The sweet potato black bean burger that won over a lifelong meat lover
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 these Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans.
So what actually keeps these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers from falling apart? The sweet potatoes and quinoa simmer in the same pot of seasoned broth, then a coarse oat flour you pulse yourself soaks up whatever moisture is left, which means no egg and no breadcrumbs.
Yup, you heard me right. You will be SO stuffed when you finish eating just one of these meatless veggie burgers.
For someone who used to think dinner meant meat, that’s saying something.
Why you’ll love these sweet potato black bean burgers
- Three ways to cook them. Skillet, oven, or grill, so you’re not stuck turning on the oven in August.
- One batch makes 8 patties, and they freeze for up to 6 months.
- Vegan and gluten-free, and filling enough that one patty is actually dinner.
- The binder is a coarse oat flour you pulse from plain oats, so there’s no egg and no breadcrumbs.
I LOVE this recipe! Been using it for years now, always impresses people who 1. Eat meat 2. “Only like” so and so brand black bean burgers! I like to make a double batch and freeze for when I want them.
– Katriona B.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes: Peel them and cut them into a small, even dice before cooking. That’s what gives you the best texture in the finished patty.
- Black beans: Regular canned black beans, rinsed and drained. Red kidney or white navy beans work well here too.
- Quinoa: White, red, or tri-color all work. Give it a really good rinse first to get rid of the bitter saponins.
- Vegetable broth: Use one you actually like the taste of, since the sweet potatoes and quinoa soak it right up. Regular sodium broth was used for testing, so you’ll need to add more salt if yours is low sodium.
- Oats: Quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats get pulsed into a coarse oat flour, and that is the only binder in here. Oat flour pulls moisture more evenly than whole rolled oats, so you don’t end up with chewy flecks or the pasty texture breadcrumbs can leave behind.
- Cilantro: A bit of finely chopped fresh cilantro goes in to balance the seasoning blend.
- Onion: Sweet onion is best here, but red, white, or yellow will do just fine.
- Cumin: Warm and earthy, and it’s the backbone of the whole spice blend.
- Paprika: Regular paprika keeps things mild. Swap in smoked paprika if you want a smokier patty.
- Garlic powder: Fresh minced garlic cloves work in its place.
- Cayenne pepper: Leave it out entirely if you don’t want any heat at all.
How to Make Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prep the sweet potatoes
Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into a small, even dice. Uniform pieces are the whole game here, since they all need to cook through at the same rate.
Simmer the base in one pot
Add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan and cover it with a lid. Bring it to a boil, drop it down to a simmer, and cook for 22 to 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
Why you never drain the pot
There’s no draining step here, and that’s on purpose. The quinoa and sweet potatoes soak up that broth as they cook, which is what seasons the patties all the way through instead of just on the outside.
Pulse the oats into flour
Add the oats to a high-speed blender or food processor and pulse them 3 or 4 times. You want a coarse flour, so stop before it turns into a paste.
Mix everything together
Whisk the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl first, so the spices spread evenly through the mix.
Then add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, black beans, oat flour, onion, cilantro, and seasoning to a large bowl and mix until everything is incorporated. (You’ll probably need to use your hands for this part.)
The six-spice shortcut
Swap all six spices for 1 ½ tablespoons of Burger Seasoning if you’re short on jars. It works just as well on a veggie patty as it does on beef.
My all-time FAVE spice jars!
I got these cute spice jars to organize all of my spices and dried herbs and now it’s SO easy to find exactly what I need!
Plus, they come with blank labels so you can add your own personalized ones for your homemade seasoning mixes.
Shape 8 patties
Use a knife or spatula to cut the mixture into 8 equal portions, then press each one into a round disc about 1 inch thick.
Smash them together firmly as you go. That’s what keeps them from breaking apart later in the pan.
The Air Fryer I Use and ❤️
I use a 6-quart air fryer for this recipe and it’s the perfect size for cooking everything in a single layer without overcrowding. Because remember, keeping it in one layer is key to all that crispy goodness!
Cook the burgers
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium and add the patties in a single layer, working in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller side.
Cook them 4 to 5 minutes per side, and wait for a real crusty sear before you flip.
Serve them up
These patties are filling enough to eat on their own, though avocado, tomato, and thinly sliced onion on a gluten-free bun is hard to beat.
Add a sauce and dinner is done.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
They’re mushy in the middle. That usually means too much liquid, so add a bit more coarse oat flour and give it a few minutes to soak in.
They broke when I flipped them. You flipped too early, so wait until a real crusty sear forms on the bottom and they’ll release in one piece.
They stuck to the grill grates. The grill needed more time to heat or the grates needed a spritz of non-stick spray, so give it a full 10 minutes before the patties go on.
They taste flat. Check your broth, since regular sodium vegetable broth was used when testing and a low sodium one means adding more salt to the mix.
FAQs
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.
Yes. Shape the patties completely, then keep them covered in the fridge or freeze them raw until you’re ready to cook.
Nope. A high speed blender handles the oat flour just fine, and everything else gets mixed by hand in a big bowl.
Some recipes use eggs as a binder, in which case they would not be. This one uses a coarse oat flour instead, so it’s completely vegan.
Red kidney or white navy beans both work well in place of the black beans.
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled skillet for the crispiest crust, or in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Freeze cooked patties with wax paper between each for up to 6 months. You can also shape the patties ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them raw until ready to cook.
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger with Quinoa
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Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Non-Stick Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup quinoa rinsed and drained
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup oats quick or old-fashioned, gluten-free
- ½ cup sweet onion finely diced
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons 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!
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Notes
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is for 1 patty without the bun.
- Buns: Udi’s hamburger buns taste great and can be found in most grocery stores! (That’s what I used in this recipe.) Schar’s gluten-free buns have a really great texture, too.
- Spice shortcut: Use 1 ½ tablespoons of Burger Seasoning in place of the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Don’t drain: The sweet potatoes and quinoa should absorb the broth as they cook, which is what seasons the patties all the way through.
- Prep ahead: Make the patties completely and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Place patties in a freezer-safe container with a piece of wax paper between each one. Freeze for up to 6 months.
- 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 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with sweet potato black bean burgers
A big pile of fries is the obvious answer, and these Easy Garlic Parmesan Fries are the ones I’d reach for. If you’re cooking the patties in a skillet, the oven is free anyway.
You can also go the Air Fryer French Fries route, just not on the same night you air fry the burgers. Only one of them fits in the basket.
For something cool and crunchy against a warm patty, this Apple Cider Vinegar Slaw is great, and it’s no-cook. Pile a little right on top of the burger while you’re at it.
When it’s hot out, Avocado Corn Salad and Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad both come together on the counter with nothing turned on.
And if you skip the bun entirely, crumble a patty over a Sweet Potato Broccoli Quinoa Bowl instead. Leftover patties are honestly better this way.
On sauces: Secret Sauce and Spicy Sriracha Mayo Sauce are the mayo-based picks, while Avocado Ranch Dressing and Homemade Guacamole keep it plant-based.
More sweet potato recipes
Bought the whole bag again? Here’s what the rest of those sweet potatoes are for.
Melting Sweet Potatoes
1 hr 10 mins
Skillet Sweet Potatoes
25 mins
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
1 hr 30 mins
I LOVE this recipe! Been using it for years now, always impresses people who 1. Eat meat 2. “Only like” so and so brand black bean burgers! I like to make a double batch and freeze for when I want them quickly! Delicious 😋
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Katriona! It’s such a good burger, even wthout meat. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
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
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!
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.
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!
I am thinking ahead for a larger group. Did you freeze the burgers before or after cooking? Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
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 🙂
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!!
Yay, Patricia!! So happy to hear you and the hubby enjoyed the recipe so much. Thanks for your comment!
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.
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!
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 👍
Yes, Andrew! That’s a great word of caution. Thank you! And thank you for your comment 🙂
Is the calorie count just for the patties or does it include the bun and toppings too?
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!
Definitely making this one this week. I cannot wait to try it!
Yay!! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Madi!
Wow, this looks incredible! I’m usually a sucker for chicken burgers, but I could definitely tuck into this!
Lol, absolutely! You won’t even miss the chicken!
Totally unrelated, but I’ve just realised your name is London Brazil and that is the coolest thing ever.
Haha… ya, it was pretty crazy that I fell in love with a guy that has the last name Brazil!? lol