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!

Sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, spices, and black beans as the ingredients for a vegan burger recipe.

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.

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.

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.

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:

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 3 votes

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger with Quinoa

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.
Yield 8 patties
Prep 25 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total 1 hour

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

Instructions 

  • In a medium-sized pot combine sweet potatoes, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Cover pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 22-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
  • In a small bowl combine cumin, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  • Pulse oats in a high speed blender 3-4 times to make a coarse oat flour.
  • Once sweet potatoes and quinoa are done cooking, add them to a large bowl with black beans, coarse oat flour, onion, cilantro, and seasoning mix. Mix until well combined. (You may have to use your hands for this!)
  • Divide burger mixture into 8 equal portions. Form each portion into a round disc about 1 inch thick.

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 patties for 4-5 minutes per side. 

In the Oven:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Coat each patty with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place in a single layer on the baking sheet.
  • Bake patties in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Serve sweet potato black bean burgers on gluten-free hamburger buns with avocado, tomato, and onion and enjoy!

Grill:

  • Heat grill to medium heat. Let fully heat for at least 10 minutes.
  • Spritz a bit of non-stick cooking spray on the grill before adding patties.
  • Cook patties for 5-6 minutes per side. Enjoy!

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 3 votes

Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

  • 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.

Expert Tips and Tricks

  • Rinse quinoa. This gets rid of the bitter saponins.
  • Make your own oat flour. Pulse oats a few times in a blender. This is a much healthier binder than bread crumbs!
  • Mush 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 512mg, Potassium: 478mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 8444IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Made this recipe?Leave a comment below!
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Tips & recipes for getting yummy — and healthy — meals on the table.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are wonderful! I am a newly converted Plant Based Vegan, and LOVED this recipe. I have always loved sweet potatoes, so this was a natural for me to try and I wasn’t wrong. What a brilliant idea to cook the sweet potatoes and quinoa together in the same pan! (I may cook some quinoa and sweet potatoes together like that for dinner) I cooked my mine in the air fryer. I didn’t use any oil, so they looked a little dry but tasted great.Thank you for a great recipe. Will be back for more, Sue

    1. Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sue! So glad to hear you’ll try more recipes. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!

  2. 5 stars
    WOW…these burgers were FANTASTIC!!! No exaggeration, FANTASTIC!!!
    I followed your recipe exactly as written.
    Then I browned each side in the frying pan and baked them until cooked. Your recipes were a hit, and I can’t wait to try more of them. Thank you.

    1. Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Suzanna! I’m so glad you thought these were fantastic. I can’t wait for you to try more recipes. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!

  3. I am thinking ahead for a larger group. Did you freeze the burgers before or after cooking? Thanks for sharing a great recipe!

    1. Great question, Sue! You can freeze them either before or after cooking. It might be easiest to freeze them AFTER cooking and then thaw/reheat them the day of serving. Excited to hear what you think of the recipe 🙂

  4. Delicious! Added fresh garlic instead of powder. I couldn’t believe how well these stayed together!
    I bake mine and my husband for the first time said THEY”RE GOOD!!! so it’s a keeper.. thank you!!

    1. Yay, Patricia!! So happy to hear you and the hubby enjoyed the recipe so much. Thanks for your comment!

  5. 5 stars
    These were SIMPLY AMAZING . Very easy to make. The only change I made was some fresh toasted garlic I had ( don’t have any garlic powder) and some smoked paprika instead of regular. I baked them, but pretty sure I can put them on the grill. I made them into patties and refrigerated overnight for easy after work dinner. Roasted some delicata squash and steamed broccoli. Devine!! My husband is blown away with them.. This will be a regular recipe.

    1. What a great idea to add the toasted garlic! I’ll have to try that out next time. Thanks so much for your comment and rating!

  6. Great recipe thank you! Be careful if you use your hands to mix the recipe as the sweet potatoes will be very hot at first 👍

    1. Hi Kaley! The calorie count is only for the patties since it depends on the type of bun and toppings you put on them! Thanks for the question!

  7. Wow, this looks incredible! I’m usually a sucker for chicken burgers, but I could definitely tuck into this!

      1. Totally unrelated, but I’ve just realised your name is London Brazil and that is the coolest thing ever.