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Superiority Burger Cookbook: The Vegetarian Hamburger Is Now Delicious
Winner of the 2019 Art of Eating Prize
With more than 90 mouth-watering recipes, Superiority Burger Cookbook lays bare the secrets of America’s most talked-about vegetarian restaurant, in recipes as a simple as they are irresistible. Along with recipes for a coterie of other delights―fresh, vegetarian, accidentally vegan, and always incredible―you’ll find out why Superiority Burger in New York City’s East Village is the hottest ticket in North America and the surrounding continents. Superiority Burger is a cozy counter hangout filled with affordable, innovative food that is a protest against the idea that extraordinary fare is the exclusive domain of the elite. Now you can bring its blueprint for rebel compassion and culinary sophistication into your home with this cookbook; a must-read for home cooks who want something delicious, new, and imminently within their reach. The book is divided into six flavorful sections―Sandwiches, Cool Salads, Warm Vegetables, Soups and Stews, Sweets, and Pantry Recipes―and reveals the recipes for some of the restaurant’s the Sloppy Dave, Burnt Broccoli Salad, Russet Potato–Coconut Soup, Tahini Ranch Romaine Salad, and, of course, the now legendary Superiority Burger. "Brooks Headley makes the best veggie burger I’ve ever had." ―David Chang 100 color photographs
With more than 90 mouth-watering recipes, Superiority Burger Cookbook lays bare the secrets of America’s most talked-about vegetarian restaurant, in recipes as a simple as they are irresistible. Along with recipes for a coterie of other delights―fresh, vegetarian, accidentally vegan, and always incredible―you’ll find out why Superiority Burger in New York City’s East Village is the hottest ticket in North America and the surrounding continents. Superiority Burger is a cozy counter hangout filled with affordable, innovative food that is a protest against the idea that extraordinary fare is the exclusive domain of the elite. Now you can bring its blueprint for rebel compassion and culinary sophistication into your home with this cookbook; a must-read for home cooks who want something delicious, new, and imminently within their reach. The book is divided into six flavorful sections―Sandwiches, Cool Salads, Warm Vegetables, Soups and Stews, Sweets, and Pantry Recipes―and reveals the recipes for some of the restaurant’s the Sloppy Dave, Burnt Broccoli Salad, Russet Potato–Coconut Soup, Tahini Ranch Romaine Salad, and, of course, the now legendary Superiority Burger. "Brooks Headley makes the best veggie burger I’ve ever had." ―David Chang 100 color photographs
224 pages, Hardcover
Published June 5, 2018
103 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 29, 2018
I think the vegetarian hamburger has been delicious for a while now, but OK.
I liked the large format/presentation of the book and most of the food looked delicious. It had an almost aggressively NYC vibe--there's no doubt where these folks are based and to what city their hearts belong to. I simply cringed when I looked at the crowded, subway-style seating they have in their little restaurant--I can't imagine sitting that close to strangers, especially when eating.
Despite the burger on the cover, Superiority Burger has embraced the "plant" in plant-based--the recipes lean more heavily on veggies and fruits than vegan meat and cheese products. (Granted, these plants are frequently fried and/or doused in tasty-looking sauces and marinades.) So if you are a lover of veggies from eggplant to broccoli rabe, you may want to leaf through this one.
I am glad that there are so many veg*n cookbooks out there for every type of taste and lifestyle imaginable. Plant-based eaters come from every walk of life, it's true--but overall, this cookbook fell squarely into the "unrealistic" column for me. I don't have hours to spend in the kitchen, nor the budget to hunt down some of the more esoteric ingredients in my small town, and much of this cookbook seems to presume the availability of both.
I do hope that omnis aren't picking up cookbooks like this at the bookstore or library and wrongly thinking, "oh, eating veg*n is so complicated! so difficult! so expensive!" but I strongly suspect this is indeed happening, at least for some.
There are only two recipes that I think I would try--a spicy/sweet collard greens side dish, and a crunchy tofu wrap that I would considerably simplify (I don't need three pages of prepwork to make a wrap, thanks).
I liked the large format/presentation of the book and most of the food looked delicious. It had an almost aggressively NYC vibe--there's no doubt where these folks are based and to what city their hearts belong to. I simply cringed when I looked at the crowded, subway-style seating they have in their little restaurant--I can't imagine sitting that close to strangers, especially when eating.
Despite the burger on the cover, Superiority Burger has embraced the "plant" in plant-based--the recipes lean more heavily on veggies and fruits than vegan meat and cheese products. (Granted, these plants are frequently fried and/or doused in tasty-looking sauces and marinades.) So if you are a lover of veggies from eggplant to broccoli rabe, you may want to leaf through this one.
I am glad that there are so many veg*n cookbooks out there for every type of taste and lifestyle imaginable. Plant-based eaters come from every walk of life, it's true--but overall, this cookbook fell squarely into the "unrealistic" column for me. I don't have hours to spend in the kitchen, nor the budget to hunt down some of the more esoteric ingredients in my small town, and much of this cookbook seems to presume the availability of both.
I do hope that omnis aren't picking up cookbooks like this at the bookstore or library and wrongly thinking, "oh, eating veg*n is so complicated! so difficult! so expensive!" but I strongly suspect this is indeed happening, at least for some.
There are only two recipes that I think I would try--a spicy/sweet collard greens side dish, and a crunchy tofu wrap that I would considerably simplify (I don't need three pages of prepwork to make a wrap, thanks).
June 8, 2018
I usually only cook Japanese food/buy Japanese cookbooks and cook meat and minimal vegetables so this book is definitely a challenge for me but one that I definitely need! I'm obsessed with this restaurant and blown away by the food and I doubt my lowly hands will ever be able to craft the magnificence they serve, I can make something that allusions to it and learn some things too. I'm excited to try these things out!!!!! I really appreciate their information on using local produce and when vegetables are in season since all I know is the super market.
November 23, 2018
Tried this cookbook as my first attempt in making veggie burgers from scratch - it's good but the recipes seem a bit tricky to follow in haste. Here's my notes from making superiority burgers/crunchy potatoes/chickpea mayo in one session:
Overall, The burgers are good, but be prepared to spend about 3-4 hours starting from scratch to plating if you’re doing this for the first time. May help to have the quinoa pre-cooked/cooled the day of. You pretty much use one can of chickpeas following directions for the burger and the mayo.
Superiority burger
- I'm being a bit more detailed in this part because the recipe is already available online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...
- Cook things beforehand! The chickpeas need to be rinsed/cooked, the carrots need to be baked beforehand, and the walnuts need to be toasted. It's a bit frustrating the recipe implies the cooking process for these items in the ingredient list but not in the directions.
- Have the tools (cutting board/knives/time) to cut things up well. the carrots really need to be diced finely to avoid the patties from breaking apart.
- The potato starch/water slurry didn’t quite seem like enough to make the patties stick together well. It might’ve been due to me not cutting up the carrots finely, or skipping bread crumbs, or not using enough potato starch. Next time I’d consider cheating and using some shredded cheese instead to help hold it together. Honey or maple syrup could also work.
Chickpea mayo
- Cut the recipe in half, maybe even into quarter.. It originally calls for 2.5 cups of grapeseed oil, which is pretty much that entire small bottle of trader joe’s grapeseed oil you bought for everything, and makes for way more mayo than ya need.
Crunchy potatoes
- Takes a while to make since you’re boiling then baking em, but these turned out well.
Overall, The burgers are good, but be prepared to spend about 3-4 hours starting from scratch to plating if you’re doing this for the first time. May help to have the quinoa pre-cooked/cooled the day of. You pretty much use one can of chickpeas following directions for the burger and the mayo.
Superiority burger
- I'm being a bit more detailed in this part because the recipe is already available online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...
- Cook things beforehand! The chickpeas need to be rinsed/cooked, the carrots need to be baked beforehand, and the walnuts need to be toasted. It's a bit frustrating the recipe implies the cooking process for these items in the ingredient list but not in the directions.
- Have the tools (cutting board/knives/time) to cut things up well. the carrots really need to be diced finely to avoid the patties from breaking apart.
- The potato starch/water slurry didn’t quite seem like enough to make the patties stick together well. It might’ve been due to me not cutting up the carrots finely, or skipping bread crumbs, or not using enough potato starch. Next time I’d consider cheating and using some shredded cheese instead to help hold it together. Honey or maple syrup could also work.
Chickpea mayo
- Cut the recipe in half, maybe even into quarter.. It originally calls for 2.5 cups of grapeseed oil, which is pretty much that entire small bottle of trader joe’s grapeseed oil you bought for everything, and makes for way more mayo than ya need.
Crunchy potatoes
- Takes a while to make since you’re boiling then baking em, but these turned out well.
December 11, 2018
We made the hippie wraps with all of the fixings form my birthday. It was the best vegan meal I have ever had. I love how they give you the recipes for all of the elements of the dish, and they are laid out in a way so that you can make extra and use the elements for multiple meals. Highly recommended.
August 14, 2019
Lots of great veg recipes, but honestly, since I'm in NYC, I have little desire to cook - instead, I want to GO THERE AND EAT ALL THIS! Nice layout and look.
August 7, 2018
Although a lot of these recipes are innovative / fun, I was surprised that there was added sugar in almost every recipe--and that most of the recipes were 1) highly multi-step (make six recipes to make one recipe), 2) disproportionate to how much food an average person (or even family) could eat before expiry, and 3) underwhelming given the plethora of innovative vegan and vegetarian sandwiches and burgers now available on the market.
The sides and salads were, to me, the most interesting part of this cookbook, followed closely by the sides and sauces. I'd definitely recommend this as a "summer" cookbook, but would not recommend it to someone newer to vegetarian cooking--especially if they're under the impression that good vegetarian food is complicated or expensive.
The sides and salads were, to me, the most interesting part of this cookbook, followed closely by the sides and sauces. I'd definitely recommend this as a "summer" cookbook, but would not recommend it to someone newer to vegetarian cooking--especially if they're under the impression that good vegetarian food is complicated or expensive.
December 23, 2024
There are a handful of recipes that I would try and Headley’s comments about ingredients and pointers give off a completely different vibe than his Fancy Desserts book (which I gave 1 star to), but I have to say the pictures aren’t so appetizing. The food is made at a cafe in NYC, so many items are shown in paper takeout containers, some of the food overflowing out of them as if dolloped into the container in haste so that the next customer can be served. It looks like bar food, so a little oily looking…. But there are interesting combinations and more unusual fare than most vegan cookbooks that might be worth exploring….
August 22, 2021
This has been THE cookbook that has gotten me through this neverending Pandemic (and perpetually perplexing CSA). If you want to learn more vegan cooking, I highly recommend.
But--if you live in NYC and are lazy (like me) and aren't scared of the Pandemic (unlike me), go check out their restaurant first. Then if you want to replicate their recipes, get the cookbook!! (If you live in NYC, you can borrow from the library and then, if you realize you love some of the recipes, you can buy your own copy--in a store two blocks away from SB)
But--if you live in NYC and are lazy (like me) and aren't scared of the Pandemic (unlike me), go check out their restaurant first. Then if you want to replicate their recipes, get the cookbook!! (If you live in NYC, you can borrow from the library and then, if you realize you love some of the recipes, you can buy your own copy--in a store two blocks away from SB)
August 27, 2018
3.5
Would be 4 but most of the recipes are vegan, which puts me between a rock (soy) and a hard place (cashews). Inventive and interesting take on vegetarian and vegan food. Brooks calls his restaurant "an Italian restaurant disguised as a tiny veggie burger joint," but it goes way beyond the veggie burger it is named after. The sandwiches are heavily soy-based and so a no go in my household, but the salads, vegetable dishes and many of the soups are very tempting.
Would be 4 but most of the recipes are vegan, which puts me between a rock (soy) and a hard place (cashews). Inventive and interesting take on vegetarian and vegan food. Brooks calls his restaurant "an Italian restaurant disguised as a tiny veggie burger joint," but it goes way beyond the veggie burger it is named after. The sandwiches are heavily soy-based and so a no go in my household, but the salads, vegetable dishes and many of the soups are very tempting.
January 28, 2019
I really enjoyed this cookbook. It’s fully illustrated and packed with inspired recipes! My mouth is watering; I can’t wait to try these. Yes, there us a wide variety of vegan burger ideas, but there are also subs and other sandwiches, along with excellent “staples”, such as marinated tofu fillings and hammered mushrooms to name a few, and terrific desserts. I also love that a very creative restaurant thrives on these delicious offerings.
January 2, 2022
3.5
Would be 4 but most of the recipes are vegan, which puts me between a rock (soy) and a hard place (cashews). Inventive and interesting take on vegetarian and vegan food. Brooks calls his restaurant "an Italian restaurant disguised as a tiny veggie burger joint," but it goes way beyond the veggie burger it is named after. The sandwiches are heavily soy-based and so a no go in my household, but the salads, vegetable dishes and many of the soups are very tempting.
Would be 4 but most of the recipes are vegan, which puts me between a rock (soy) and a hard place (cashews). Inventive and interesting take on vegetarian and vegan food. Brooks calls his restaurant "an Italian restaurant disguised as a tiny veggie burger joint," but it goes way beyond the veggie burger it is named after. The sandwiches are heavily soy-based and so a no go in my household, but the salads, vegetable dishes and many of the soups are very tempting.
May 30, 2022
An awesome vegan cookbook by one of my favorite hard-core drummers. Brooks absolutely killed it in born against, the monorchid, and Universal order of Armageddon. Awesome and inventive recipes. Everything I’ve tried has been great though I will say that making the actual burger is quite the undertaking. It’s fun but not something I’m going to do again. The vegan mayo is really good (coming from someone who HATES mayonnaise) and the other condiment recipes are great.
September 19, 2018
Cookbooks are not always review-worthy, but let it be known that the author and chef was the drummer for a number of seminal 90's east coast punk and hardcore bands. The best cookbooks come with a track list, so I would recommend this if you play your old records while cooking and following along.
September 24, 2018
Astonishingly creative recipes and an amusing writing style. The wheels in your food brain will definitely start to spin as you read this. There’s a heck of a lot of work in some of these recipes, but high marks for the genius inspiration behind these incredible, delicious sounding concoctions. Transformative! I plan to try out some of these ideas.
July 3, 2018
I've been an ovo-lacto-vegetarian for 14 years now. I don't really like the taste, no matter how it's presented- of faux meat. I was happy to see this cookbook, but after spending $14. I was hoping for more than one or two recipes without tofu and the other of its ilk.
December 15, 2018
Poorly organized, a bit preachy in tone, and the photographs are not appetizing. There is only one, maybe two recipes I might consider trying, but not enough to even copy them down before I return this to the library.
October 12, 2019
My favorite part of this book is the creative writing and the photos of the fabulous NYers eating in the 6-seat restaurant. But many of the dishes served sound amazing too, although I will probably only try to make a few at home. I need to go there instead, problem solved.
May 14, 2024
I can’t say I got a lot of usable recipes out of this cookbook, but it’s definitely a fun read about a great restaurant. Some recipes I do think I’ll try:
-Raw swiss chard salad
-Peas and pesto
-Bean toast
-Red lentil stew
-Creamy wild rice soup
-Raw swiss chard salad
-Peas and pesto
-Bean toast
-Red lentil stew
-Creamy wild rice soup
June 30, 2019
LIFE CHANGING
February 14, 2020
Very creative cookbook with a wide array of great recipes. One of the only cookbooks I have read with several recipes calling for yuba, which I love!
September 10, 2020
Intriguing
Surprising recipes I can’t wait to try. Not your typical fast food fare but exciting twists on some favorite classics.
Surprising recipes I can’t wait to try. Not your typical fast food fare but exciting twists on some favorite classics.
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November 12, 2020Made the Superiority Burger, planning to make black sesame gelato.
The burger is pretty good, although it does involve multiple steps that had me sitting down before cooking to figure out timing. I'm glad I didn't bother buying potato starch because, as a friend pointed out as I was stressing about where to buy it, you could easily swap in cornstarch (I'm pretty sure it did the same job). As with all veggie burgers, delicious or not, the key is really adding a bunch of condiments and other stuff to create more moisture, especially if you're using gluten-free buns like I did. I don't know that this was my favorite veggie burger ever, but it wasn't bad. I don't know if I'll be making it again, though.
We'll see what happens with the gelato...I did buy powdered dextrose for that, even though I was told that corn syrup probably would have been an acceptable substitute.
ETA: Made the black sesame gelato and it's super good! Good texture and a crazy strong flavor from infusing the seeds in the base for 30 minutes (I didn't even add the paste afterwards and it was still super strong). Will definitely use this base formula for gelato in the future.
The burger is pretty good, although it does involve multiple steps that had me sitting down before cooking to figure out timing. I'm glad I didn't bother buying potato starch because, as a friend pointed out as I was stressing about where to buy it, you could easily swap in cornstarch (I'm pretty sure it did the same job). As with all veggie burgers, delicious or not, the key is really adding a bunch of condiments and other stuff to create more moisture, especially if you're using gluten-free buns like I did. I don't know that this was my favorite veggie burger ever, but it wasn't bad. I don't know if I'll be making it again, though.
We'll see what happens with the gelato...I did buy powdered dextrose for that, even though I was told that corn syrup probably would have been an acceptable substitute.
ETA: Made the black sesame gelato and it's super good! Good texture and a crazy strong flavor from infusing the seeds in the base for 30 minutes (I didn't even add the paste afterwards and it was still super strong). Will definitely use this base formula for gelato in the future.
March 9, 2022
This is one of the best vegetarian/vegan cookbooks I’ve ever read.
March 12, 2022
probably the best, but for sure the coolest cookbook
January 15, 2023
From the restaurant of the same name. A lot of good sides included.
May 21, 2023
Recipe ratios are off on a lot of these. Could be a great resource but ends up being mediocre and frustrating
June 20, 2018
Informative, fun, and delicious. Anyone interested in cooking delicious food (especially vegetarians and vegans) should check out this cookbook.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews