It was my goal to create the ultimate tasty and healthy veggie burger and I will say this crispy Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burger recipe delivers! Plus, these black bean burgers are oil-free, soy-free, eggless, entirely gluten-free, and full of SO much flavor. To make it even easier, these vegan burgers can easily be baked in the oven and taste amazing with any burger toppings added!
How to make a black bean quinoa burger
There are only 9-ingredients required to make these veggie bean burgers (not including salt & pepper)! Plus, these eggless black bean burgers can be made in one bowl, don't require a food processor, and can be baked in the oven for minimal cooking effort.
Make the black bean quinoa patties
The first step is to cook the quinoa. I like to cook ¼ cup of dried quinoa with ½ cup of veggie broth to get about ¾ cup of quinoa needed for this recipe.
After the quinoa is cooked, it's time to mash the black beans. While it's great to leave a few pieces whole for texture, mashing the majority of the black beans into a paste is what holds this vegan burger together. I use a potato masher for this step!
Once the black beans are properly mashed, it's time to add in the rest of the veggie burger ingredients! This includes the cooked quinoa, almond flour, tomato paste, shredded carrots, paprika, flax egg, salt, and pepper.
Mash everything together using a fork or the potato masher until the quinoa veggie burger mixture is easily sticking together.
I like to start with ¼ cup almond flour and add up to ½ cup flour if my black bean mixture is a little too wet. Using almond flour keeps these veggie burgers gluten-free with no breadcrumbs! If the black bean patties are too dry, add in 1 tablespoon of almond milk or water to help bind the patties together.
Bake the black bean burgers:
Now that the black bean burger ingredients are mixed together, it's time to form them into patties!
This recipe makes 6 vegan black bean burgers. I like to form the circular patties by hand and then I add them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Baking these burgers on parchment paper ensures they don't stick to the surface once baked and also allows you to make these burgers oil-free! Also, when forming the patties make sure to pack them REALLY tight so they don't crumble when baking.
Once every black bean quinoa patty is on the baking sheet, bake them burgers for 350F for 20-22 minutes until crisp on the outside. It's key not to over-bake these patties as too much time in the oven can dry them out vs. giving them a crisp exterior.
Add veggie burger toppings:
If I'm being honest, this is my FAVORITE part of making a homemade veggie burger.
To top this veggie burger, I choose to add tomato slices, red onion, lettuce, avocado, and sauteed mushroom. Sometimes, I use the garlic cashew cream sauce from my Vegan Butternut Squash Pear Pizza recipe as a base and add caramelized onions too. Then, this vegan burger goes from GREAT to OUT OF THIS WORLD good.
Whatever toppings you choose, this black bean quinoa burger provides the perfect base recipe.
How to Saute Mushrooms:
One question I have gotten asked is how I create perfectly crispy mushrooms every time. This is a cooking skill I first perfected in my Vegan Truffle Mushroom Pasta recipe. For crispy mushrooms, add vegan butter to a frying pan. Once the butter begins to sizzle, add mushrooms, lemon juice, and garlic powder.
Cook the mushrooms until there is no liquid and mushrooms are beginning to brown. This is the key step- DO NOT stop cooking until ALL the liquid is gone. Then, at the very end, season with salt and pepper to your liking.
FAQ & Substitutions:
You betcha! Just add cooking spray to a skillet or use a non-stick pan and pan-fry each side until browned (about 3-5 minutes).
Yes! However, there are some tips to keep in mind.
The first is that you will want to chill the burgers before grilling them. This allows them more time for the flax seeds to bind the ingredients and for them to firm up for a grill. Form the uncooked burgers into patties and store them between layers of parchment paper in the fridge before grilling. This can be done an hour before or even 24 hours before if you want to prep the day before grilling. Also, make sure to pack them. REALLY tightly before chilling.
The other thing to make sure to do is to coat the burger with a little oil or non-stick cooking spray before grilling. Unlike the baked burgers, this adds a tiny bit of oil to the mix, but it prevents the burgers from sticking to the grill as they are more moist than a store-bought frozen burger.
At the end of the day, this burger is definitely intended to be baked or pan-fried vs. grilled. I have grilled these burgers and they're just as delicious, but a little more work is involved to get the texture just right!
Two things help this quinoa black bean burger stick together.
One, don't forget the flax egg as this truly helps bind the veggie burger ingredients together.
Two, make sure to mash the beans until a thick paste forms. Leaving a few whole beans is okay as I know this adds to the texture of the burger, but the majority should be smooth to bind the patty together.
I store the burgers in the fridge for 2-5 days and reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds when I'm ready to eat them.
Alternatively, they can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 weeks between sheets of parchment paper in a closed container so they do not stick together. To reheat out of the freezer it's best to pan-fry these burgers as microwaving tends to make them less crispy.
I always know I've created a great vegan burger recipe when the leftovers don't last more than two days in our house. Well, I can solidly say these Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers were eaten in record timing! I truly can't wait for you to try this recipe and add ALL the toppings.
-TSG
More vegan & gluten-free weeknight dinner recipes you will love:
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Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Burger
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup cooked quinoa about ¼ cup dried quinoa
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ¼-1/2 cup almond flour I use ½ cup
- 1 flax egg 1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 Tablespoons water left to sit 5-10 minutes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste amount of salt will depend on if your beans are salted or not, so taste test while making
Instructions
- First, cook the ¼ cup dried quinoa according to package instructions and make the flax egg. While the quinoa is cooking, add the black beans to a bowl and mash until completely smooth. It's okay to leave a few black beans whole, but most should be mashed into a thick paste.
- Once the black beans are mashed, add in the rest of the ingredients including the the quinoa, carrots, ¼ cup of the almond flour, tomato paste, and spices. Mix together until the burger mixture is cohesive. The burger mixture should be moist but not too sticky or too dry. If too wet, add in up to ½ cup almond flour and if too dry add in 1 tablespoon of almond milk or water. The burger patties will be semi sticky and should not be dry.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Next, scoop out a ½ cup of the mixture, roll it into a ball, then pat into a patty that is 1-inch in height. Add the patties to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-22 minutes. Don't overcook the patties or they will be get dried out.
- Remove the patties from the oven and add to a burger with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store the burgers in the fridge for 2-5 days in a closed container. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds when ready to eat.
- Burgers can also be stored in the freezer up to 3 weeks between sheets of parchment paper in a closed container so they do not stick together. To reheat out of the freezer it's best to pan fry these burgers as microwaving tends to make them less crispy.
Mark S. says
Pretty easy to make and delicious! Your instructions are spot on. Not using any oil is appreciated. I added a bit more carrot and some chopped red bell pepper, plus a little coriander.
Megan says
Sounds like great additions- glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
kate says
Why do I need a quarter cup of dried quinoa if I am just going to cook it in step one?
Megan says
That is the amount of quinoa you need to cook.
Daryl says
A yummy and simple to prepare recipe. Perfect for the summer!
Edward Rush says
I am not a vegetarian, but I do love Vegan foods and I work with people that are Vegan. I love trying Vegan dishes, and I love eating Vegan meats...as well as chicken and beef. But I really love Black Bean Burgers, and I found this site searching for an easy recipe. This is a perfect recipe. I improvised and used coconut flower instead because that is what I had. All other ingredients I keep regularly. But I also splashed a little unsweet flax seed milk in them. Perfect recipe and really quick and easy. Thank you so much.
Megan says
Glad you liked them and that coconut flour worked with them :)!
Daryl says
A yummy and simple to prepare recipe. Perfect for the summer!
Megan Horowitch says
Thank you- So glad you liked it 🙂
Jacob says
This burger is soooo delicious! I added sour-cream and pepper jack cheese which made it even better. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Jacob says
This burger is soooo delicious! I added sour-cream and pepper jack cheese which made it even better. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
ShortGirlTallOrder says
So glad you loved it!