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6 best vegan burgers for BBQ season, tried and tested
Cheat on meat with these delicious plant-based patties
Tested by Callum Black and Georgia Turnell
If you've embraced a meat-free diet or just want to pack more of your five-a-day into mealtimes, finding a flavoursome vegan burger to load up with melted cheese and sauces is a must.
So, as part of our annual BBQ taste test, we tasked our expert tasting panel at the Good Housekeeping Institute with finding the very best on the market.
Best vegan burgers 2026
From the convincing meat substitutes to the veg-packed patties, we’ve found the tastiest plant-based burgers for your grill.
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How we test meat-free burgers
Our panel fired up the grill to cook an impressive line-up of 14 vegan burgers from the leading supermarkets and pioneering plant-based brands. They were looking for innovative flavour combinations, a satisfying texture, and well-balanced seasoning.
But was our winner a branded buy or a budget supermarket burger? Read on to find out...
Biona Black Bean Cashew Burgers 160g
Biona Black Bean Cashew Burgers 160g
Score: 81/100
Made with a vibrant combination of black beans, fresh vegetables, and cashews, these vegan burgers are packed with Mexican-inspired smoky herbs and spices. Try them in a bun with a slice of avocado for a real taste of summer.
Symplicity Burgers 230g
Symplicity Burgers 230g
Score: 79/100
Founded by chef Neil Rankin, the Symplicity range is made from naturally fermented, gut-friendly vegetables. The simple, plant-based ingredients list – think whole mushrooms, onions and beetroot – is also free of the usual additives. Cook these umami-rich burgers on the BBQ or try the on-pack katsu curry recipe for a restaurant-style meal in minutes.
Strong Roots The Kale & Quinoa Burger 300g
Strong Roots The Kale & Quinoa Burger 300g
Score: 75/100
Created with wholesome kale, quinoa, potatoes, carrots and onions, these simple patties have a lovely crispy shell. You might want to add a little extra seasoning, but they’re a good, filling base for you to elevate with all those extra toppings.
Gosh! Beetroot & Quinoa Veggie Burgers 220g
Score: 74/100
These perfectly pink veggie burgers certainly look the part, but how did they taste? Well, our panel loved the balance of earthy beetroot and mint freshness, which would pair wonderfully with a fresh Greek salad and tzatziki.
Lidl Vemondo Mexican Bean Burgers 228g
Lidl Vemondo Mexican Bean Burgers 228g
Score: 72/100
These plant-based patties are loaded with fragrant herbs – including cumin, paprika and chipotle chilli – and aren’t trying to replicate meat. Instead, they use chickpeas, lentils, and beans to create a soft falafel-esque texture.
Beyond Meat Original Plant Based Burgers 226g
Score: 70/100
These vegan patties are a good choice for anyone looking for an authentic replacement for a traditional meat burger. They achieve an impressive BBQ char and smoky aroma. The flavour is equally convincing, with rich, umami notes, “spot on” seasoning and a juicy “bleeding” middle.
Read on for more BBQ winners
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Callum is our Food and Drink Testing Manager and has been part of the world of professional catering for 10 years, from cheffing to food manufacturing. While working in manufacturing he specialised in bespoke product and menu development for several start-ups and well-known brands such as Wrap It Up! and HOP Vietnamese. He holds the WSET Level 2 in wine, a Level 3 in spirits and has a particular interest in agave spirits.
Georgia has been part of the hospitality industry for the last nine years. Her starting point was the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary school where she gained a Diplôme de Pâtisserie. She has worked at a number of well-known restaurants and bakeries including The Club at the Ivy and Ottolenghi, Notting Hill where she was the head pastry chef. Most recently, Georgia worked at The Clink Bakery inside HMP Brixton, which aims to reduce reoffending through teaching. She is an expert in all things baked goods and holds a WSET level 2 in wine.
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