White Bean Pizza Burgers

Pizza style white bean veggie burgers topped with peppers, onions, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese are seriously delicious. These filling and healthy burgers will quickly become a favorite. Serve them with Parmesan Zucchini Fries or  Healthy Kale Caesar Salad.

Veggie burgers get a bad rap. Sure, there are good versions and bad versions — just like any other burgers out there, veggie or otherwise. But if you ever had a good veggie burger, then you know what I'm talking about. They can be just as flavorful, "meaty" and satisfying as their animal counterparts.

I have spent a lot of time perfecting the veggie burger, so I know what I'm talking about. Plus, there are so many ways to patty-up veggies that surely there's a version out there that even the most self-professed-beef-burger-loving foodie can have his or her mind changed. It's all a matter of trying a few till you come across just the right flavor and texture combination.

I love a lot of different veggie burger types. However, when I came across a veggie burger at the store that was pizza-inspired, featuring mozzarella cheese and tomatoes, it quickly became my favorite. I mean, pizza and a burger in one? I'm so there! I then set about recreating the very same thing at home. This recipe is the culmination of all my efforts to bring you store-bought flavor right in your own kitchen.

Made with Italian spices, red pepper, green pepper, and sweet onion, and then topped with marinara and cheese — well, I dare you to not take one bite and fall in love immediately!

How do you make White Bean Pizza Burgers?

The first thing I do is preheat the broiler to get the oven nice and hot for those cheesy pizza burgers.

Next, I grab a bowl and mash up all the white beans. When those are good and mashed together, I add the egg, breadcrumbs, and half the Italian seasoning, plus the spices. I mix it all together until it's well combined (I used my hands) and then form those into four, equal-size patties and set the patties aside.

To cook up the burgers, I use a skillet over medium high heat. To the skillet I add some of the olive oil and let the peppers and onions cook up for about 6-8 minutes, until they start to become tender and fragrant. If they start to scorch, I add a tablespoon or two of water to keep them from burning. I add to them the rest of the Italian seasoning and remove them from the skillet, setting those aside.

After that, I add the rest of the oil and then the patties into the same skillet, cooking for 4-5 minutes per side until they are cooked all the way through on both sides.

Once they are cooked through, I top with the pepper and onion mixture and then 2 tablespoons of the marinara sauce and cheese. I then put the whole thing under the broiler until the cheese melts and browns and bubbles. (Make sure your skillet is oven-safe.)

Finally, I remove the skillet from the oven and serve immediately.

What makes these White Bean Burgers Healthy?

Vegetarian Pizza Burgers are made with tons of good-for-you ingredients!

• Olive oil is a good source of heart-healthy fats. It also contains omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, plus oleic acid, which is another monounsaturated (good) fat.
• Bell peppers are a low-calorie food that contains zero fat or cholesterol. They are also full of vitamins A and C, folic acid, fiber, and potassium, plus beta-carotene.
• Sweet onions are high in antioxidants, and are a good source of fiber, vitamin B, and folic acid. They also can help control your blood sugar, ward off certain kinds of cancer, help create new cells, and have antibacterial abilities.
• Spices such as Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper add tons of flavor without adding extra calories, fat, or cholesterol to your dishes.
• White beans are a great source of plant protein. They are also full of fiber, and vitamin B and can help reduce your blood sugar like onions do. They can improve your cholesterol and keep your gut flora functioning as it should.
• Eggs are an excellent source of protein. They also deliver vitamins B6, B12, B2, and D as well as zinc, copper, iron, and selenium.
• Breadcrumbs not only help your veggie burgers stick together, but they also provide a low-calorie alternative to frying and give a meaty texture to your burgers or anything you add them to.
• No-sugar-added marinara sauce is a low-sugar way to get that pizza sauce flavor without adding calories that you don't need. Plus, who wants extra sugars in their diet anyway?
• Part skim mozzarella cheese delivers calcium and protein, and is lower in calories and fat than a lot of other cheeses. Cheese is an important part of a pizza burger — go ahead and have it in a moderate amount.

Ways to Serve Vegetarian Burgers

• Add these burgers right atop a low-carb bun and serve it like you would any burger — with all the fixins'.
• Make mini burger sliders!
• Roll these into mini "meat"balls and serve over spaghetti with additional sauce.
• Add veggie burgers inside lettuce wraps because why not?
• Sandwich veggie patties inside two low-carb tortillas with a little extra sauce and cheese to make veggie pizza quesadillas.