based chef who is going to try to make this with less fat (as the big complaint in the WFPB world of Beyond Burgers is they are too high in sat fat) This is not a complaint to you as you are trying to replicate them–so be your own bad selves and teach us!! I am so appreciative! But if I make a credible version would you like the recipe? Seems fair!
February 6, 2020 9:48 am
That sounds great. Our recipe has the same fat content as 20% ground beef so it is not excessively fatty. We find when the fat content is too low the patties become dry and crumbly, if you have a solution to this problem please share, that would be wonderful.
February 27, 2020 11:59 am
Can you use different oils liquid at room temp to make marbling fat? I was thinking it would be totally yum to use an EVOO to kick up the healthy fat.
February 27, 2020 1:35 pm
EVOO would not work since it does not solidify like coconut oil.
March 4, 2020 3:57 pm
I just received the plant based burger binder. Can I use it in place of the hv methylcellulose?
March 4, 2020 4:03 pm
You can. We found that the burger that was made with just the burger binder was not as consistent as one made with HV, but if you’re looking to reduce the number of ingredients you need to make the burger and sausage it is a good option.
March 5, 2020 6:14 pm
Hey Guys, I’ve Methyl Cellulose but not HV, do you reckon I still can use that one or it’ll make a big difference?
March 5, 2020 6:18 pm
There are many different types of methylcelllulose, you can try it but it won’t yield the same exact results.
March 12, 2020 6:56 pm
I tried this and it turned out well. I did have a problem with it sticking to the fry pan, even though I did add the oil. Any suggestions as to why?
March 17, 2020 10:33 pm
please post video showing making fat. drizzled slow. ended up with egg drop soup.
March 18, 2020 12:17 pm
Marbling Fat: I popped out the frozen pieces and put them in a chilled food processor work bowl. Pulsing. Looks like the desired product. I made the full recipe so saved time with the fork.
March 18, 2020 1:16 pm
Marbling Fat: Vitamix 5200 Speed at 3
Ok, low and slow is the key. Kept it at 3 and came out perfect. Man this stuff is weird.
April 7, 2020 10:16 pm
I can’t seem to find the porchini powder from any reputable company. could you please tell me the brand and or manufacture that you use ? And I just love watching you guys and learning.
April 8, 2020 11:51 am
You can get porcini powder here or use a spice grinder to grind up dried porcinis.
April 23, 2020 6:41 pm
Hi I made the hamburgers a few weeks ago and tried the sausage patties today I bought all the ingredients from you except for the nutritional yeast but for some reason everything falls apart when cooking the flavor is amazing but it basically just crumbles as soon as a spatula hits it. The marbling fat and everything else seems to be perfect so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong I’m very frustrated! Thank you for any tips I just served it with gravy and potatoes so it wouldn’t go to waste
April 24, 2020 8:23 am
That sounds like something you’ll have to troubleshoot with Scott if there’s an issue with binding since without knowing your exact process we can’t toss out any general tips. Please write in to service@modernistpantry.com.
June 24, 2020 4:36 am
Hi. I cant find vinegar powder. What can I substitute with. Take care.
April 30, 2020 5:48 pm
This came out awesome. So satisfying after a number of other attempts that generally ended up too beany or loose. Made a few substitutions using items already on hand. Used canned beets (1 tbsp) in place of beet powder, dried shiitake mushrooms (4), and vinegar; all 3 mixed in a blender with the other liquids. Substituted pea protein powder for the faba bean protein and soy sauce for the Braggs Amino acid. For the marbling fat I was careful to keep the coconut oil temperature as low as possible while still liquefying it. Also streamed slowly into the methyl cellulose and water mixture and this worked. Very happy.
May 5, 2020 8:02 pm
Best burgers yet! I added 5g moo gloo, formed the burgers (thick) and ziplocked bagged them to get all the air out but not squash them ( like with a vacuum sealer). 24 hours in fridge. Sealed the burgers in a vacuum bag and souse bide at 160F, 1 hr. Slight brown in skillet. Burgers had very good spring and chew.
May 19, 2020 12:25 am
I’m very tempted to try this, I’m ordering the ingredients now. would you recommend any vegan substitutes for the moo glue, maybe seitan?
Thanks 🙂
May 19, 2020 10:33 am
There are no substitutes for meat glue. Moo Gloo TI is vegan.
May 22, 2020 8:27 am
que diferencia hay entre carboximetilcelulosa y metilcelulosa HV.
que aminoacidos usan?
May 22, 2020 9:32 am
CMC is typically used for moisture retention, it doesn’t gel. We use Bragg amino acids which are easy to find in the US.
June 8, 2020 4:50 pm
Hi,
I just tried this, its super, super, super tasty! very close to the beyond burger, maybe even better! I added a bit of marmite to the wet ingredients to add that depth of umami flavour. I’m just wondering about the marbling fat, by the time I mix it to the mixture and before frying it becomes melted and almost no more white pieces, is that normal?
June 8, 2020 4:56 pm
Is it pretty warm where you are? If it’s very warm the marbling fat will melt faster.
June 19, 2020 9:58 am
[…] blog.modernistpantry.com […]
June 19, 2020 8:04 pm
The fat mixture starts emulsify fine, but by the time I finish adding the fat the emulsification breaks and it goes liquid again. Am I adding the oil too slow? Is there anything I can do to salvage it? I don’t want to waste it, but I don’t want to use it if it’ll cause my burgers issues either.
June 22, 2020 10:29 am
It is important to make sure the water and coconut oil are around the same temperature. If I had to say a perfect temp it would be about 110F that way the coconut oil will not begin to set. when it solidifies the emulsion will break.
June 23, 2020 9:58 am
[…] Plant-Based Meat 454g (1 lb) […]
June 24, 2020 7:12 pm
I just made a batch of this today. I followed the recipe exactly, using ingredients from your Plant-Based Burger kit as well as what I had in the kitchen- no omissions or substitutions. I used a gram scale to weigh everything.
I cooked up a small test patty- 2 minutes on each side- and although the flavor was very good, the interior texture was much softer/wetter than I expected; definitely much more so than other meat analogues I have tried.
What could explain this difference in texture?
June 28, 2020 12:32 pm
Is there such thing as adding the oil to slow? The last two times I’ve tried this the emulsification broke before I got all of the oil added and I was adding an extremely slow. It started looking like the mayonnaise texture but by the time I finished adding the oil it had turned basically to liquid.
June 28, 2020 12:34 pm
Sorry you can disregard this question I saw the answer above I couldn’t find it the other day
June 30, 2020 9:57 am
[…] Link: Kitchen Alchemy DIY Plant-Based Meat Simmer in Sauce Plant-Based Meatballs Home Style Plant-Based Meatloaf Plant-Based Bulgogi Stir Fry […]
June 30, 2020 9:58 am
[…] 454g (1 lb) Plant-Based Meat […]
July 20, 2020 10:27 am
[…] 45g (3 tbsp) Marbling Fat (See Recipe) […]
July 21, 2020 11:17 am
[…] 227g (1 Cup) Marbling Fat […]
July 27, 2020 9:36 am
[…] faba bean protein. It has worked wonders in all of our plant based foods. We have made plant based burgers, sausage, meatballs, and even meatloaf. Not to mention all the recipes we have coming down the line […]
July 30, 2020 2:07 pm
[…] 1 Recipe Plant Based Meat […]
August 2, 2020 7:48 pm
Hello:
Which unit of measure should I used when following th recipe?
What I mean is that 1 cup is not equal to 100g… 2 g of cocoa powder are not equal to 1 tsp…
Please advise. Thanks.
August 3, 2020 9:51 am
When in doubt, use the weight.
August 5, 2020 10:21 pm
Thanks.
I mistakenly bought the LV methylcellulose.. will it still work for the marbling fat?
October 25, 2020 7:18 pm
I’m wondering regarding the marbling fat if taste-wise and finished-product-wise if I could just skip the freezing and scraping part and instead just add the fat emulsion to the mix as it is right after it comes off the blender? I realize the fat would be mixed all through instead of marbled but it seems like it would be much simpler if I could skip those steps.
October 26, 2020 7:59 am
It would not work properly because dispersing the fat with the mixture would keep the other ingredients from binding the burger together.
December 28, 2020 10:58 am
I think in order to avoid all these questions in the comment section, it would be in Modernist Kitchen’s best interest to just make a step by step UN-cut video showing each step of the process of making these burgers. Showing how everything is prepared etc.
I bought all of the ingredients from you guys from your store, but unfortunately I’m afraid of making my first attempt at making the burgers, ruinining it, and as a result wasting all the ingredients I bought from you guys… It was quite expensive…
Perhaps that’s your strategy, that is for us to buy more from you guys? Lol But maybe I’m just being too cynical, but the video you currently have up on your youtube channel is not very helpful. It’s better when you have someone there explaining every step by step of the process.
Please consider doing this for us so we can all stop asking you the same d*amn questions here about how to mix the ingredients and how much to put in and so on.
December 30, 2020 10:49 am
Thanks for the suggestion. We’re not always sure if people are interested in longer form recipe videos so the feedback is appreciated.
January 23, 2021 9:12 pm
Quick Question: If I wanted to use Methylcellulose HV in just a veggie burger recipe other than the one listed here what is the ratio of Methylcellulose HV to water?
January 24, 2021 5:42 pm
If you want to add HV to your own recipe you will have to R&D it to get the right ratio. I would recommend starting with the same amount that we have in our recipe and then adjust based on desired results.
April 10, 2021 2:10 am
Decent recipe but with exact measurements and proper technique it’s a bit too crumbly. It’s reminiscent of the beyond burger. For a firmer texture what is the suggestion?
April 12, 2021 11:31 am
We have been tinkering with a recipe or a firmer burger. The secret is to create a mixture of burger binder (12g) and ice water (400g) in a blender. then add between 50-100g of this mixture to the burger to get the consistency you prefer.
April 14, 2021 8:56 am
Is there a reason you used malt vinegar powder instead of the liquid form?
April 14, 2021 9:24 am
It is important to control the amount of liquid in the mixture. Powdered vinegar (and other flavorings) allow you to add flavor without introducing unwanted moisture.
April 26, 2021 11:04 am
On April 12, 2021 11:31 am, Janie said
“We have been tinkering with a recipe or a firmer burger. The secret is to create a mixture of burger binder (12g) and ice water (400g) in a blender. then add between 50-100g of this mixture to the burger to get the consistency you prefer.” My question is: Does that combo REPLACE any ingredients in your DIY Plant Based Ground Meat (Burger) recipe? Or is it ADDED TO the rest of the ingredients? If add it to the base recipe…. do I add it to the other wet ingredients before mixing with the dry? Love your products!
April 26, 2021 11:31 am
It does not replace anything it just gets added to the finished burger recipe.
May 19, 2021 9:47 am
Is the malt vinegar powder for flavour or chemistry?
I have celiac, and every other ingredient is already gluten free. My instinct says to just add some apple cider vinegar to the water/liquid smoke tamari… thoughts?
May 19, 2021 11:26 am
Since the vinegar is a flavoring you can also try omitting it. We recommend trying that first because adding any additional liquid ingredients may throw off the dry/wet ingredient ratio, which is very important in this recipe.
March 29, 2022 5:58 pm
These were amazing!
I subbed out Vital Wheat Gluten for the pea protein just because I didn’t have any. Worked just fine with all the same proportions.