Ultimate Christmas Burger
Honestly, this one came out of us asking ourselves why Christmas dinner can't also be a burger, and the answer is: it absolutely can. We're talking a juicy plant-based patty loaded with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and all the festive trimmings, stacked inside a soft bun. It's got that full Christmas dinner energy but you can eat it with your hands, which is honestly better. If you're hosting over the holidays or just want something a bit special on a weeknight in December, trust us, this is the one to make.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Large baking sheet
- Roasting tin (to cover burgers)
- Heat proof surface
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 4 tbsp plant-based mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp crispy onions
- 4 plant-based burger patties
- 1 pack of stuffing
- 4 slices of plant-based cheese
- 4 burger buns
- 4 chestnuts from 1 x 180g vacuum packed pre-cooked chestnuts
- 8 iceberg lettuce
- 600g oven fries
Method
Get your burgers, stuffing and fries in the oven
- Put the plant based patties on the baking sheet, put the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes
- Prepare the stuffing and cook according to packet instructions
- Cook the oven french fries according to packet instructions
Prepare the rest of your burger fillings
- Whilst the patties and stuffing are cooking, slice the burger rolls and shred the lettuce leaves
- Prepare your burgers, spread the mayo on the bottom buns and cranberry sauce over the top of the buns
- Sprinkle the lettuce leaves onto the bottom buns
- Crumble the chestnuts
Top the burger patties with cheese
- Take the baking tray with burgers on it out of the oven and place it down on a heat proof surface
- Place the slices of dairy free cheese on top of the burgers, put a roasting tin on top of the burgers, to trap in the moisture, and put the tray back in the oven for a further 7 minutes (this will help the cheese melt and prevent it from drying out)
Finish assembling the burgers and serve
- Take the stuffing out of the oven and place a neat disk of the stuffing on top of each of the bottom buns
- Take the burger patties out of the oven and place them on top of the stuffing
- Sprinkle the crispy onions and crumbled chestnuts over the top of the burger patties, close the lids and serve immediately with the oven fries
Tips & Variations
- Make it your own: We love adding a dollop of vegan brie or a slice of plant-based cheese on top of the patty while it's still hot in the oven. It melts down beautifully and makes the whole thing feel really indulgent.
- Toast the buns: It takes about 2 minutes under the grill but it completely transforms the burger. A soft, slightly crispy bun holds everything together so much better and adds a bit of texture against all those soft fillings.
- Go heavy on the cranberry: Seriously, don't be shy with it. It's the thing that makes this taste unmistakably Christmas and it balances the savoury stuffing and patty really well. More is more here.
Why This Works
The trick is layering the flavours like you would a proper Christmas plate. The stuffing adds that herby, savoury depth that makes it taste genuinely festive, and the cranberry sauce cuts through everything with a bit of sharpness and sweetness. Getting the patty properly hot and the bun lightly toasted makes a huge difference too, don't skip that bit.