This vegan slider recipe satisfies with plant-based meat and cheese

Vegan Pub Sliders

Total time:35 mins

Servings:4 to 8

Total time:35 mins

Servings:4 to 8

Placeholder while article actions load

I’m not going to apologize for liking an Impossible or Beyond burger every now and then. Sometimes I feel like I should, given the criticism they face for being highly processed, not focused on recognizable vegetables, etc. (Cue the self-righteous, “gotcha!” commenters with their tired “Why would vegetarians and vegans want something that reminds them of meat?” questions.)

Instead, I want to focus on how easy they can be to cook and what a boon they can be to plant-based eaters like me who, yes, enjoy the taste and texture of a well-made hamburger but don’t want it to be made of animals.

America’s Test Kitchen has jumped, ideology-free, into the fray with a book on the best practices for cooking plant-based meats such as these patties; my colleague Becky Krystal featured some of their strategies for grilling in a recent piece.

As much as I love grilling, I’m more likely on any given weeknight to be firing these up in a skillet on my stovetop, in a kitchen where the air conditioning is strong. So I was drawn to a recipe in “Cooking With Plant-Based Meat” that turns 12 ounces of the ground variety into eight sliders — just the thing for a get-together with friends (or for multiple meals with my husband).

The recipe includes a few smart tricks: using a glass pie plate or dish and parchment paper to press the patties into neat 3-inch rounds; chilling them first so they are easy to maneuver and hold up better; pressing chopped onions onto one side to char as the burger cooks; and adding steam to soften the buns and to help melt the vegan cheese.

With their sweet-and-sour sauce, the diminutive burgers reminded me of those little darlings from White Castle, but without the same impacts — to the environment and to animals — of meat. Win-win-win.

For best results, use a block of ground plant-based meat by Impossible Foods or Beyond Meat rather than patties. Note that in testing, we preferred these with brioche-style slider buns; sweet Hawaiian-style rolls competed with the slightly sweet/sour sauce. Serve one slider per guest as an appetizer or two as a main.

Make Ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days before you cook and assemble the sliders.

Storage Notes: Refrigerate for up to 3 days and microwave to reheat.

Want to save this recipe? Click the bookmark icon below the serving size at the top of this page, then go to My Reading List in your washingtonpost.com user profile.

Scale this recipe and get a printer-friendly, desktop version here.

  • 2 tablespoons plant-based mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 ounces plant-based ground meat, such as Impossible Foods or Beyond Meat
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 slider hamburger buns
  • 4 slices plant-based cheese, such as Violife cheddar slices
  • 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow or white onion, divided
  • 1/4 cup water, divided

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, vinegar and pepper.

Make the sliders: Fold a sheet of parchment paper in half, then unfold it. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll the ground meat into 8 balls (1 1/2 ounces each). Put one ball on one side of the parchment paper, fold the other side over, and use a clear pie plate or baking dish to press the ball into an even 3-inch-wide patty. (Using something made of glass helps you see the size of the patty as you’re pressing.) Transfer to a platter or a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining balls. Sprinkle the patties with salt and pepper and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Divide the sauce evenly among the bun bottoms and arrange them on a serving platter. Stack the cheese and cut it into quarters (for 16 pieces).

In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil until just smoking. Using a spatula, transfer four patties to the skillet. Sprinkle a total of 2 tablespoons of the onion over the tops of the patties and press firmly into the patties with the back of the spatula. Cook the patties until well browned on the first side, about 1 minute. Flip the patties and top each with 2 pieces of cheese and add the bun tops. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet beside the patties (being careful to not wet the buns), cover, and cook until the cheese is melted, 90 seconds.

Transfer the sliders to the prepared bun bottoms, tent with aluminum foil, and set aside while cooking the remaining patties. Repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, 4 patties, 2 tablespoons of onion, bun tops and 2 tablespoons of water. Serve warm.

Per serving (1 slider), based on 8

Calories: 168; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 486 mg; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 3 g; Protein: 9 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from “Cooking With Plant-Based Meat” by America’s Test Kitchen (2022).

Tested by Joe Yonan; email questions to [email protected].

Scale this recipe and get a printer-friendly, desktop version here.

Browse our Recipe Finder for more than 9,800 Post-tested recipes.

Did you make this recipe? Take a photo and tag us on Instagram with #eatvoraciously.

Next Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

Vegan Fitness

ADVERTISEMENT

Vegan News

ADVERTISEMENT