Tyler McFarland on April 26, 2020
Updated on November 8, 2023 Reviewed and fact-checked Found a mistake? Let us know!
Everyone loves a quick good vegan burger that doesn’t require a long homemade recipe. There are many options to choose from when picking a vegan burger, and luckily that includes soy-free ones.
In this article, I’ve compiled five of the best vegan burgers without soy! The list includes real-tasting burger options, healthy options, and shelf-stable mixes that last over a year!
Most Realistic Meat Look and Taste: Beyond Burger
I personally love Beyond Burgers—they’re probably my top choice when it comes to vegan burgers, period. Many non-vegans even love them because they look and taste like real meat.
Beyond Burgers are free of soy, gluten, cholesterol, and GMOs. They’re also rich in nutrients, with 20 grams of protein from peas, rice, and mung beans.
The ingredients also include canola and coconut oil, potato starch, natural flavors, salt, vinegar, lemon juice concentrate, and sunflower lecithin.
This burger includes beet juice extract among its ingredients, which gives it the red and pink meat colors. It also has pomegranate and apple extracts for color and taste.
The Beyond Burger has received great feedback from Vox and The Washington Post. Both reviews focused on the burger’s special feature of tasting, smelling, and looking just like meat.
Pros
- Looks and tastes like meat
- Rich in nutrients, with 20 grams of protein
- Easy to cook
Cons
- Contains saturated fat from the coconut oil, so may not be as healthy as other options
My Other Favorite Brand: Amy’s Sonoma Burger
Amy’s is a classic brand that has been around for a while. “In 1989, we began our search for the perfect veggie burger,” states their website. They offer various delicious foods, and some are soy-free and vegan.
I’ve really enjoyed all the burgers I’ve had from Amy’s over the years. They’re more wholesome than a lot of other brands. You can see the vegetable pieces in the actual burger.
The Sonoma Burger isn’t free of soy only—it’s also free of gluten, dairy, and lactose. The recipe includes organic vegetables, quinoa, mushrooms, potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, and more. It’s important to be aware that the ingredients also include tree nuts in case you’re allergic to nuts.
Amy’s also offers another vegan soy-free option, which is the California burger (Amazon link). It’s made of organic ingredients as well. It also has bulgur wheat and celery. This one differs from the Sonoma, as it includes wheat gluten in addition to the nuts.
This makes the Sonoma the best option if you’re allergic to gluten. Amy’s also offers the same burger in a low sodium version, as the normal one includes 24% of your daily intake.
Pros
- Made with organic vegetables
- Amy’s has multiple soy-free vegan options
- Free of cholesterol
Cons
- Not suitable for people with nuts allergy
Side Note: This is the best free video introduction I’ve found on adopting a plant-based diet—the right way. You’ll learn how to lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and obesity—all with plants. Watch the free Masterclass here.
Next, I’ll cover some extra soy-free vegan burger options—in case you don’t love the first two I mentioned.
Neat “Meat Replacement” Mix
Neat “meat replacement” mixes are both vegan and soy-free. The Neat mixes are also free of gluten, cholesterol, and GMOs. They do have tree nuts and aren’t suitable in case of an allergy in that department, however.
Neat’s original meat-replacement mix (Amazon link) includes garbanzo beans, spices, pecans, and “vegan egg.” It provides plant protein to replace meat protein but with less saturated fat.
The mix is easy to prepare by browning over medium heat like ground beef. It also has a long shelf life of 14 months.
The company also offers a Southwest mix (Amazon link) which includes black beans, sweet potato, and chili peppers. It’s another suitable vegan option for spicy fans. To make a burger, just add water, mix, and cook on both sides for around 3 minutes.
Pros
- Rich in plant protein
- Low saturated fats
- Long shelf life
Cons
- Not suitable for people with nut allergies
Hilary’s Eat Well Burgers
Hilary’s offers a variety of vegan burgers to match different tastes. Their products are free of soy and other allergens like gluten, nut, and corn. All of Hilary’s products have no GMOs.
The most famous of Hilary’s burgers is the certified World’s Best Veggie Burger (Amazon link). This is their original veggie burger and the most popular. It’s made of organic whole grain millet, kale, spinach, flaxseed, and apple cider vinegar.
The company has other interesting options like the Fiesta Black Bean Burger, rich in protein from fava and black beans. There’s also the Grain-Free Super Cauliflower Burger for cauliflower fans.
Other special flavors are the Root Burger and the Spicy Thai Burger. Hilary’s Root burger includes a mix of root vegetables like red beet, sweet potato, turnip, and carrot. It’s seasoned with turmeric and smoked paprika for extra flavor.
The Spicy Thai burger has a special mix of jalapeno, adzuki beans, and mango for Thai food lovers. It’s certified vegan, with whole-grain millet and chili pepper flakes to add to the spice.
Pros
- Free of all allergens
- Made of organic ingredients
- Has various options
Cons
- A bit high in total calories
Organic Sunflower Hache
Organic Sunflower Hache is a vegan meat substitute made from 100% sunflower protein—no other ingredients! The mix is suitable for making burgers and other meatless dishes. It’s also free of most allergens like soy, gluten, wheat, peanuts, and dairy.
This product doesn’t contain any added fats or sugar, and it has no GMOs. In addition, it’s certified USDA organic and vegan.
Organic Sunflower Hache (Amazon link) has 0% cholesterol and sodium. Moreover, it has 11 grams of plant protein and 4 grams of dietary fiber. The mix can stay on the shelf for up to 24 months. All you need when cooking the mixture is to add water and season as you like.
Pros
- Free of major allergens
- Has no added sugar or fat
- Has a long shelf life
Cons
- Made of only one ingredient!
Making Homemade Vegan Burgers
When looking for protein alternatives other than soy, people go for beans, beets, eggplant, tofu, seitan, and many others.
Some people like to go for homemade recipes to have ultimately healthy burgers. A lot of vegetables, seeds, and spices can be used when preparing your burger. Yet, making your own burgers can be a challenge.
It’s important to consider measurements carefully to have a good burger fixture. One of the hardest parts of making a good vegan burger is getting it to stick together and not crumble. Adding specific ingredients like vegan egg or vital wheat gluten can help a lot.
Though deciding to make your own burger can be an adventure, a good cookbook will make it a fun and rewarding experience.
What to Consider When Buying Vegan Burgers?
When buying vegan burgers, the matter of taste is a personal preference. That’s why you’ll need to try some products before you can decide which taste is your favorite. You should also watch out for some specific ingredients:
Dairy Products
It might be surprising to know that some veggie burgers contain dairy products or eggs. I still remember the time I bit into a veggie burger at a restaurant, and the patty itself contained cheese!
So look for the word “vegan” rather than just “meatless” or “vegetarian.” You can also quickly check the allergen warning at the end of the ingredients list. Make sure it doesn’t say “CONTAINS MILK” or “CONTAINS EGG.”
Related post: What Does “May Contain Milk” Mean?
GMO & MSG
Some people also like to avoid GMOs and MSG. Personally I’m not fully decided on these ingredients.
Most of what I read suggests that some GMOs are harmful to the earth (due to allowing more pesticide use), but the technology isn’t inherently unethical or bad.
When it comes to MSG, I wrote a full blog post about the safety issues surrounding it—but most authorities say it is actually just fine for you in moderation.
My Recommendations
From these soy-free vegan burgers, my top pick is probably the Beyond Burger for offering a vegan option that looks and tastes like real meat.
However, I also really love Amy’s burgers for being a bit healthier and containing real vegetables and unique, different flavors.
You might want to try a bunch of products to decide which one matches your taste. Bon appétit!
Two More Recommendations for Your Plant-Based Journey
1. This is the best free video training I’ve found on plant-based nutrition. You’ll learn how to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and obesity—all with plant-based food. Watch the free “Food for Health Masterclass” here.
2. This is the best vegan multivitamin I’ve found in my 14 years of being vegan. It has vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3—and nothing else. Translation: It only has the nutrients vegans are actually low in. Read my full review of Future Kind’s multivitamin here (with 10% discount).
I’m Tyler McFarland, the editor and main author here. When I first went vegan 13 years ago, convenience products like veggie burgers and soy milk were a lot harder to find. Now they’re everywhere!