The final recipe in a seven-part series from Dustin Harder’s new cookbook, Epic Vegan: Wild and Over-the-Top Plant-based Recipes.

vegan | easy | gluten-free | summer | year-round

Cue the drumroll! We’ve arrived at our final post in the Epic Recipe series of recipes from Dustin Harder’s soon-to-be-released cookbook, Epic Vegan. Woo hoo! It’s epic burger time!

This recipe is based on having all the ingredients ready to go and is really all about the assembly, with all six recipes involved made in advance. I typically make everything but the pasta shells and burgers in advance, so that the hot stuff is hot and it’s not too much work to put together at one time. I really don’t recommend trying to make all the recipes the same day unless you’d really like some hours in the kitchen. I’ve provided time estimates below for both of the above easier options.

It’s fun serving these epic burgers and watching people’s faces as they receive them. And then watching them try to eat them! The flavor combination is so worth the effort. Get messy and enjoy!

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Bacon Macaroni and Cheese BBQ Blue Burger

recipe

FROM EPIC VEGAN BY DUSTIN HARDER

vegan | easy | gluten-free | summer | year-round

ASSEMBLY TIME: 10 MINUTES

CONDIMENT PREP IN ADVANCE RECOMMENDED. TO MAKE THE PASTA & BURGERS:

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES | COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES | TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

Yield: 4 burgers

Links to all of the Bacon Mac and Cheese BBQ Blue Burger recipes can be found at the bottom of the page.

Author’s note: You don’t have to go to a silly chain restaurant to have a burger that’s taller than your pint of beer; I’ve got you covered! Don’t be discouraged by the make-ahead items in this recipe; I encourage you to go for it and make them all from scratch because it’s super rewarding. Make the Easy Creamy Shells and Cheese for dinner one night, then use the leftovers for this sandwich to get the most use of the Mac recipe (and also be prepared)! I also applaud you if you want to go out and buy items at the store—there’s no shame in that game. The end result is just as enjoyable, no matter if you build it from the ground up or rely on some readymade vegan products.

Tip: There are vegan macaroni and cheese brands available for purchase in stores these days, which make it so much easier to tackle this recipe epic style. Take it a step further and purchase your burgers from astore as well and you are halfway to epic already! To make some quick strips of veggie bacon at home, use a vegetable peeler to create thin strips of carrot. Fry them in a little oil over medium heat in a skillet until desired doneness. The sides will get dark and curl up like bacon. Sprinkle with some smoked sea salt for that extra touch!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Easy Creamy Shells and Cheese (page 16), or store-bought boxed vegan macaroni and cheese, hot

• ½ cup Quinoa Bacon Bits (page 14)

• 1 cup (55 g) roughly chopped romaine lettuce

• 8 vegan hamburger bun bottoms, toasted (see Tip, page 94)

• 4 All-American Burgers (page 18), or store-bought vegan burgers, cooked

• ¼ cup Blue Cheese Dressing (page 42) or store-bought vegan blue cheese dressing

• 8 slices tomato

• 8 slices red onion

• 8 strips vegan bacon, cooked (optional)

• 12 pickle chips

• ¼ cup Red BBQ Sauce (page 48), or store-bought BBQ sauce

• 4 vegan hamburger bun tops, toasted

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the shells and cheese with the bacon bits until the bacon is well distributed; set aside.

2. Place ¼ cup (about 14 g) lettuce on a bottom bun, top with 1 burger, ¼ of the blue cheese, 2 slices tomato, and 2 slices onion. Top with a second bottom bun and add 2 strips bacon (if using) and 3 pickle chips. Top with ½ cup (110 g) shells mixture and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) BBQ sauce, followed by a top bun.

3. For an epic presentation, plunge a steak knife into the middle of the burger.

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Bacon Mac and Cheese BBQ Blue Burger recipes from Epic Vegan by Dustin Harder: