Spinach & White Bean Veggie Burgers

Spinach and white bean veggie burgers prove that a meatless burger can still be big and sloppy and loaded with lots of fixings. These hearty beanburgers come together with white beans, spinach, garlic, onions, feta, and panko and are smothered in a bright and fresh yogurt cucumber sauce. Top ‘em off with sweet potato shoestrings for extra crunch -- and more veggies!

You’ll love these Veggie Burgers

Hearty burgers. This isn’t bird food or something to satisfy the vegetarians while everyone else eats “real” burgers. These spinach and bean patties are just as hearty and sloppy and satisfying as any burger out there. My husband, a die-hard bacon cheeseburger lover, declared these, “a great burger!” AND is planning on making them for his equally carnivorous buddies.

Fresh and flavorful. All the bright and fresh herbaceous flavors from the bean patties and tzatziki sauce come together to create a flavor-packed veggie burger. 

Make ahead dinner. You can absolutely make these ahead of time. Form the patties and roll them in panko, put them in the refrigerator overnight, then throw them in the pan when you’re ready to start cooking. 

Go bunless. You can absolutely leave off the bun and make this a bunless veggie burger all about the toppings. 

Spanikopita-esque. These burgers remind me a lot of spanikopita, what with all the spinach, garlic, onions, and feta. So it seemed fitting to smear them with a healthy dollop of tzatziki sauce. Hummus would also be good, or guacamole, or a garlicy, lemony mayo. 

Weeknight dinner, solved. These may taste like a Friday night dinner, but they’re so packed with nutritious stuff, you’ll feel great about making them on a Tuesday! 

How to Make Spinach and White Bean Veggie Burgers

Drain and rinse one can of white beans. Place in a medium bowl and smash with a fork or potato masher. 

Squeeze all the water from the frozen spinach. Just when you think you’ve gotten it all, wrap it in a paper towel and squeeze again. 

To the bean and spinach mixture, add the chopped onion, sliced green onions, garlic, dill, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, ⅓ cup feta, ½ cup panko, and one egg.

Mix everything together, getting in there with your hands (like meatloaf), if necessary. 

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Shape mixture into patties. I made 4 hefty-sized patties because I had giganto hamburger buns. You can easily get six good-sized patties for normal sized buns. 

Place remaining ½ cup panko in a bowl and roll the patties in it. 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in cast iron skillet. Cook patties for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. 

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Mix ½ cup Greek yogurt, ½ tablespoon lemon juice and zest, ½ tablespoon dill, 1 clove minced garlic, ¼ cup shredded cucumber, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Voila. 

Serve veggie burgers on toasted buns with tzatziki sauce, more feta, sliced tomato, and cucumber.

Top with a tangle of this easy recipe for sweet potato shoestring fries to add extra crunch!

Make Store-Bought Buns Better

To turn run-of-the-mill grocery store buns into something special, brush the tops with egg wash (1 beaten egg with a little bit of water), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in 400-degree oven for 10-12 minutes.