What can I use instead of burger buns? We found some of the best replacements for burger buns are Portobello mushrooms, cauliflower, romaine lettuce, baked sweet potato, grilled eggplant, cloud buns, pita pockets, and corn tortilla wraps.
Burger buns are easily replaced by using a bit of creativity and adapting some ingredients. You can easily substitute burger buns for a healthier alternative that adds texture and flavors to an already mouth-watering burger.
The Best Burger Buns Substitutes
Portobello Mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms make an excellent replacement for burger buns.
They are the matured version of the button mushroom. These fungi range from dark brown to tan colors and have large rounded flat caps that average fifteen centimeters.
They have their roots in Italian soil, which can be found in grasslands and meadows. The Portobello mushroom is now one of ten mushrooms that are commercially cultivated for consumption.
When cooked, Portobello mushrooms have a chewy texture that resembles meat with smoky, earthy notes that adds an umami flavor to dishes.
Using Portobello mushrooms offers a lower-calorie alternative that is a rich source of nutrients with no fat.
Grill or bake the mushroom caps and replace the burger bun with two caps of Portobello mushrooms.
Cauliflower

A fun, tasty substitute for a burger bun is cauliflower.
Cauliflower is a type of wild cabbage. Once the outer leaves open, it reveals a globe-shaped off-white head of tight florets attached to the main stem.
Originally it came from the Mediterranean region and landed in Europe around the fifteenth century, with its name meaning flowers of cabbage.
Luckily cauliflower buns don’t have a robust flavor, so they don’t mask the burger’s flavors. Cauliflower has a mild taste with a slight note of sweetness and some nuttiness.
Its low carb and calorie content make it perfect for burger buns. It’s also high in vitamin c and fiber and is an excellent source of nutrients.
Make a dough of cauliflower rice with eggs and your choice of cheese to bind the ingredients, bake or grill and replace those burger buns.
Romaine Lettuce

A crispy and juicy alternative to burger buns is Romaine lettuce.
These are a variety of lettuce with an elongated shape with dark, sturdy leaves averaging ten to fifteen centimeters in length.
They originated from the Middle East and the Mediterranean regions. They are also known as cos lettuce, named after the Aegean Island of Cos.
Romaine lettuces have a mild savory taste with a slight hint of bitterness. They have crisp, succulent, and refreshing textures.
You can substitute your burger bun
s with some crispy Romaine lettuce and use them as a wrap to hold your burger and its filling.
Romaine lettuce’s benefits are its low carbs, sugar, and calories. Still, it packs a punch with vitamins and minerals.
Enjoy a crisp leaf on either side of your burger to add freshness to your burger.
Baked Sweet Potato

Keep some carbs with a starchy sweet potato as a burger bun substitute.
Sweet potatoes are starchy tuberous roots found in various colors, such as the Beauregard, which has orange flesh with dull red skin, or the Garnet, with white flesh and red-purple skin.
Originating in central and South America, there have been traces that this veggie made its way to Polynesia millennia ago.
Sweet potatoes are mildly starchy with a delightfully sweet nuance to them.
Using a nice-sized sweet potato, cut two substantial rings and bake them on high heat to give them a nice crispy caramelized exterior.
Although sweet potatoes pack more carbs than the first few substitutes, they provide significant health benefits. They are filled with vitamins and minerals for a healthier alternative to buns.
Place a sweet potato disc on either side of your burger to act as the buns.
Grilled Eggplant

Eggplants are exotic fruit substitutes for burger buns.
Although used as a vegetable, eggplant is actually a fruit. They are found in various colors, shapes, and sizes, with smooth and glossy skin.
There is no consistent information on the origins of the eggplant. Still, most of the info points to its origin in India and Asian countries.
The eggplant has a mild taste, is slightly sweet, and has some vegetarian bitterness. Cooked eggplant’s texture turns from firm and spongy to soft and creamy, taking on the dish’s flavors.
Frying or grilling two wheels of eggplants can be a tasty replacement for burger buns.
The benefits of this fruit provide you with tons of nutrients and vitamins. It’s high in antioxidants and fiber and low in calories, perfect for eating your burger on a diet.
Use two substantial wheels, grilled or fried, to give you a bun replacement.
Pita Pockets

Pita pockets take a twist on burger bun substitutes.
Pita bread is leavened flat bread made from flour, yeast, and water with a hollow pocket to add delicious stuffing.
The origins of pita bread come from the traditional bread made in the Middle East, Greece, and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
The flavors of pita bread can be described as neutral-tasting bread that is light and semi-dry with a soft, chewy texture.
Take the making of your delicious burger with all its ingredients, and slip it into the pita pocket for a wholesome twist to a traditional burger.
Pita bread is a wholesome replacement for buns with fewer calories to let you still enjoy the texture and flavor of the bread.
Using one pita bread, slice one end revealing a pocket, and stack your delicious burger ingredients to create a twist on the traditional shawarma.
Corn Tortilla Wraps

Corn tortilla wraps are a healthy alternative to burger buns.
Tortilla wraps are round unleavened flat bread made from either corn or wheat flour.
Tortilla bread is the basis of Mesoamerican cuisine that dates back to pre-colonial times. The tortilla originates from Mexico and Central America.
Corn tortillas have a small window of freshness. Still, they have a robust flavor of toasted corn with a slight sweetness and nutty nuances.
Use one corn tortilla to wrap the ingredients. Wrapping your ingredients tightly into an artfully folded wrap is a catcher for any food slipping out while biting into your wrap.
Corn tortillas have fewer calories than buns or flour tortillas. As a result, they are a great source of fiber and nutrients and are ideal as a dietary replacement for bread.
One wrap replaces a burger bun with ease and provides you with added texture and flavor to your ingredients.
Resources
- https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Portabella_Mushrooms_702.php
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-portabella-mushrooms
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauliflower
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cauliflower#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-of-cauliflower
- https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-cauliflower
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romaine_lettuce
- https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/romaine-lettuce#takeaway
- https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Romaine_Lettuce_581.php
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-romaine-lettuce-plus-the-best-romaine-caesar-salad-recipe
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato#Nutrient_content
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281438#nutrition
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/sweet-potato-facts-selection-and-storage-1802486#:~:text=What%20Do%20Sweet%20Potatoes%20Taste,exterior%20becomes%20crisp%20and%20caramelized.
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eggplant-benefits
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279359#benefits
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant#History
- https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/vegetabletravelers/eggplant.html#:~:text=Eggplant%20is%20believed%20to%20have,indicating%20its%20antiquity%20in%20India.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pita
- https://www.encyclopedia.com/manufacturing/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pita-bread
- https://www.verywellfit.com/pita-bread-nutrition-facts-and-health-benefits-5213093
- https://www.seriouseats.com/wheat-enriched-corn-tortilla-taste-test
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/tortilla
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortilla
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/corn-vs-flour-tortilla#recommendation