Meet your new go-to veggie burger recipe! These Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers are vegan, gluten-free and filled with plant protein.
Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers
These Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers got a facelift!
If you’ve been a long time Emilie Eats reader, you know these burgers. I originally posted the recipe on September 18, 2015 – just a couple weeks after I launched Emilie Eats. Since then, literally hundreds of you have commented on the recipe or sent me pictures of your black bean burgers, raving about how they’re the best veggie burgers you’ve ever had:
- “We eat veggie burgers a lot at my house but they always turn out somewhat mushy. I made this recipe because a friend was coming over who is vegan and has a gluten intolerance. They were the best veggie burgers we have ever had!” – Sarah
- “I am new to a plant-based diet (about 2 weeks in). We tried these tonight and they were the best thing I have made so far. They have great flavor and texture. My 14 year old daughter also loved them and even my meat-loving husband came back for seconds. Thank you for a great recipe! We will definitely be making these again.” – Kelly
- “This was my first time making a veggie burger. I’ve been looking for something that wasn’t trying to be meat, but was also appetizing. Thanks for this recipe. It was perfect!” – Satya
- “I tried this recipe, turned out perfect, best veggie burger I ever tried. I made it little more spicy adding extra chili, cumin and cloves, doubled the recipe, and made extra large patties – had 14 burgers. This recipe will be in my favorite foods, turned out juicy and delicious.” – Ashok
Certainly this is going to be the best black bean burger recipe you’ll ever make. Period.
Ingredients for Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers
This isn’t just any old black bean burger recipe. Nope – this one’s a little fancy! We’re adding quinoa into this veggie burger recipe, which makes this burger heartier and boosts the protein content! Here’s everything you’ll need to make a batch of these veggie burgers:
- Quinoa. Any variety will work! I recommend cooking up a big batch of quinoa. You’ll need a half cup for this recipe, but if you make extra you can stash it in the fridge for easier meal prep throughout the week!
- Black beans. This is a black bean burger recipe after all! I like to used canned black beans for convenience, but you can also make a batch of instant pot black beans from a bag of dried beans.
- Veggies. We’re using lots of veggies in these black bean quinoa burgers. Grab a yellow onion, a bell pepper, a jalapeno, fresh garlic cloves and some spinach!
- Spices. These veggie burgers are seasoned with paprika, cumin, cayenne salt and pepper. Feel free to adjust the amount of cayenne based on your spice preferences.
- Oil. We’re sautéing our veggies in a bit of oil on the stove before making the black bean burgers, which will really amp up the flavor. Any oil works!
- Flax meal. Ever made a batch of veggie burgers that just totally fell apart when you went to flip them? That’s why we need a flax egg! A bit of flax meal mixed with water will create an egg substitute that will help bind our burgers together.
- Oat flour. This is a gluten free veggie burger recipe thanks to oat flour! Not only does this keep things gluten-free, but oat flour also provides more plant-protein and fiber! If you prefer, you can totally use all purpose flour instead.
How to Make Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
There’s truly not much to this veggie burger recipe! They’re simple enough that they’re totally weeknight friendly, but they’re also great for meal prep to make things even simpler for Monday – Friday! The only extra step that I ask of you is to get a pan out to sautee your veggies before making the veggie burgers. I know it’s annoying to cook on the stove and then bake the burgers, but I promise the extra step is worth it to pack plenty of caramelized flavor into these black bean burgers.
Here’s how to make a batch of these black bean quinoa burgers:
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper or a light coating of oil
- Make your flax egg by mixing your flax meal and water in a small bowl, allowing it to sit for at least 5 minutes
- Cook the quinoa by bringing it to a boil, then reducing the heat and allowing it to simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed.
- Sautee your veggies in a skillet with a bit of oil while the quinoa is simmering
- Mash your black beans in a large bowl, leaving some texture, then add your cooked quinoa, sautéed vegetables, spices and flax egg. Finally, mix in the oat flour and stir until everything is thoroughly combined
- Form 8 patties and arrange them evenly on your baking sheet
- Bake for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for 20 more minutes, until crispy and delicious
I like to serve these black bean burgers on whole grain hamburger buns with avocado, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, tomatoes, and sometimes vegan cheese! How do you dress your veggie burgers?
Tips for Making these Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
While these veggie burgers are pretty simple to make, I do have a few tips to share to ensure they come out tasting absolutely delicious! Plus, I’ve gotten so many great ideas from you guys over the years since I originally published this recipe. Here are a few things to keep in mind when making a batch of these black bean burgers:
- Make your own oat flour. You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy flour to keep these veggie burgers gluten-free! To make oat flour is add rolled oats to a blender and grind them up until you’re left with a fine flour!
- How to shape the veggie burgers. To get perfectly round veggie burgers, line the lid of a jar with wax paper or foil. Stuff the lid with the burger mixture, then flip it over onto the baking sheet and remove the wax paper. Perfectly sized burger patties every time!
- Make them for meal prep. These vegan veggie burgers save really well, making them perfect for meal prep! Pop them into an airtight container or bag and you can stash them in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them! I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between each patty so you can easily remove just what you need from the freezer, otherwise they’ll freeze together into a big block.
- Adjust the seasonings. If you like spicy food, try using a hotter pepper like a serrano instead of the jalapeno! Don’t like spicy? Leave out the jalapeno and the cayenne all-together. Try caramelizing your onions for a sweeter flavor or amping up the garlic for something more savory. There are so many ways to play with this veggie burger recipe, so share your ideas in the comments!
More Vegan Veggie Burger Recipes
Summer is synonymous with veggie burgers, and you better believe I eat plenty of them during the warm months of the year. Whether you’re baking them in the oven, or taking them out back to grill, there are so many ways to make a delicious veggie burger. Check out some of these other vegan veggie burger recipes, after you make these black bean quinoa burgers of course!
- Hawaiian Chickpea Burgers
- Smoky Wild Rice Mushroom Veggie Burgers
- Asian Veggie Burgers with Mango Cabbage Slaw
- White Bean Burgers by Plant-Based on a Budget
- Vegan Korean BBQ Burgers by The Curious Chickpea
- Black Bean Walnut Burgers with Saucy Sweet Onions by Vanilla and Bean
Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Meet your new go-to veggie burger recipe! These Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers are vegan, gluten-free and filled with plant protein.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can (1 1/2 cups) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup oat flour*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Combine flax and 5 tablespoons water in a small bowl; stir. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over high heat, add quinoa and 1 cup water. Bring quinoa to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile: in a skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Once hot, add onion; cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring. Add bell pepper and jalapeño; cook until vegetables are tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add spinach; stir. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
- In a large bowl, add black beans and mash with a fork, leaving some texture. Add cooked quinoa, sautéed vegetables, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, cayenne, and reserved flax mixture. Stir to combine. Add oat flour; stir.
- Form 8 patties.** Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for 20 more minutes, until crispy on the edges.
Notes
*In a blender or food processor, add oats. Blend into a fine flour.
**To get evenly shaped burgers, line the lid of a jar (I use a peanut butter jar lid) with wax paper or foil. Stuff the lid with the burger mixture, then flip it over onto the baking sheet and remove the wax paper.
***Store in an airtight container or bag for up to 1 week. You can also freeze and reheat these.
