No need for store-bought when you've got this veggie burger recipe. Big, thick, and hearty patties full of texture from the beans, sweet potatoes, and vegetables, and seasoned just right with garlic, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Whether you toss them on the grill or bake in the oven, these will be the best veggie burgers that you've ever had!
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In This Post
I'm a fan of a traditional beef burger but I love a good veggie burger too. I've been making black bean burgers for years and decided to switch it up a bit and make a homemade veggie burger that actually tastes good.
Say hello to the ultimate veggie burger recipe! Pretty bold statement, but I think after the first bite you'll agree too. Finally, a veggie burger that holds its shape on the grill without falling apart.
The Best Veggie Burgers
- BIG, thick & hearty
- Incredibly flavorful from the garlic, paprika, cumin and chili powder
- The perfect texture– slightly crisp exterior and not mushy!
- Don't fall apart like most veggie burger recipes
- Satisfying, even traditional beef burger lovers enjoy them
- Versatile, serve on a bun, in a salad or plain
- Can be baked or grilled
Grab These Ingredients
- Beans: These black bean burgers start with 2 cans of beans. You want regular, not seasoned. I love using black beans and kidney beans– you can use either or a combination.
- Sweet Potato: The sweet potato not only pairs so well with black beans, it plays a very important role in binding the ingredients together.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms add flavor and moisture to these burgers.
- Bell Pepper: Adding bell peppers adds flavor and texture. You can use any color bell pepper that you prefer.
- Onion: Using sweet onion adds flavor to the burgers.
- Breadcrumbs: Any type of breadcrumbs work in this recipe– Panko, regular, whole wheat or homemade. I prefer to use Panko.
- Olive Oil: The olive is used to sauté the vegetables.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor. If needed, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Salt & Pepper: Essential for flavor.
- Chili Powder, Paprika, & Cumin: These are what I call "power spices"– these burgers gain so much flavor from these spices.
How To Make a Veggie Burger
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it quickly before you get started.
- Partially dry out the black beans. Spread out the canned black beans onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Sauté mushrooms, onion, pepper, and garlic together while the beans are in the oven. This will be where the flavor begins for the veggie burgers.
- Combine the sautéd vegetables, sweet potatoes, breadcrumbs, and spices. This is where the second layer of flavor comes in. You can use a fork or potato masher, or even a food processor to combine.
- Add the beans and mash until combined, leaving some chunks for texture!
- Bake for 10 minutes on each side.
How to Form Veggie Burger Patties
Shape the veggie burgers however large or small you want, keeping in mind that the larger they are the longer they will take to cook. From testing, the sweet spot is ½ cup of mixture.
I find the easiest way is to lightly spray or brush your hands with olive oil (or avocado oil) and loosely measure a slight heaping ½ cup of the mixture. Then, roll into a ball and gently form each veggie patty freeform use a burger mold– if serving on a bun, you want them to be about that size.
Cooking Options: 3 Ways!
The patties will not stick to a clean, well-oiled surface or grill. If you prefer grill marks, brush the patties with olive oil.
- Bake: Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes on each side, about 16-20 minutes total.
- Grill: Place the patties on greased aluminum foil and grill for 7-9 minutes on each side on high, around 500°F-550°F, about 14-18 minutes total.
- Sauté: Add 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side, about 10 minutes total.
#1 Trick For Quick Steamed Sweet Potato
Not all of us have steamed sweet potatoes ready to go in our kitchen, at least I don't. I've been doing this for years and it works incredibly well. For this recipe, I typically start this just before I begin the vegetables while the beans are in the oven.
- Start with washed sweet potatoes, leaving the skins wet (if they were already washed, give them a quick rinse.) Using sweet potatoes with wet skin helps create the steam. Then, using a fork poke holes all over the sweet potatoes.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large microwave safe bowl with 1-2 Tablespoons of water and place a microwave-safe plate on top.
- Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, using a knife or fork to check for doneness. The knife should easily push through the sweet potato when it's ready.
More BBQ Recipes
- Homemade Black Bean Burgers
- Crispy Baked French Fries
- Smash Potato Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
The Best Veggie Burgers I've Ever Had
No need for store-bought when you've got this veggie burger recipe. Big, thick, and hearty patties full of texture from the beans, sweet potatoes, and vegetables, and seasoned just right with garlic, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Whether you toss them on the grill or bake in the oven, these will be the best veggie burgers that you've ever had!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 burgers
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
- 2 (14 ounce) canned beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups chopped mushrooms
- ¾ cup sweet onion, about 1 medium
- ¾ cup red bell pepper, about 1 pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes, about 1 large or 2 small
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the beans evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway, until slightly dried out. Leave the oven on if baking the burgers.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large skillet and sauté the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and garlic over medium heat until the peppers are soft and the mushrooms have released their juices – about 7-9 minutes. Place in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients including the liquid from the skillet (sweet potatoes, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, and cumin.)
- Stir together, then add the beans. Mash with a fork or potato masher (you can even use a food processor), leaving some larger chunks of beans for texture.
- Form into patties, a slightly heaping ½ cup of mixture each, about ¾-inch thick.
- To Bake: Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes on each side, about 16-20 minutes total. To Grill: Place the patties on greased aluminum foil and grill for 7-9 minutes on each side on high, around 500°F-550°F, about 14-18 minutes total. To Sauté: Add 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side, about 10 minutes total. The patties will not stick to a clean, well-oiled surface or grill. If you prefer grill marks, brush the patties with olive oil.
- Serve with your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onion, guacamole or your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Store cooked burgers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can make the burgers ahead of time through step 4 and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stack between parchment paper in a container or airtight bag. Cook following the instructions in step 5.
- Freezing Instructions: The cooked or uncooked veggie burger patties can be frozen for up to 3 months. Stack between parchment paper in a container or freezer-safe airtight bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat. For uncooked, follow the directions in step 5. You can skip thawing and cook from frozen for an extra 2-3 minutes.
- Beans: You can use any type of beans – I typically use black beans but for this I used black beans and kidney beans.
- Breadcrumbs: Any type of breadcrumbs work in this recipe– Panko, regular, whole wheat or homemade. Use certified GF breadcrumbs to keep this a gluten free recipe.
- Quick Steam the Sweet Potatoes: Start with washed sweet potatoes, leaving the skins wet (if they were already washed, give them a quick rinse.) Using sweet potatoes with wet skin helps create the steam. Then, using a fork poke holes all over the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a large microwave safe bowl with 1-2 Tablespoons of water and place a microwave-safe plate on top. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, using a knife or fork to check for doneness. The knife should easily push through the sweet potato when it's ready.
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