EV’s Take: Flat on flavor but big on heartiness
After raving about their black bean burger, I wanted to review the other flavors in the Actual Veggies product line-up. I started my tour with the mushroom quinoa flavor. I hoped to be as impressed with this burger, but it fell flat for me.
The good: The texture is just as impressive as the black bean burger. It’s sturdy, doesn’t fall apart while cooking, and I love seeing all the veggies in each patty.
The bad: The flavors are really flat with this one. The black bean burger had a robust flavor profile, and I didn’t need to add extra salt despite the box encouraging it if needed. This burger was much more muted, and I got no discernible flavor. While the ingredients say the burger contains caramelized onions, they have no subtle sweetness as in the black bean burger.
That said, once you slather on spicy vegan mayo and a slice of cheese, my flavor issues are far less noticeable. While I could eat the black bean burger on its own, the mushroom quinoa burger needs a supporting cast to make it more palatable.
I still think it’s a good choice for a quick burger night, though I would purchase the black bean burger over the mushroom quinoa burger. I also prefer this burger over the Impossible Burger too.
Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burger Ingredients:
Actual Veggies’ mission is to deliver a “what you see is what you get” experience. The ingredient list is short, sweet, and very clean, focusing on whole ingredients that you can see in each burger, like mushrooms, carrots, onions, and black beans.
Here’s what’s in each Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burger:
White Button Mushroom, Oat, Carrot, Black Bean, Onion, Chickpea Flour, Potato, Spinach, White Quinoa, Apple Cider Vinegar, Sunflower Seed, Ovata Seed, Avocado Oil, Potato Starch, Hemp Heart, Shiitake Mushroom, Spice Blend (Kosher Salt, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Rosemary, Sage).
Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burger Nutrition:
Serving Size | 1 patty (3 ounces) |
Calories | 120 |
Total Fat | 3g |
Saturated Fat | 0g |
Trans Fat | 0g |
Cholesterol | 0mg |
Sodium | 250mg |
Total Carbohydrates | 20g |
Dietary Fiber | 5g |
Total Sugars | 2g |
Protein | 5g |
How to cook Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burgers
Actual Veggies recommends thawing the burgers in the refrigerator before cooking. I cooked them from frozen with no issue. They browned beautifully and finished cooking in the time shown on the package.
I cooked mine in a greased skillet on the stove with no issues. The burgers browned nicely, and they didn’t stick or fall apart.
You can also cook Actual Veggies burgers in the air fryer, grill, or oven using the cooking instructions below.
- Stove: Lightly oil a skillet and fry over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side.
- Air fryer: Preheat to 400ºF and air fry for 4 minutes per side.
- Grill: Grill over medium-high for about 4 minutes per side.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 425ºF and bake for 12–14 minutes.
How did EV eat Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burger?
As with all my burger tests, I kept the ingredients similar to those in my previous reviews. This time, I didn’t have tomatoes, so I skipped them. I served the burger on a toasted bun with a slice of Daiya vegan cheddar and spicy vegan mayo. I added thinly sliced onion and fresh butter lettuce.
While this burger didn’t have my tastebuds cheering, it made for a fast midweek meal that satisfied my hunger. The whole ingredients make it a frozen product I feel good about eating on those nights when I just don’t feel like cooking. I recommend adding salt or seasonings to this flavor or serving it with more zingy toppings like spicy mayo or a good vegan cheese.
Where can I buy Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burger?
These veggie burgers are not currently available on Amazon, but you can use Actual Veggies’ store locator to find a retailer near you. I found the mushroom quinoa burgers in Sprouts!
What do you think?
Have you tried Actual Veggies Mushroom Quinoa Burger? Love it or hate it? Tell us in the comments!