Add A Satisfying Crunch To Your Veggie Burger Patty With This Pantry Ingredient

Whether your diet is plant-based or you simply want to expand your culinary horizons, making a quality veggie burger, from a bistro beet burger to a spicy Thai peanut veggie burger, can be a challenge. Guy Fieri's go-to base for veggie burgers forgoes beans and focuses on combining one-part grain to four-parts vegetables, which is a great start, but still lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. No matter what your base is, you run the risk of things being a little one-note — unless you do something to add some crunch and improve the texture.

To find the best way to do just that, Food Republic spoke to Rachel Kirk, the owner and recipe developer for the Laughing Spatula. If your burger needs a little something for texture, she told us to turn to panko breadcrumbs. "Panko Crumbs are a superior choice because breadcrumbs are so small in texture, they can often become mealy once mixed [in]," the expert explained. And no — you don't need much to give you the contrast your burger craves. "While you only need a small amount, panko crumbs can give great binding texture to burgers," she said.

Panko crumbs will really help when it comes to binding your patty, according to Rachel Kirk. "It really depends on the [blend] you're using!" she told Food Republic. "If you're using something with less fat," Kirk continued, "use panko crumbs to bind the burgers and give them a better, held-together texture." 

Veggie burgers are notorious for crumbling under pressure (you know, right when you try to flip them). Panko breadcrumbs can be the binder you need to not only hold things together, but improve the texture at the same time.

However, you can also use them to make a crunchy panko crust. This works exceptionally well if you want to use firm tofu or a vegetable blend as the base. Form your patties, then set up two bowls: one with an egg wash (or use chickpea water as an egg substitute for a totally vegan meal) and one with the panko breadcrumbs. Alternate dunking your patties in the wash and the panko, then pan fry them for the crispiest exterior ever. Afterwards, all you have left to do is decide whether you're team pickles (the burger topping that makes or breaks a dish, according to Alton Brown) or not, serve, and enjoy!