Fire up the grills! Chances are high you'll be attending a barbecue to celebrate the Fourth of July. While the classic all-beef patty is the go-to burger of the season, it's nice to change things up — especially for the vegetarians and more health-conscious eaters of the group. If you're planning a barbecue this weekend, here are 15 burger recipes to add to your grilling repertoire that will satisfy even the healthiest of eaters.
Take the heat up a notch in these delicious-looking spicy vegan chili burgers. Brown rice and kidney beans form the base of these beautiful burgers.
Completely vegan and packed with vitamin A, this sweet potato, chickpea, and quinoa veggie burger is perfectly spiced and completely satisfying. At 202 calories per patty, you can add a 120-calorie whole-wheat bun and lettuce, tomato, and ketchup (34 calories) and still come in well under 500 calories.
While it may seem sort of odd, it's common in Mediterranean cooking to add bulgur to ground meats, like in this recipe for beef and bulgur burgers. Not only will it add fiber to your meal, but also, the additional grains decrease the amount of fat and cholesterol in each burger.
Try this simple and delicious bean burger — no grill required. Grab a handful of ingredients that are probably already hiding in your pantry, turn on your stovetop, and you're done in less than 10 minutes. It's a great vegetarian option for the weekend and a satisfying, protein-packed supper to enjoy after a tough gym session.
Wow guests with this too-good-to-be-true sweet potato burger. It's crispy on the outside thanks to a panko crust, and the inside is made from creamy sweet potato and white beans.
When you crave something on the lighter side, go for lean turkey meat. These quinoa turkey burgers are flavored with onions, dijon mustard, and BBQ sauce.
These chimichurri burgers from The South Beach Diet: Taste of Summer Cookbook substitute calorie-laden condiments with chimichurri, a thick herb sauce that hails from Argentina.
Sweet potatoes, black beans, millet, and corn make up this Summer-perfect black bean burger that even meat eaters will fall for. Opt for plain soy yogurt for the creamy sauce, or keep things fresh and simple with sliced avocado instead.
Guests will love the surprise of spinach that's hidden inside these stuffed turkey burgers; the garlic and scallions help to give the dish a spicy kick.
A barbecue doesn't have to equal all meat. Since most veggie burgers from the freezer section tend to be pretty flavorless, it's always good to try to make your own. Our recipe for spicy chickpea barley and quinoa veggie burgers is one of the best you'll ever have.
These portobello mushroom burgers are perfect for vegetarians! Adding to the flavor of the dish, the portobellos are marinated in balsamic vinegar and garlic before being charred on the grill and served with cheese.
Buffalo, aka bison, is similar in taste to beef but leaner, which makes this recipe for buffalo burgers a good stand-in for the classic burger. Even more of a plus is that buffalo is higher in iron and is not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones. Note of caution: because buffalo meat is so lean, it's easy to overcook. Make sure to keep an eye on your buffalo burgers when they're on the grill!
This thick and juicy black bean and beet burger brings a creative array of ingredients to the mix including black rice, walnuts, and even mushrooms! If you want to bite into the screen right now, you're not alone.
The base of this caprese veggie burger is made with cannellini beans, mushrooms, and rolled oats, but it's flavored with fresh basil leaves and tomatoes straight from the vine. For 378 calories, this veggie burger offers nine grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein. And because it's low in calories, you'll have plenty of room for all the other BBQ faves you crave!
The tofu in these herb-chicken tofu burgers adds just the right amount of binding, eliminating the need for egg yolk or bread crumbs. The result is a juicy chicken burger patty that doesn't taste anything like tofu.