These vegan black bean burgers with sweet potato are made using simple ingredients, including lots of vegetables, and are packed full of flavour! They are crispy on the outside, with an amazing texture. Serve them with a sauce and vegetables of your choice for a delicious plant based lunch or dinner.
It's no secret that I absolutely love homemade veggie burgers. But, they have a bit of a reputation for being hard to make. Some use a lot of ingredients, other come out too dry or fall apart. Sometimes they lack flavour completely. Trust me, when I first went vegan, I ran into pretty much all those issues.
But after a lot of trial and error, I have developed my go-to black bean burger. And I tell you, it is incredible. If you're just about to give up, I encourage you to give these ones a go! You'll be surprised, especially given how easy they are to put together.
About these vegan black bean burgers
Whenever I make these veggie burgers, I always make a huge batch because they are just that incredibly moreish. I'll have a few in a bun, but then I'll just want to snack on them for the rest of the day lol.
The great thing about these black bean patties is that they have an incredible texture: crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, with just enough chunkiness from the beans and the vegetables. And of course, the flavour profile is awesome - definitely no blandness to worry about!
The sweet potato keeps them together, without needing to make and add a flax egg. I've tested the proportions a lot of times to make sure that they don't fall apart. The perfect balance is struck between being neither mushy, nor dry. Whether you want a simple lunch or a more special Friday night dinner, these make a fantastic option!
Ingredients you will need
- Olive oil. This is for cooking the vegetables - it makes them more flavourful, so I wouldn't recommend skipping it. However, you can replace with 2-3 tablespoon water if you want to keep these burgers oil-free.
- Carrots, bell peppers and onion. These vegetables are pan-fried before adding to the burgers to bring out their flavour even more.
- Black beans. I would recommend using tinned black beans, are these are best for consistency. The texture of black beans you soak and cook yourself varies a lot, and will therefore impact the results.
- Gluten-free oats. These help the burgers stay together, and also add texture.
- Mustard. This adds a great savoury undertone to the flavour profile. Ensure it's vegan before purchasing.
- Tamari. You can use soy sauce if not avoiding gluten, or coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
- Tomato paste.
- Cumin, turmeric and smoked paprika. These great versatile spices always work really well together.
- Dried basil and dried thyme. Dried herbs make a great ingredient for veggie burger patties.
- Garlic.
- Mashed sweet potato. I eat a lot of sweet potatoes, so I always make a batch at the start of the week and use them for different meals. For this recipe, I would recommend baking them as they caramelise and taste incredibly delicious.
How to make black bean sweet potato burgers
Firstly, bake the sweet potatoes. You can do this ahead of time if you want. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Poke the potatoes a few times with a fork, and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until fully cooked through and caramelised.
When the potatoes are ready, wait for them to cool down before peeling and mashing.
To start making the burgers, firstly heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the carrots, bell pepper and onion, cooking for 5-6 minutes, until softened.
Transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor. Next, add the black beans, oats, mustard, tamari, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, dried basil, dried thyme, and garlic. Blend on a low speed until mostly smooth, but some texture remains.
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the mashed sweet potato. Stir together well.
Form the burger patty mixture into even-sized balls and flatten them down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
TO BAKE: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until crispy and golden brown on the outside.
TO FRY: Add the burgers to a lightly greased frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Serving suggestions
You can, of course, serve these burgers in burger buns. Add vegetables of your choice, such as tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber, as well as a delicious sauce. This makes a fantastic lunch or dinner served with a side of fries or mashed potato!
You can also add them to salads and nourish bowls. Simply serve them with your favourite vegetables and dressing. I also love adding a side such as rice or quinoa.
In terms of sauces, how about trying these black bean burgers with vegan sour cream or chunky guacamole?
Tips for success
- Pat the black beans dry really well after draining them as this will prevent the burgers from being mushy.
- You can season them with salt, but I do find that tamari creates a more interesting flavour profile.
- Don't blend the burger mixture too much. You want to keep a good amount of texture.
- If you want to, you can add fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley.
- Don't make the burgers too thin - this will ensure that they have ideal balance of being crispy on the outside, with a softer centre.
Storing and freezing veggie burgers
Black bean burgers keep really well in the fridge, making them an excellent meal prep option. You can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days, reheating in a frying pan, in the oven or in the microwave as needed. They also taste delicious cold.
To freeze them, firstly freeze them on a baking tray. Once they are solid, transfer to freezer-friendly bags or containers. If freezing uncooked burgers, bake them at 180 degrees C (350 F) for 50 minutes. If freezing cooked burgers, bake them at the same temperature for around 30 minutes.
Other vegan burger and fritter recipes
Let me know in the comments: what's your favourite way to make veggie burgers? If you give these vegan black bean burgers a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies) so I can see your creations, and leave your feedback in the comments below.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Conventional oven
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 large bell pepper, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 can black beans, (8 oz) drained and rinsed
- ½ cup gluten-free oats
- 1 tablespoon mustard, ensure vegan and gluten-free
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the carrots, bell pepper and onion, cooking for 5-6 minutes, until softened.
- Transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor. Next, add the black beans, oats, mustard, tamari, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, dried basil, dried thyme, and garlic. Blend on a low speed until mostly smooth, but some texture remains.
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the mashed sweet potato. Stir together well.
- Form the burger patty mixture into even-sized balls and flatten them down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- TO BAKE: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until crispy and golden brown on the outside.
- TO FRY: Add the burgers to a lightly greased frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Video
Notes
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
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