Do you know my favorite veggie burgers? If not, it’s about time! I have high standards for veggie burgers, and this puts the rest to shame. I have a feeling they will become your favorite veggie burgers too.
These veggie burgers are hearty and satisfying, with an irresistible combination of flavors. They start with a base of quinoa, black beans, and oatmeal. We then bulk up with sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, and some carefully selected seasonings. They are a little sweet and a little spicy, in the best of ways.
You may have been recognize this recipe as the “Veggie Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers” that have been hidden in the archives for quite some time. There is a chance that you’ve enjoyed these burgers from my recipe, Love Real Food, sandwiched between buns with a crunchy coriander lime slaw and guacamole.
Or maybe you are seeing these burgers for the first time right now! If so, I will share with you, why this veggie burger recipe is my favorite:
1)These burgers are absolutely delicious. In fact, these are the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had. They’re better than any restaurant’s and far better than store-bought frozen veggie burgers.
2)These burgers retain their shape before, during and after cooking. Many veggie burgers are a chore to make or eat, but these are totally straightforward.
3)You can cook these burgers in the oven, on the stove, or yes, even on the grill. They freeze well too, so you can make a whole batch and enjoy them over time.
4)These veggie burgers are perfect for serving friends on special diets. These burgers are vegetarian, of course. They are also conveniently vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, and soy-free.
Veggie Burger Cooking Options
You have three cooking options for these veggie burgers, and we’ll start with my favorite.
1)Oven-Baked
I love baking these veggie burgers in the oven. It’s the easiest way to cook a bunch at a time, and they are very well cooked and browned on each side.
2)Grilled
These burgers cook well too! I have successfully grilled them on the grills without the burgers falling apart. (If you have any problems, just chill the patties a bit before trying again.)
3)Stovetop
Lastly, you can cook these veggie burgers in a skillet on the stove. The stove is not my favorite method because it requires more child care than the oven, but it is totally doable. These burgers are extra moist on the inside. See recipe notes for more details.
Veggie Burger Ingredients
These veggie burgers are made with healthy, easy-to-find ingredients. This is what you will need:
1) Sweet Potatoes – For best results, weigh your sweet potatoes at the store to make sure you’re starting with the correct amount. Ideally, choose smaller sweet potatoes because they will cook a little faster. We are going to cut them in half and roast them until tender.
2)Quinoa – We will start with raw (uncooked) quinoa and you will find instructions on how to cook it in the recipe. Or, if you have 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa left over, you can use it instead. Millet will also work in place of quinoa (see recipe notes for details).
3)Black beans – Canned or cooked at home will work, as long as they are rinsed and drained well. Although I haven’t tried it, I bet you could substitute an equal amount of pinto, chickpea, or navy beans in a pinch.
4)Red Onion, Cilantro, and Garlic – If you are sensitive to any of these flavors, don’t worry, they soften during cooking and produce a delicious end result.
5)Spices – Adobo sauce (from a can of adobo chipotle peppers) or smoked paprika gives it a smoky flavor on the grill. We will also add cumin, chili powder and salt.
6)Quick Cook Oatmeal – Oatmeal soaks up excess moisture and offers a whole grain dose. You can also use old fashioned oats, briefly pulsed in a food processor or blender to break them up.
Veggie Burger Serving Suggestions
Burger Accompaniments
Serve these burgers like, well, burgers! Find some great scones or use butter lettuce leaves for low carb and gluten free options. Add any of the following:
1)Ripe, juicy sliced tomato.
2)Crisp lettuce or fresh sprouts.
3)Pickles.
4)Sliced cheese.
5)Onion, very thinly sliced.
6)Avocado or guacamole.
7)Ketchup and mustard.
8)Maybe even fried eggs.
Side Dish Suggestions
These burgers would go great with my simple healthy cole slaw or Gaby’s cucumber salad.
You could make extra quinoa while you’re at it (you’ll need a total of 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa for the burgers) and make my sun-dried tomato, spinach, and quinoa salad or my favorite quinoa salad.
Ideas for Leftovers
Keep these burgers with wrapping a paper on hand for quick, healthy meals. Leftover cooked burgers store well in the freezer for several months.
Heat one up and serve it with a simple green salad, a quesadilla, or whatever hodgepodge of toppings you might have. Regardless of how you serve them, these burgers will add some extra veggies, fiber, and protein to your meal.
Let me know how your veggie burgers turn out in the comments! I love to hear from you.
Favorite Veggie Burgers
- Author: Shubham Bhoyar
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 burger patties 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
These sweet and spicy veggie burgers are vegan and gluten free. You can bake them, roast them, or cook them on the stove! For best results when choosing the grill or stovetop method, prepare the burger mixture ahead of time and let it cool in the refrigerator (you can let it cool overnight or longer if desired). The recipe makes 8 hamburgers.
INGREDIENTS
1)1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (2 medium or 3 small)
2)½ cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
3)1 cup water
4)1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans)
5)½ cup chopped red onion (about ½ small red onion)
6)⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
7)2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
8)2 tablespoons adobo sauce* or 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
9)2 teaspoons ground cumin
10)1 teaspoon chili powder
11)½ teaspoon salt
12)1 ¼ cups quick-cooking oats** (use certified gluten-free oats if necessary)
13)Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing (or avocado oil, if using stovetop method)
14)8 whole wheat hamburger buns (optional)
15)Your favorite burger fixings: Avocado or guacamole, tomato, onion, lettuce, pickles, cheese, sprouts, ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, fried eggs…
INSTRUCTIONS
1)Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2)Roast the sweet potatoes: Slice the sweet potatoes in the center lengthwise. Place sweet potatoes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Grill until they give in to a gentle squeeze, 30 to 40 minutes or longer. Reserve for now. (If you are baking the burgers, reserve the parchment-lined skillet and leave the oven on.)
3)Meanwhile, we have to mix in a small saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook over low heat, uncovered, until all the water is absorbed, 11 to 14 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and allow the quinoa to steam for 10 minutes.
4)Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin (it should come off easily) and cut the inside. In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cooled sweet potatoes and quinoa, black beans, onion, cilantro, garlic, adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder, and Salt. Use a potato masher, dough cutter, large spoon or paddle attachment on your mixer to mix really well. It’s okay if the black beans break apart in the process.
5)Sprinkle the oatmeal over the mixture and mix well with a large spoon until the mixture holds together when you form a portion into a patty. If you are not preparing the patties right away, cover the mixture and refrigerate for later.
6)When you’re ready to cook, shape the patties: Use a measuring cup to measure out ½ cup of the mixture. Gently form a patty about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter. Use your hands to gently flatten the patties and smooth out any uneven edges. Repeat the process for each burger; you should end with 8.
7)If you are baking the burgers (see recipe notes for alternative options), brush both sides of each burger generously with olive oil and place on the lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches of space around each one. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until patties are deep golden brown on the outside, about 35 minutes, turning halfway through.
8)Serve the burgers to taste. Leftover burgers keep well, refrigerated, for 4 days. Or, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months (defrost in the microwave for about 1 minute or in a 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until heated through).
