Vegan Cheeseburger Bowl
With 30 grams of protein per serving, this Vegan Cheeseburger Bowl will help you hit your macro goals—and help you satisfy that burger craving too! Who needs a bun when you can just pile vegan burger crumbles, potato wedges, and toppings in a bowl?!
After I noticed all the burger bowls on social media lately, I wanted to get in on the trend. And, of course, I wanted to make it plant-based! This Vegan Cheeseburger Bowl has the burger crumbles, the creamy Burger Sauce, French fries (because what’s a burger without fries?!), lettuce, pickles, and other toppings. The only thing that’s missing is the bun!
Why I Am ALL About These Vegan Burger Bowls Lately
I’ve been making these vegan cheeseburger bowls as a meal prep lunch option ever since I first started testing the recipe. I’ve tested them with Beet Burger patties and store-bought veggie burgers too, but the TVP filling is my fave because it’s already crumbly like ground beef!
- Budget-friendly. The other reason I like TVP is because it’s a much more affordable vegan protein than store-bought burgers and grounds. It takes on whatever flavours you add to it and the texture is totally meaty!
- Have it your way. Like Caramelized Onions on your burgers? Add ‘em on! Prefer Sweet Potato Fries to regular fries? Use them instead! Just like a burger, you can make these vegan cheeseburger bowls your way.
- Awesome for meal prep. Divide everything into meal prep containers for an easy protein-packed work lunch.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these protein-packed vegan cheeseburger bowls. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Potato Wedges Recipe:
- Russet potatoes – Cut these into fries. I leave the skin on, but you can peel them if you prefer!
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Cornstarch – For a crispy exterior.
Vegan Cheeseburger Filling:
- Textured pea protein – Also known as textured vegetable protein or TVP. Rehydrate this in vegetable broth.
- Seasonings – Liquid smoke, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, plus optional browning if you’d like, for more depth.
- Oil – Any kind you like to use for cooking.
- Red onion
Burger Sauce:
- Greek vegan yogurt – A thick, creamy base for the sauce. You can swap in Vegan Mayo if you prefer.
- Ketchup and yellow mustard – For burger vibes! Use a classic yellow mustard, not a fancy Dijon, for the most authentic flavour.
- Sweet pickle relish – If you’re not a sweet relish fan, you can use finely minced dill pickles instead.
- White vinegar
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper.
To Assemble:
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Greens – Like lettuce or spinach.
- Dill pickles
- Optional toppings – Sliced tomatoes or red onions.
How to Make a Vegan Cheeseburger Bowl
Let’s get started! Here’s how easy it is to make this recipe.
- Season the potatoes. Toss the potato wedges with olive oil, seasonings, and cornstarch.
- Air fry. Place the potatoes in an air fryer and cook at 400ºF for 15 minutes, shaking at the halfway point for even crisping.
- Make the burger meat. Heat the oil in a pan set over medium heat. Cook the onion until it softens, then stir in the rehydrated pea protein and seasonings. Add the browning if you’re using it and cook until the TVP is slightly browned.
- Make the sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together and season to taste.
- Assemble. Layer the lettuce, potato wedges, and vegan burger crumbles in a bowl and top with the shredded vegan cheese, pickles, and burger sauce.
Additional Topping and Variation Ideas
The beauty of this vegan cheeseburger bowl is how versatile it is! There are so many ways to make it your own.
- Try other vegan meats. I love budget-friendly TVP, but you can use your favourite vegan ground meat, crumbled tempeh, or even cooked lentils. You could also crumble up a homemade vegan burger like these Grillable Veggie Burgers.
- Top it with cheese sauce. For a meltier, gooey-er vegan cheese topping, try my Creamy Vegan Queso.
- Make it spicy. Add pickled jalapeños or your favorite hot sauce.
- Add some bacon. Love bacon on your burgers? Crumble some Crispy Vegan Bacon over the top!
Meal Prep Tips
I like to meal prep these vegan cheeseburger bowls in containers with dividers. I keep the lettuce and cold ingredients on one side and the heated ingredients on the other to keep the lettuce and pickles from getting soggy. To serve, I warm up the burger crumbles and potatoes, then put it all together in a bowl and drizzle the sauce on top.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover vegan cheeseburger bowls in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. When reheating, scoop out the lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes if you can; microwave the vegan burger crumbles and fries, then add back the cold ingredients.
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan cheeseburger bowl, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Cheeseburger Bowl
Ingredients
Potato Wedges Recipe:
- ½ medium Russet potato, cut into ½-inch wedges, 100g
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, 10mL
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1.5g
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, 0.4g
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 0.3g
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, 0.1g
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, since we aren't soaking in ice cold water for 30 minutes, 3g
Vegan Cheeseburger Filling:
- ¼ cup textured vegetable protein, (TVP) rehydrated in vegetable broth, 25g (dry)
- 1 teaspoon each of liquid smoke, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 5mL for liquid smoke and 5g for dry ingredients
- ½ tablespoon oil, 7.5mL
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion, 20g
- 1 teaspoon browning, optional, for deeper flavor & color, 5mL
Burger Sauce:
- ¼ cup Greek vegan yogurt, 60mL
- 1 ½ tablespoons ketchup, 22.5mL
- ¾ teaspoon yellow mustard, ~3.75mL
- ½ tablespoon sweet pickle relish, 7.5mL
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar, 2.5mL
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ~0.25g
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder, ~0.25g
- small pinch smoked paprika, optional
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Putting it All Together:
- Seasoned plant protein, from above
- Crispy potato wedges, from above
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Handful of lettuce and spinach
- A few dill pickles, sliced
- Optional: sliced tomatoes or red onions
Instructions
Potato Wedges:
- In a bowl, toss potato wedges with olive oil, seasonings, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and crispy.
Vegan Burger Meat:
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Sauté red onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add rehydrated pea protein and seasonings. Stir well to combine.
- Add browning, stir to combine again, and cook for 5-8 minutes until slightly browned. Set aside.
Burger Sauce:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust salt, tang, or sweetness to taste. Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Putting it All Together:
- In a bowl, layer greens, potato wedges, and protein.
- Top with shredded cheese and pickles.
- Drizzle generously with burger sauce.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftover vegan cheeseburger bowls in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. When reheating, scoop out the lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes if you can; microwave the vegan burger crumbles and fries, then add back the cold ingredients.
- Nutritional information is calculated with only the burger crumbles, sauce, and fries. When I assemble my own bowls with my preferred vegan cheese and toppings, I get 30 grams of protein, but this depends on the toppings (and amounts) you add.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
