Make a Frosty, Baconator, and Those Square Burgers: How to Turn Wendy’s Classics Vegan

Since it was founded in the 1960s, Wendy’s has become an American fast-food favorite. Today, per a survey from YouGov, it is the second most popular dining brand in the US (Dairy Queen is the first—interestingly, McDonald’s doesn’t even enter the list until number 26). The chain, which has more than 7,000 locations worldwide, is known for everything from square-shaped beef burgers to nuggets to creamy shakes (Frostys). Basically, all of the fast-food classics.

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But while more fast-food chains have been stepping up their plant-based options—looking at you, Burger King—Wendy’s is behind the curve. There are no meat-free burgers or hearty plant-based breakfast burritos to be seen on the menu. But if you’re craving Wendy’s iconic fast food, it is possible to recreate the same flavors and textures from home with plant-based ingredients. No drive-thru required.

Is there anything vegan at Wendy’s?

It doesn’t have its own version of Burger King’s Impossible Whopper, but Wendy’s does have a few plant-based options on the menu. You can find a full list in our guide to the fast-food chain here, but you’re basically looking at soft drinks, salads, fries, and a plain baked potato. 

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RELATED: How to Make McDonald’s Best-Sellers From Home, Without the Meat

The chain has experimented with more substantial vegan options in the past. In June 2021, it began trialing a vegetarian Spicy Black Bean Burger, which could be made vegan with a few alterations. At the time, a spokesperson for the fast-food chain told VegNews: “We’ve been carefully tracking the plant-based trend and exploring the best, most craveable way to introduce it to Wendy’s fans.”

In the end, the bean burger wasn’t to be, as it’s no longer on the menu. At least not in the US—the UK currently offers a Curry Bean Burger, which can be made vegan by removing the mayonnaise and the cheese.

Make 5 Wendy’s menu classics from home with these vegan recipes

Whether you’re a fan of the chain’s Frostys or you’re missing Wendy’s burgers, the good news is that you can get all the same taste at home using only plant-based ingredients.

1 Vegan Copycat Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty

This creamy, sweet, and salty vegan chocolate shake recipe—taken from the Vegan Fast Food cookbook—tastes just like one of Wendy’s signature Frostys. The secret to that deliciously thick and velvety mouthfeel is full-fat coconut milk, which is combined with dairy-free chocolate milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. It’s just like the fast-food classic and is perfect for fry dipping (as is the Wendy’s way).
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Thee Burger Dude

2Vegan Wendy’s Spicy Chicken

Wendy’s Spicy Chicken sandwiches are one of its most popular menu items. The original features chicken breast in a spicy breaded coating, but in this recipe, Thee Burger Dude has figured out how to recreate the flavor and texture without meat using ingredients like plant milk, mushroom seasoning, pickle brine, and vegan chicken strips. 

“I honestly don’t think I ever had one of these pre-vegan, but my girlfriend has and she said that this hit all the notes,” says recipe creator Brian Watson. “There isn’t much to say other than it’s spicy and crispy and totally hit the spot.”
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Thee Burger Dude

3Vegan Baconator

In this recipe, Watson also tackles another Wendy’s classic: the Baconator burger. Made with half a pound of beef and six pieces of smoked bacon, the fast-food chain’s version is firmly targeted at carnivores. But Thee Burger Dude proves you can get the same meaty bite and crispy texture with plants. 

“For this bacon recipe, I’m using rice paper, which is a fairly common vessel for vegan bacon,” explains Watson. “It’s super tasty, easy to make, and relatively cheap! I highly suggest giving it a go.” Of course, just like Wendy’s, the burger also features square-shaped patties.
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The Edgy Veg

4 Vegan Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets

As is the case in most fast-food chains, chicken nuggets are a menu staple at Wendy’s. But all of that juicy, tender texture and crispy coating doesn’t need to come from chicken, it can be easily created with plant-based ingredients. Just ask Candice Hutchings of The Edgy Veg, who created her own vegan version of Wendy’s spicy nuggets with the help of ingredients like firm tofu and chicken-style vegetable broth.

“This vegan version of Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets is essentially a delicious marinated tofu, covered in a slightly spicy, crunchy coating that is fried to crispy perfection,” Hutchings writes. “Yup, perfection.”
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The Edgy Veg

5 Wendy’s S’Awesome Sauce 

Thanks to Hutchings, you can also create one of Wendy’s former menu classics, the S’Awesome Sauce, with vegan ingredients. It’s not on the menu anymore, but the tangy, smoky dip used to contain a blend of several different condiments, including ranch, barbecue, honey mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. In this recipe, Hutchings combines spices like paprika and garlic with ingredients like liquid smoke, ketchup, and vegan mayonnaise to recreate the iconic flavor.

“Since I was a kid I have been mixing ketchup and mayo to dip random foods in,” says Hutchings. “Combining mayo and ketchup will always be delicious, but with the help of a few other ingredients, this sauce is truly S’Awesome.”
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