Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Burger

It was my goal to create the ultimate tasty and healthy veggie burger and I will say these crispy Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers deliver! 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 Tbsp of almond milk or water to help bind the patties together.

Bake the 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 toppings:

Here comes the best part- veggie burger toppings! If I'm being honest, this is my FAVORITE part of making a homemade veggie burger.

My boyfriend can attest that whenever we go out to eat, I have the most EXPENSIVE veggie burger order. It really comes down to the fact that I add every topping imaginable. $2.50 avocado- give it to me! $1 sauteed mushrooms- throw them on! I will fully admit this isn't a sustainable life habit. That's why it's best that I keep my veggie burger addition at home from time to time so I can add ALL the toppings I want.

To top this veggie burger, I choose to add on 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 in 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:

Can I pan-fry the patties?

You betcha! Add cooking spray to a skillet or use a non-stick pan and pan-fry each side until browned (about 3-5 minutes).

Is it possible to grill veggie burgers?

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!

How do I make sure my vegan burger doesn't fall apart?

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.

Can I store these burgers as leftovers?

You most certainly can! I store the burgers in the fridge for 2-5 days and reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds when I'm ready to eat them.

Alternatively, they can 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.

These Baked Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers is truly SO easy and makes the absolute best vegan dinner recipe for a group. I always know I've created a great recipe when the leftovers don't last more than two days in our house. Well, I can solidly say these veggie burgers were eaten in record timing! I truly can't wait for you to try this recipe and add ALL the toppings.

-TSG

Looking for more vegan weeknight dinner recipes? Check out these SGTO favorites!

Vegan Linguine Pasta Salad

Gnocchi with Tomato Cream Sauce

Lemon Garlic Asparagus Pasta

Easy Lentil Tacos

Chickpea Cauliflower Tacos