Whether you’re looking for a meatless Monday meal or a delicious vegan dinner, you’re going to love this Black Bean Quinoa Burger. Here is a hearty veggie burger, loaded with soft quinoa, rich black beans, and the perfect spices. Top it with your favorite condiments and a bun for one delicious meal.
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I used to be pretty skeptical of recipes that used black beans in place of other major ingredients. However, I have grown to absolutely love it because it’s surprisingly really good. I don’t know how they manage it, but black beans do a great job of swapping out things like meat, flour, etc. They’re great as a thickener for dishes as well.
Some of my favorite recipes utilizing black beans are these Easy Vegan Enchiladas, Mexican Black Bean Salad, and this savory Loaded Sweet Potato. I think my favorite aspect about them is their versatility. I love how they can thicken brownies without making them taste gross, then they can turn around and replace meat. That’s exactly what I do with these Black Bean Quinoa Burgers.
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How to Make Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
- Puree - Combine the seasonings, garlic, liquid smoke, and 15 ounces of the black beans in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Combine - In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the oil. Form into 6 patties.
- Fry - Fry patties in the heated oil for 3.5 minutes on each side.
- Serve - Place on a bun with your preferred condiments. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Storage - Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Seal in an airtight container for up to 2 months, in the freezer.
- Reheating - Reheat using the microwave, a skillet, or even the oven. Reheat with a damp paper towel over the top if the black bean quinoa burger feels or seems dry.
- Add more veggies - If you want to include more vegetables into the burger itself, go right ahead. You may have to adjust the quinoa or bread crumb amount if you do though. Some other options are diced bell pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, etc.
- My black bean burger isn’t sticking together - If this is the case, you may have added too many dry ingredients. Add a bit more pureed black bean mixture, a bit at a time, until the mixture is sticky enough to form a patty.
- My black bean burger is too wet - If this happens while you’re trying to make the patties, simply add more quinoa or breadcrumbs. Add a little bit at a time until it gets thick enough to make a normal patty.
- Treat it like a normal burger - You’re going to be surprised at how much these act and taste like normal burgers. Due to this, dress them like you would your burger any other time. I like to use jalapeno slices, tomato, and a slice of vegan cheese. This part is totally up to you and your preferences.
Black Bean Quinoa Burgers FAQs
Are Black Bean Burgers Supposed to Be Mushy?
It all depends on how you make them. They will have a similar texture to meat with this recipe. However, depending on the recipe, they might be a bit softer on the inside. Of course, if you don’t like them softer on the inside, you could always cook them longer. Make the patties a bit smaller or thinner and cook them on a lower heat for longer. This way, the outside will match the inside.
How Do You Firm Up a Black Bean Burger?
Adding more black beans or another type of bean and less liquid would do the trick. You can also cook them longer, as suggested above. Sometimes, a burger simply needs to be made smaller or cooked on a lower heat for a longer period of time.
Sometimes, we get that heat cranked up and the outside of the burger cooks too quickly. This forces us to pull the burger out of the pan, when the middle might not quite be finished. The beans will help thicken the burger further.
If you decided to give this Black Bean Quinoa Burger a try, please let me know in the comments below or on social media!
Other Vegan Dinner Recipes You Might Like:
- Easy Vegan Lasagna
- Thai Noodles in Red Curry Sauce
- Easy Vegan Meatballs
- Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Indian Vegetable Curry
While you're here, don't forget to grab a copy of my free vegan toolkit. It's packed with my reader-favorite recipes, cheat sheets, and more.
Recipe
Black Bean Quinoa Burger
Ingredients
- 22 ounces black beans drained
- 1 cup quinoa cooked
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine 15 ounces of the black beans, chili powder, garlic, cumin, liquid smoke, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, including the pureed black beans, in a medium sized bowl. Mix until combined.
- Form into 6 equal patties (or less if you want them bigger).
- Heat oil in a frying pan and fry burgers for about 3.5 minutes on each side.
- Dress in a bun and your usual burger fixings. Enjoy!
What Do You Think?