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This Vegan Big Mac recipe features flavorful homemade lentil burgers with vegan special sauce, cheese, pickles, onion, and lettuce on seeded buns – all the components of the McDonald’s classic!

close up front view of plant based big mac

I first came up with this Vegan Big Mac recipe for a friend of mine who had just gone vegan years ago (circa late 2008/early 2009). At that time I was living in my hometown (shout-out to Buffalo!). Since then I’ve lived across the world twice, spent a few years in Washington DC, and then finally settled in Florida. I’m sad to say, at some point along the way she and I lost touch!

But every so often I’ll think of her and these burgers will cross my mind. Vegan or not, you’re going to love them! Serve them with a side salad, fries, or apple wedges for a full meal.

overhead view of half of vegan big mac with fries

For this recipe, we start with a homemade lentil burger. I wanted to keep these gluten free as well as vegan, so we use golden flaxseed meal and cornstarch as the binders. (Don’t forget to use your favorite gluten free buns to keep them GF!) They’re mostly flavored with onion and garlic, but a little bit of vegan Worcestershire sauce adds great depth. Flavor-packed with a crispy exterior, you will want these vegan burgers in your regular dinner rotation. 

And of course we had to go all out with the Big Mac fixings! We whip up a quick vegan special sauce, but you can use store-bought Thousand Island dressing if you prefer. Vegan American cheese, minced onion, shredded lettuce, pickles, and seeded burger buns complete the ensemble.

Even if you’re not vegan, give these a try for a Meatless Monday dinner. And if you’re trying to stick to a budget for food expenses, this is a budget-friendly meal! Make a double batch of the burgers because they freeze well and are great for a quick supper on a busy night.

lentil burger big mac with all the fixings

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Economical! A bag of lentils is budget-friendly and we only use 1/2 cup of lentils for this recipe, so you’ll have plenty left to make other things with.
  • Freezer-friendly. Make a double batch of the burgers because they freeze well!
  • Special diet-friendly. These plant based burgers are vegan, and also gluten free because we use golden flaxseed meal and cornstarch as binders.
  • It’s a good replication of the classic. With all the flavors of a Big Mac, this vegan lentil burger version is satisfying and delicious.

The Best Vegan Big Mac Recipe with Lentil Burgers and Vegan Special Sauce

Ingredients

Vegan Special Sauce:

vegan big mac special sauce ingredients
  • Vegan mayo
  • Ketchup
  • Yellow mustard
  • Sweet pickle relish
  • White wine vinegar
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Paprika

Lentil Burgers:

lentil burgers ingredients
  • Dry brown lentils
  • Water
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Golden flaxseed meal
  • Cornstarch

Big Mac Fixings:

variety of items for making vegan big macs
  • Seeded burger buns
  • Vegan American cheese
  • White onion
  • Dill pickle slices
  • Lettuce

Step-by-Step Instructions

How to Make Vegan Special Sauce:

how to make vegan big mac sauce

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until using.

How to Make Lentil Burgers:

how to make vegan lentil burgers
  1. Add the lentils and water to a saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over, cover the saucepan, and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well.
  3. Prep the onion and garlic.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the lentils, onion/garlic mix, Worcestershire, salt, black pepper, golden flaxseed meal, and cornstarch to a food processor.
  6. Pulse a few times, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, and then process until the mixture comes together but isn’t completely pureed.
  7. Shape the lentil mixture into 4 equal patties, place them on a plate lined with plastic wrap, and freeze for 10 minutes.
  8. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lentil burgers, turn the heat down to medium, and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once.

Storage and Reheating

You can make the vegan special sauce and the lentil burgers up to 5 days in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. (You can store the burgers in the freezer for up to 3 months.)

When you want to assemble the Vegan Big Macs, you can reheat the lentil burgers in a skillet on the stovetop, in a 350F oven, or in the air fryer at 350F until warm.

Cooks Tips

  • To save time, you can use 1 1/4 cups of canned lentils (drained well) instead of dry lentils. There’s no need to cook the canned lentils, they are ready to go once you drain them.
  • For even more flavorful lentil burgers, use 2 cups of vegetable stock instead of water to cook the lentils.
  • If you don’t want to make special sauce, you can use vegan Thousand Island or Russian Dressing for a similar flavor.
vegan big mac recipe graphic

Vegan Big Mac FAQs

What’s in McDonald’s Special Sauce (aka Big Mac Sauce)?

Big Mac Sauce (also called Special Sauce) tastes similar to Thousand Island dressing with a sweet, tangy, and savory flavor. But the exact recipe and ingredients for Big Mac Sauce is speculation if you’re making it at home (you can read about the history of this sauce on the McDonald’s website).

A lot of copycats include the following in Big Mac Sauce recipes: mayo, French dressing or ketchup, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, minced white onion, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and sometimes other seasonings like paprika, black pepper, and/or garlic powder.

What is a Good Binder for Veggie Burgers and Lentil Burgers?

To make vegan burgers stick together, you can use breadcrumbs, flour, cornstarch, oats, or other similar ingredients.

I wanted to make these lentil burgers gluten free as well as vegan, so for this recipe we use golden flaxseed meal and cornstarch as the binders.

messy eaten vegan big mac with fries

Can I Make These Lentil Burgers Vegetarian Instead of Vegan?

Yes! I frequently make vegetarian lentil burgers; they’re one of my favorite meatless meals. Vegetarian lentil burgers are delicious, and they’re a great way to use up just one egg white!

This is my recipe for 4 vegetarian lentil burgers:

  • 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup cooked lentils, drained
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (any type you like)
  1. Add 1 teaspoon oil to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is softened but not browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add the onion/garlic mix and lentils to a food processor and pulse 5 to 10 times (there will still be some whole lentils).
  3. Transfer the lentil mixture to a bowl, add the egg white, Worcestershire, salt, black pepper, and breadcrumbs. Stir to combine. Shape the lentil mixture into 4 equal patties.
  4. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons olive oil. Once hot, add the lentil patties and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
vegan big mac with bite

More Vegan Dinner Recipes to Make

vegan big macs on wooden board with toppings

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an edible mosaic submark initials

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Vegan Big Mac Recipe with Lentil Burgers and Special Sauce

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Other Time10 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
This Vegan Big Mac recipe features flavorful homemade lentil burgers with vegan special sauce, cheese, pickles, onion, and lettuce on seeded buns – all the components of the McDonald’s classic!

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Ingredients
 

Vegan Special Sauce:

Lentil Burgers:

Big Mac Fixings:

  • 3 seeded burger buns 2 tops and 4 bottoms (gluten free if desired)
  • 2 slices vegan American cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced white onion
  • 6 dill pickle slices
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced lettuce iceberg or Romaine

Instructions
 

Make the Vegan Special Sauce:

  • Mix together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until using.

Make the Lentil Burgers:

  • Add the lentils and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over, cover the saucepan, and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well.
  • While the lentils cook, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the lentils, onion/garlic mix, Worcestershire, salt, black pepper, golden flaxseed meal, and cornstarch to a food processor. Pulse a few times, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, and then process until the mixture comes together but isn't completely pureed.
  • Shape the lentil mixture into 4 equal patties, place them on a plate lined with plastic wrap, and freeze for 10 minutes.
  • Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lentil burgers, turn the heat down to medium, and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once.

Assemble the Big Macs:

  • Place 2 of the bottom burger buns (facing up) on your work surface. Top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons special sauce, 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce, 1 slice of cheese, 1 lentil burger, another bottom burger bun, 1 1/2 tablespoons special sauce, 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 3 dill pickle slices, 1 lentil burger, and a top burger bun.

Notes

  • Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes enough for 2 Big Macs. They are massive! Each serving is 1/2 Big Mac.
  • Storage: You can make the vegan special sauce and the lentil burgers up to 5 days in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. (You can store the burgers in the freezer for up to 3 months.)
  • Reheating: When you want to assemble the Vegan Big Macs, you can reheat the lentil burgers in a skillet on the stovetop, in a 350F oven, or in the air fryer at 350F until warm.
  • Canned Lentils: To save time, you can use 1 1/4 cups of canned lentils (drained well) instead of dry lentils. There’s no need to cook the canned lentils, they are ready to go once you drain them.
  • Special Sauce Substitute: If you don’t want to make special sauce, you can use vegan Thousand Island or Russian Dressing for a similar flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5Big Mac | Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 442mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.

Course: Main Course, Sandwiches
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Lentil Burger Recipe, Lentil Burgers, Vegan Big Mac, Vegan Big Mac Recipe, Vegan Big Mac Sauce

Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!

vegan big macs pin

This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on July 4, 2009. I updated it with more information on September 1, 2022.

Faith, author of An Edible Mosaic.
About Faith

I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. I’m scrolling through some of your older recipes that I missed b/c they were posted b4 I subscribed, and I love them all! This one is calling my name, and I’m drooling over the Almond Joy Oats. I’m just glad I’m not hungry right now or I might do something crazy like go out and buy lentils at 10 PM so I can make this! LOL!

  2. 5 stars
    I made these for dinner tonight and both my kids, my husband and I wished I had made enough for seconds!!!
    I can’t normally find a meal we will all even eat let alone agree on!
    Awesome, these will definately become a regular…
    I have been enjoying looking around your site!

  3. great way to make burger.. yummmm!!! m sure my kids gonna love em :)

  4. Holly (The Healthy Everythingtarian) says:

    You have totally outdone yourself girl – those look FABULOUS. I keep seeing lentil burgers and have been meaning to try them, so I think this blog post is totally fate. Delicious as always my dear :)

  5. Lentil burgers sound fantastic. Love the way you made an unhealthy classic much better.

  6. I love making homemade veggie burgers and this recipe looks like one I must try!

  7. WOW!veggie burgers is my next recipe on my list too.Good, i got some reference.Its looking amazing and thanks for the comments on my blog.

  8. These look so incredibly goooood…I made a lentil burger something like this, but with kabocha added. These totally are superior to store-bought! And haha, with the words Big Mac, you totally know how to entice!

  9. Those lentil burgers look FABULOUS! But they somehow manage to look that much better all dressed up! WOW!

  10. 5 stars
    Wonderful, healthy and delicious burger my dear! I loved your special sauce!

  11. Recipe man says:

    looking good! i love veggie burgers
    thanks

  12. Actors Diet says:

    Delicious! Can’t wait to try these – I just bought a big bag of lentils, too….

  13. Tasty Health Food says:

    I have to admit that when I first saw the title of this post, I thought McDonald’s suddenly started selling veggie burgers. :P Oops. Still, I have to try this. Looks great! I would actually guess it was a “meat” burger if I just saw the pictures.

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