Impossible Smash Burgers
Crowd-pleasing burgers! These impossible smash burgers are a vegetarian (and easily vegan) take on classic smash burgers with all the fixings.
I may not eat meat, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a good cheeseburger and these Impossible smash burgers are so good, you won’t miss the meat! I’ve made them for so many friends over the past few years, and everyone raves about them.
Grab a package of Impossible beef (or your favorite plant-based ground) and let’s get cooking.
Why I love these
I found this smash burger recipe from Pinch of Yum a few years ago and immediately adapted them with plant-based meat.
Before I went vegetarian, my favorite meat food was a hamburger and thanks to Impossible meat, I can have my cravings without every having to eat meat. And these smash burgers are my favorite way to enjoy them.
What I’ve learned from cooking with Impossible often (see my Impossible sloppy joes, Impossible chili and Impossible meatball recipes) is that you can’t cook it as thick as you would regular ground beef. But, because it caramelizes so nicely, it makes for fantastic smash burgers.
Vegetarian or not, you’re going to love these, especially when piled on a bun with plenty of burger sauce, crispy lettuce, my dill pickles and juicy summer tomatoes.
Ingredient Notes
- Impossible Meat: I use a single package to make 4 burgers, which is also enough to make 4 double patty slider burgers. That said, I’ve doubled and even tripled this recipe when making for a crowd and you can do this depending on how many packages you want to use. I’ve also tested these Impossible Smash Burgers with Beyond and while they are good, I prefer Impossible. My Trader Joe’s has the best prices on Impossible meat!
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: You can see I use this to first flavor the meat and also in the burger sauce. I use Annie’s brand sauce but others will work. Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so something to consider if you want to keep these vegetarian.
- Butter: I know the butter sounds odd! It’s what POY does in their burgers and I do find that it adds a nice richness to the burgers, but it’s totally optional. Sometimes I add it and sometimes I don’t.
- Smoked Paprika: Yes, this adds a nice meaty flavor and smoky richness to the burger patties as well. I use smoked paprika in so many recipes that I want to have a faint, almost-bacon like flavor and it works. (Try it in my smoky baked beans!)
- Cheese: I love these as cheese burgers, but you can enjoy these are regular burgers and yes, dairy-free cheese works. My go-to brand is Chao.
Equipment Notes
Yes, you can make these Impossible smash burgers with just a cast-iron skillet and spatula. However, for the best smash burgers, I highly recommend using a burger press to create an even, flat press onto the patties. I use this burger press along with my large cast-iron griddle to cook several smash burgers at once.
How to Make (Step by Step Photos)
Step 1: Make the Sauce
Whisk together all ingredients for the burger sauce and set aside. Taste, adjusting as desired– you can add more minced garlic, pickles, Worcestershire, etc, depending on preference.
Step 2: Mix the Burger Meat
Add the Impossible meat to a large bowl along with the additional seasonings: smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and salt. If using butter, add the melted butter to the meat. I use my hands to mix the seasonings in, as I find it easier than using a spatula!
Step 3: Roll the Meat into Balls
Grab a handful of the meat mixture and roll into balls. If making regular burgers, then I make four, 3-ounce balls. If making sliders, then I make eight, 1.5-ounce balls. If you want to make double patties, then you can do eight 1.5-ounce balls and then make double patties of these, for four total double-patty burgers. They will be a little smaller than the bun, but it will work, and I’ve done this several times!
Step 4: Cook the Burgers
Cut a small piece of parchment paper to place on the burger to prevent sticking. If you don’t have parchment paper, it’s OK, but this will help to make a cleaner smash burger. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat and place the balls on. Place the parchment paper on, then use a weighted, flat tool, like this burger press or a spatula.
Step 5: Flip and add cheese
Flip the burgers and add the cheese. Leave them undisturbed for another few minutes to allow the cheese to melt and finish cooking on the other side.
Step 6: Assemble and Eat
Toast your bun, if desired. I like to place the split buns on the warm griddle for a minute or so, then spread a good layer of the sauce on the buns along with the smash burger, lettuce, tomato, thinly sliced onions, and pickles.
These are SO good. Seriously, they are one of the best burgers I’ve ever had, vegetarian or not.
Tips for Success
- Hot Pan is Crucial: Use a heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, and get it smoking hot before adding the patties. This is essential for getting that immediate sear and crispy crust.
- Form Loose Balls First: Start with loosely formed balls of the Impossible mixture. Avoid overhandling or tightly packing them, as this can make them resist smashing.
- Smash Immediately and Firmly: Place the ball on the hot pan and immediately press down firmly with a sturdy, flat metal spatula or a grill press. You want to flatten it very thin, creating a maximized surface area for crispiness. I like placing a little parchment paper on top of the ball before smashing to prevent sticking to your tool, but I’ve also done this without it and if any meat comes onto the spatula, just press it back into the patty.
- Don’t Over-Smash: While you want them thin, don’t press them so thin that they break apart.
- Scrape and Flip: After 2-3 minutes, once the edges are browned and crispy, use your metal spatula to scrape the patty off the pan to ensure you get all that delicious crust, then flip. Top with cheese immediately to allow enough time for the cheese to melt.
More Burger Recipes
- Vegetarian Walnut Burgers
- Vegan Black Bean Sliders
- Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers
- Hawaiian Veggie Burgers
If you try these Impossible Smash Burgers, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Impossible Smash Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Smash Burgers
- 12 ounces Impossible meat
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (regular or dairy-free) , optional
Burger Sauce
- ¼ cup mayo (regular or dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- ½ teaspoon horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced pickles
Toppings
- 4 slices cheese of choice
- 4 Burger buns, split and toasted
- Thinly sliced onion
- Lettuce leaves
- Sliced tomatoes
Instructions
- Place the impossible burger meat in a bowl and add the smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt and melted butter, if using. Mix toguether(I use clean hands, it's easier!) and roll into 3 ounce balls (for regular burgers) or 1 1/2 ounce balls (for sliders.) I then pop the balls in the fridge while I make the burger sauce– this is optional, but makes for easier smashing!
- Make the burger sauce and set aside.
- Cut a small piece of parchment paper that you’ll use on top of the burgers to prevent sticking. Heat a cast iron skillet or flat griddle until it’s very hot; add a tiny drizzle of oil onto the skillet or griddle, then place a few of the burgers on the hot surface. I use a large griddle to cook them all at once, but if you are using a skillet then you will likely have to do two at a time.
- Place the parchment paper on top of each burger and then, using a heavy, flat tool, like this burger press or flat spatula, press the burgers down as flat as you can get them in one swift motion. Cook for a few minutes and then flip and top with cheese right away. Leave them undisturbed for another 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Assemble! Spread a little burger sauce on the bottom of the bun, then top with lettuce, tomato, burger, thinly sliced onion and a little more sauce.