Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burger

Name: Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger with Quinoa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. sweet potatoes (peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes); ½ cup quinoa (rinsed and drained); 1 cup vegetable broth (or water); 1 ½ tsp. cumin; ¾ tsp. paprika; ½ tsp. garlic powder; ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 ½ tsp. salt; ¼ tsp. pepper; 15 oz. black beans (canned, rinsed and drained); 1 cup oats (quick or old-fashioned, gluten-free); ½ cup sweet onion (finely diced); ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped); 2 Tbsp. olive oil; Hamburger buns (gluten-free*); Avocado or guacamole (optional); Tomato (thinly sliced, optional); Onion (thinly sliced, optional)

You didn’t know a Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burger Recipe could be so delicious and filling! Sweet potato, black beans, quinoa, oats, onion, and seasonings come together for the best plant-based patty that even meat lovers will appreciate. Try cooking up these healthy vegan burgers inside in the oven or skillet or on the grill outside.

A sweet potato burger with black beans on a gluten-free hamburger bun.

Can we just take a moment to pause and admire that thick, hearty, sweet potato black bean burger patty?

Ever since I can remember, I have been a meat LOVER.

A meal was never complete unless it consisted of at least 4 ounces of protein.

I once believed I could only get that protein in the form of, well, meat.

However, that’s SO not true! There are so many incredible recipes made with plant-based ingredients that make you feel full and actually taste great… like these sweet potato black bean tacos and this easy black bean burger recipe.

Yup, you heard me right. You will be SO stuffed when you finish eating just one of these meatless veggie burgers.

The best part about being full to the brim with super healthy ingredients is that they won’t make you feel sluggish!

Ingredients

All of the ingredients you need for this sweet potato hamburger are relatively easy to find at your local grocery store:

Sweet Potatoes. Peeled and cubed sweet potatoes make up the bulk of this veggie burger. Make sure you peel them before cooking for the best texture.
Black Beans. Regular canned black beans that have been rinsed and drained are used. If you want to switch out the type of beans, red kidney or white navy beans will also work well.
Quinoa. Feel free to either use white, red, or tri-color. Just make sure you give it a really good rinse before cooking to get rid of the bitter saponins. Quinoa is usually in the grain aisle near the rice.
Broth. It’s very important that you use a vegetable broth you enjoy the taste of. Also, regular sodium broth was used when testing this recipe. If you only have low sodium broth, you will need to adjust the amount of salt you add accordingly.
Oats. A homemade oat flour is made from quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats and helps to hold the patties together.
Cilantro. A bit of finely chopped fresh cilantro gets mixed in to compliment the seasoning blend.
Onion. Sweet onion is best, but a red, white, or yellow onion may also be used.
Cumin. This spice has a warm, earthy flavor and is key in this recipe.
Paprika. Feel free to substitute for a bit of smoked paprika.
Garlic Powder. You can use fresh garlic cloves instead.
Cayenne Pepper. If you don’t like spice you can leave the cayenne pepper out.

How to Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Here are the steps for these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger:

Prepare the Potatoes

Peel and chop the potatoes into a small dice. Make sure to cut the sweet potatoes in a uniform size so they cook evenly.

Sweet potatoes that have been peeled and cut into cubes.

Cook the Base

Combine sweet potatoes, quinoa, and vegetable broth in a medium-sized saucepan.

Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and boil for 22-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Sweet potatoes that have been cooked with quinoa.

Make the Oat Flour

Measure oats into a food processor or high-speed blender.

Pulse oats 3-4 times to make a coarse oat flour. Don’t over-process or else it will become more of a paste than a flour.

Rolled oats in a blender. — Place oats in a high-speed blender.

Processed oats to make an oat flour. — Place oats in a high-speed blender.

Form the Patties

Use a whisk to combine the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mixing the seasoning ingredients before adding them into the burger compound ensures they get evenly distributed throughout it.

You can also use 1 ½ tablespoons of this Burger Seasoning in place of these spices.

Add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, black beans, coarse oat flour, onion, cilantro, and seasoning mix to a large bowl.

Mix until well combined. You may need to use your hands to make sure everything is incorporated well.

Use a knife or spatula to cut the burger mixture into 8 equal portions.

Make each portion into a round disc about 1 inch thick.

Sweet potatoes, black beans, oat flour, and quinoa in a bowl being mixed. — Mix sweet potatoes, black beans, quinoa, oat flour, and seasonings.

Mix sweet potatoes, black beans, quinoa, oat flour, and seasonings.

Cook the Burgers

There are 3 different ways you can cook these sweet potato black bean quinoa burgers:

STOVE TOP:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place burger patties in a single layer. You may have to cook these in 2 batches depending on the size of your skillet.

Cook the patties for 9-10 minutes. Flip them over halfway through cooking.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger patties on a lined sheet pan. — Use your hands to form round patties.

IN THE OVEN:

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Coat each patty with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Then place the burgers in a single layer on the prepared pan.

Cook them for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

GRILL:

Turn the grill to medium heat. Let it fully warm up for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare the grill grates by spritzing a bit of non-stick cooking spray before adding the patties.

Grill the burgers for 5-6 minutes per side.

Serve Them Up

These sweet potato black bean burger patties are super filling on their own. You can just serve them as is or with the toppings of your choice.

If you choose to add toppings, classics like avocado, tomato, and onion go perfectly. Take it over the top and add any of these tasty sauces:

Finding the perfect gluten-free bun can be a challenge. If you haven’t already found buns you like, try serving this sweet potato black bean burger recipe on one of these:

Udi’s hamburger buns. These taste great and can be found in most grocery stores, and are what was used in this recipe.
Schar’s gluten-free buns. Another option for a gluten-free bun with a really great texture.

Three veggie burgers in a row with sweet potatoes, quinoa, and black beans.

Meal Prep and Storage

These vegan burger patties store and freeze exceptionally well so you can easily save any leftovers for another time.

To Prep-Ahead: Make the patties completely and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.
To Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Place patties in a freezer-safe container with a piece of wax paper between each one. Freeze for up to 6 months.
To Reheat: When ready to reheat, add a bit of oil to a skillet and cook for a few minutes per side until heated through. You can also add them to a 300° oven for 10-15 minutes.

Sweet potato black bean veggie burger patty on a gluten-free bun with red onion, tomatoes, and lettuce.

FAQS

How do you keep black bean burgers from falling apart?

The key to binding a veggie burger is to incorporate dry ingredients, such as oat flour, to soak up any excess moisture. Also, when mixing everything up, mash it together really well before forming into patties.

Are black bean burgers healthy?

Depending on what you put in them, yes! Load black bean burger patties with veggies, quinoa, and seasonings for a healthy meal. This recipe is high in protein, fiber, potassium, and vitamin A.

Why are my black bean burgers mushy?

This could be caused by using too much liquid. If this happens, cook the burgers longer. You can bake in the oven to help dry them out without scorching the exterior.

Is a black bean burger vegan?

Some recipes use eggs as a binder in which case they would not be. However, this recipe is vegan and uses oat flour and quinoa as binders instead.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Rinse quinoa. This gets rid of the bitter flavor caused by saponins.
Make your own oat flour. Pulse oats a few times in a blender. This is a much healthier binder than bread crumbs!
Mash it together. If you’re worried about them falling apart, smash the burgers together before forming into patties.
Get a good crusty sear. When cooking on the grill or skillet, wait to flip the patties until you have a nice crusty sear. This also helps to ensure the burger doesn’t fall apart.
Freeze and save for later. This recipe makes enough for 8 patties. Freeze them and pull out later when you’re craving a burger.

Two hands holding a healthy black bean quinoa burger with sweet potatoes, red onion, and avocado.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

Have some extra sweet potatoes lying around? Here are a few other recipes you can try out:

5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

Comments

Marlene Bouthillette says:

September 8, 2024 at 6:02 pm

Hi, These burgers were a big hit at a recent potluck. Served as a side with a dollop of dill sauce.

1. London Brazil says:
  
  September 11, 2024 at 6:37 pm
  
  WooHoo!! That makes me so happy to hear! And wow- what a great idea to add some dill sauce. I bet it was incredible! Thanks so much, Marlene, for taking time to leave a comment/rating letting me know how the recipe turned out 🙂

Sweet Potato Black Bean Veggie Burger

Ingredients