Black Bean Quinoa Burger Recipe

This black bean quinoa burger recipe is super delicious and, of course, nutritious! It's also vegan, gluten-free, and versatile! It's so easy to switch up the toppings to make it just the way you like your burgers!

Updated: This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated with new photos and additional content.

Are you looking for some simple, easy & healthy recipes to make? How about some classic American favorites comfort food? Most surveys showed similar results, and guess what was on every list - burgers!

These veggie burgers make a family-friendly meal and go great with a fresh corn and zucchini salad, roasted potato and green bean salad, or a gluten-free panzanella salad.

You would be surprised how creative you can create a meal with limited ingredients. That's how this recipe came to be. We share the best ingredients to stock in your pantry to make mealtime easier!

💚 Why You Will Love This Black Bean Quinoa Burger

• Veggie burgers are the perfect addition to your weekly meal rotation to change things up a bit!
• A kid-friendly burger the whole family will love.
• Easy to make ahead for meal prep and they freeze great!
• Everyone loves a good burger!

🛒 Ingredients

It looks like a long list of ingredients, but these black bean quinoa burgers go together in a flash! Here's a look at some of the main ingredients you need.

• Quinoa: I prefer white quinoa for making burgers. You will need to cook about two-thirds of a cup of dry quinoa. Do this a day ahead if possible to save some time.

PRO TIP: I recommend cooking quinoa in a large batch and using leftovers for some of my other favorite recipes - Quinoa Tabbouleh or Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowl.

• Coconut oil: For cooking the veggies. You can use any other neutral-flavored vegetable oil.
• Shiitake mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms add umami flavor and some texture to the burgers. You can also use cremini mushrooms but their flavor is less intense.
• Onion: Use whatever onion you have on hand.
• Grape tomatoes: You can also use diced Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
• Black beans: Using canned black beans makes this recipe quick and easy. If you want to cook dry, you will need about 1 ½ cups. 
• Chipotle peppers: These add a bit of spice but also a nice smoky flavor to the veggie burgers.
• Egg substitute: You need the equivalent of one egg. I recommend using Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. Or you can use one tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with three tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Guacamole topping: To make fresh you will need avocados, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and jalapeno. You can also use a store-bought guacamole to save time.
• Burger toppings: I am using micro-greens and roasted red peppers. But of course, you can use any of your favorite burger toppings.
• Burger buns: I love using vegan brioche buns for burgers but anything works.

🌿 Substitutions and Variations

• Wrap it up! Skip the bun and stuff all the ingredients into a wrap for a tasty vegan burger wrap.
• To make veggie burgers gluten-free, all you need to do is swap the bun for a gluten-free alternative!
• No chipotle peppers, or you don't like it spicy? Don't have chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, then use chili garlic sauce, enchilada sauce, chili paste, or a dash of Tabasco chipotle hot sauce, if you don't mind the heat.
• Swap out the guacamole with a homemade burger sauce. Use cashew cream and flavor it however you want! Adding some balsamic vinegar or Sriracha are just a few ideas.
• For a punch of flavor, top your burgers with some pickled red onions!
• Top it with a few slices of smoky tofu bacon.

✅ How to Make Quinoa Black Bean Burgers

1. Cook the mushrooms in coconut oil over medium-low heat for five minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Use a masher to mash the beans leaving a few whole beans for extra texture. 
4. Combine cooked quinoa with the sauteed vegetables and mashed beans together. Add the egg substitute, salt, and parsley.

5. Use a scoop (what size is she using) to measure out each burger.
6. Use your hands to shape into patties and place them on your prepared baking sheet.

7. Bake the burger patties in the oven for 20 minutes without flipping them over.
8. Prepare the guacamole topping. Combine the mashed avocado with the chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

9. Assemble your burgers and serve them immediately! 

❄️ How to Store and Reheat

Store your cooked quinoa black bean burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. I recommend storing them in a single layer. If it's necessary to stack, place a piece of parchment in between the patties.

For freezing, flash-freeze them first on the baking tray with parchment. When they're frozen solid you can place them in a container for storage. This makes them easier to remove one at a time to reheat.

Reheat the patties in the oven. Lay them on a parchment-lined baking tray and cook for 15-20 minutes until heated through.

PRO TIP: Double the recipe and freeze the patties separated with parchment. Defrost in the refrigerator one day ahead. 

🔪 Kitchen Gadgets and Tools

Having a few kitchen gadgets on hand makes cooking homemade vegan burgers a bit easier.

Beyond the basics such as bowls, measuring cups, baking sheet, and a skillet, I find that using a cookie scoop makes an easy way to measure out the burgers. Evenly-sized burgers cook up better in the same amount of time. For this recipe, two large scoops make a perfect size burger. Of course, if you don't have one, a dry-measure cup (½ cup well-rounded) will work!

Cook the veggie burgers on some parchment paper so they are easier to remove from the pan after cooking.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Use an ice cream scooper to measure the patties so they are evenly sized. 
• Cook the burgers without flipping them!
• Don't completely mash the beans. Leaving some of the whole or partially mashed gives these burgers much more texture.
• Feel free to swap out the burger toppings and buns for your favorites!
• For meal prep or to save some time for a weeknight dinner you can cook the quinoa ahead, drain and mash the beans, and do all the chopping in advance. That way all that's left is to mix up the patties, shape them, and cook in the oven.

❓FAQs

🌎 Sustainability Tips

Is a black bean burger actually more sustainable than a beef burger? You often hear that plant-based burgers are more sustainable than traditional beef burgers but how much better for the environment are they really?

Here are some quick stats for you to consider about beef production!

• Beef production is at the forefront of environmental degradation and one of the leading causes of climate change.
• Livestock releases great amounts of the greenhouse gas methane which traps heat in the atmosphere.
• In order to feed livestock, acres and acres of land need to be cleared to grow feed.
• Thirty-four percent of global crop production goes to growing food for livestock rather than feeding the population directly.

Unless countries support their farmers in investing in regenerative farming, and people switch to a predominantly plant-based diet, the negative repercussions of the meat industry will become irreversible.

On the other hand, bean crops improve soil health by absorbing nitrogen and carbon dioxide that is then stored in the soil for future crops. They also use less land and water than what is needed for livestock production.

So next time you are deciding between a beef burger and a bean burger, go for the bean!

➕ More Vegan Sandwich Recipes

If you made this recipe, please leave a star 🌟 rating on the recipe card right below! You can also drop a review in the comment section. Your feedback is appreciated! And don’t forget to tag @themindfulfork so we can see your creations.

📖 Recipe