You guys, I don’t even know where to start, other than, I MADE A VEGGIE BURGER THAT’S GRILLABLE.
All hail the veggie burger!
If you’ve followed Minimalist Baker for a while, you know I’ve made many veggie burgers in the past – exhibit A, B, C, D, and E. Yes, it’s an obsession – I know.
But none of these burgers have been truly “grillable” due to their fragile texture. And because we aren’t currently grill owners, I usually opt for baking or sautéing anyway.
Recently, however, we’ve been attending more summer BBQs and I’ve been receiving emails from people asking for a burger that will hold up on the grill.
Friends, I’ve found the solution. Bonus? It’s so easy.
This burger requires just 10 ingredients (give or take a spice) and comes together in 30 minutes (once your brown rice is cooked).
Plus, the method is so simple:
Blend toasted walnuts with spices
Sauté onion
Mash black beans
Add remaining ingredients
Stir/mash like a madwoman/madman.
All that’s left to do is form them into patties and fire up the grill (or skillet).
I tested these burgers on both the grill and skillet and am happy to report they’re fabulous either way.
You do get a bit more “char” and blackening on the grill, whereas with sautéing you get a more evenly browned surface. So pick and choose by which texture you prefer.
You guys are going to LOVE these burgers! They’re:
Hearty
Simple
Super flavorful
Satisfying
Loaded with healthy ingredients
Crowd-pleasing
& Seriously tasty
Oh, and did I mention each burger (one of five) has nearly 10 grams of protein?! Trust me, you’re going to go home satisfied after eating one of these (especially when paired with a hearty salad, sweet potato wedges, or crispy baked matchstick fries).
If you try this recipe let us know what you think! Leave a comment and rate it – it’s so helpful for us and other readers. And don’t forget to snap a picture and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Easy Grillable Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked brown rice*
- 1 cup raw walnuts (or sub bread crumbs)
- 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil (plus more for cooking)
- 1/2 medium white onion (finely diced // 1/2 onion yields ~3/4 cup)
- 1 Tbsp each chili powder blend, cumin powder, and smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more for coating burgers)
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or sub organic brown or muscovado sugar)
- 1 ½ cups cooked black beans* (well rinsed, drained and patted dry)
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (if gluten-free, use gluten-free bread crumbs)
- 3-4 Tbsp vegan BBQ sauce
Instructions
- If your brown rice isn’t cooked yet, start there by following this method for the best results. Otherwise, move onto the next step.
- Heat skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add raw walnuts and toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown. Let cool and move onto the next step.
- In the meantime, heat the same skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onion. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is fragrant, soft, and translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once walnuts are cooled, add to blender or food processor with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and coconut sugar and blend until a fine meal (see photo) is achieved. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add drained, dried black beans and mash well with a fork, leaving only a few whole beans (see photo).
- Next add cooked rice, spice-walnut mixture, sautéed onion, panko bread crumbs, BBQ sauce, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes, or until a moldable dough forms. If dry, add an extra 1-2 Tbsp BBQ sauce (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). If too wet, add more panko bread crumbs. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- For larger burgers, divide into 5 patties (1/2 cup in size // amount as original recipe is written), or form 10 smaller burgers (1/4 cup in size // amount as original recipe is written). To help form the patties, line your 1/2 or 1/4 measuring cup with plastic wrap and pack with burger mixture. Press down to pack firmly, then lift out by the plastic wrap’s edge, and slightly flatten with hands to form a 3/4-inch thick patty. Set on a baking sheet or plate for grilling.
- If grilling, heat the grill at this time and brush the grill surface with oil to ease cooking. Otherwise, heat the same skillet you used earlier to medium heat.
- Once skillet is hot, add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of your skillet, then add your burgers – only as many as will comfortably fit in the pan. Otherwise, add burgers to the grill and close lid.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until well browned on the underside, then flip gently. They aren’t as firm as meat burgers, but will definitely hold their shape. Reduce heat if cooking/browning too quickly. Cook for 3-4 minutes on other side.
- Remove burgers from heat to let cool slightly, and prepare any other toppings/sides at this time (such as grilling/toasting your buns).
- Serve burgers as is, or on toasted buns with desired toppings. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. See notes for freezing/reheating instructions.
Video
Notes
*One 15-ounce (425 g) can of black beans yields only 1 1/4 cups black beans. So if using canned, be sure to grab two cans (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)! Also, if black beans are unsalted, add 1/4 tsp extra salt to burger mixture (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
*For a simple burger sauce mix 2 parts vegan mayo and 1 part ketchup. Add hot sauce or Sriracha for extra heat.
*To freeze for later, cook burgers as instructed on grill or skillet. Then set on a baking sheet or plate and freeze. Once frozen completely, seal in a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in a 375 degree F oven on a bare baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through and golden brown (or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of BBQ sauce and without a bun or toppings.
Ann Pierce says
I made this last night for my husband and it turned out to be perfect. Thanks for sharing
Maureen says
Made this recipe a few weeks ago. My meat loving, newly turned vegetarian husband loved this recipe. He said it’s a keeper! Started to pull out the ingredients to make today and forgot I don’t have any more walnuts. Can I sub pecans for walnuts?
Mohini Patel says
I made my first ever burgers with this recipe and it was absolutely amazing!…extremely easy to do and very tasty.. Thank you for your recipe! Mo
allison says
This burger was delicious! I did not have bread crumbs on hand so I used coarsely ground (in a food processor) rolled oats. It came out perfectly.
Nancy says
Thank you for such an easy veggie burger recipe that is so tasty and healthy. I substituted the raw walnuts with pumpkin seeds which gave the burger a distinct nutty flavor and an additional health benefit.
I love your recipes, Dana. You are so creative and I love your ingredient combinations that have made eating vegan meals enjoyable.
Lesly says
I’m making this for the second time tonight for dinner. Excited as I will be cooking them on the bbq this time! They have a great texture and very tasty!
Cari says
I made these last night. While the flavor was spot on, I was disappointed with the texture and the end result. I think it might be my fault because I did not toast the walnuts- I blended them instead and ended up with an almost nut butter consistency before I added the spices. I figured I could save some time by not toasting the walnuts. Big mistake!
I cooked them in a frying pan with just a drizzle of oil. While super tasty, they were a bit mushy.
So, if anyone else tries these, don’t be like me. Follow ALL of the directions instead and these will probably be perfect.
chef Mark K says
1 cup of whole walnuts will be a different yield than 1 cup of whole walnuts that have been milled down. In fact, it will be about 3/4 cup. So if you are substituting an already milled product such as bread crumbs, 1 cup may dry out the mixture too much. Also it will significantly alter the taste. I would suggest a combination of ground nut, crumbs, meal etc., divided as you wish to equal 3/4 cup.
Marianne says
Overall Yummy!! Very good recipe. I made it tonight for my vegetarian friend. I made a mistake though – I forgot to add the sautéed onions when I was mixing it up and I didn’t realize until I had formed all the patties. Rather than re-mix all the patties with the onions, I ended up serving the onions on top. Everything else I did exactly as written – I used walnuts because I wanted all the health benefits and flavor they would provide. For the 1/3 cup of panko at the end of the recipe I used oats as suggested. I even made the rice as recommended by the linked Saveur magazine article. My husband, my vegetarian friend and I all loved this bean burger. It was a little crumbly once cooked but not so much that it was a problem. I thought the flavor was amazing and while the spices seemed like a lot, they were perfect. The only potential negative was the consistency which was a little mushy soft, but like someone said before in their comment, these are bean burgers and they tend to be on the soft side. Next time I’m not going to process the nuts so fine and I think I’ll leave the oats whole too (I ran them in the food processor to make them more like breadcrumb consistency). Finally, I didn’t grill them, I fried them in a non-stick pan in olive oil and I made the recommended mayo, ketchup, sriracha for a topping. I’ll be making these again. This is a great recipe. Thank you!!
Erin says
Hello – it says cooked black beans. If using canned black beans should these be heated first then rinsed and dried off? Sorry if this is a silly question.
Nope! Just drained and rinsed. They’re already cooked and ready to go.
Jenn says
These came out amazing! I added and tweaked some of the spices as I did not have all of them on hand but oh my goodness was this amazing! I served it with baked French fries I cut by hand. Yummmmm
Shannon says
This is one of the best burger recipes ever! So flavourful and they held together amazing! I didn’t have vegan BBQ sauce so I subbed in a tablespoon of soy sauce and 3 of ketchup and it was great! Thank you!
Rachel says
I have made these a couple of times now for my vegetarian self and my non-vegetarian husband, who also doesn’t like mushrooms or cheese, ruling out a lot of VB recipes. We both think these are delicious exactly as written. They will hold up with delicate treatment, but I freeze the patties and pan-fry them straight from the freezer — they cook through just fine, and no need for kid gloves. We’re very glad to have this recipe in our repertoire!
Alethia says
Best burger ever!!
Can i freeze those beauties?
Rachel says
Yes!
Sean Howard says
I am neither vegetarian or vegan but my daughter is, so I gave this a try. This was my first attempt at a veggie burger. Whilst preparing the various ingredients, I really could not see how it was all going to come together but once you make that first patty it kinda “looks” right.
My only concession was to replace the bbq sauce with a sweet Thai relish (only because I don’t have bbq sauce), but this seems more for binding than for flavour (please let me know if this is wrong). Also I couldn’t find panko, so used normal breadcrumbs!
The taste of the burgers was really good except a bit too hot (spicy), I possibly interpreted chilli for something else (maybe cayenne pepper) so definitely overdid the heat factor. Also I made six patties but found them a bit too big for “normal” sized burger buns, next time I’ll make it into 10 burgers.
Thanks for the staring point, I’ve got all summer to perfect my veggie burger but at least I’ve made the first step.
Megan says
Tried this recipe today! Reading the other comments about modifications were helpful! We had no walnuts so I toasted up gluten free bread, put it in food processor and used the bread crumbs instead of the nuts. I also had left over cooked and seasoned green lentils from earlier in the week, so instead of black beans I subbed the lentils! I found a quick and easy recipe for vegan bbq sauce put that in and I must say – were they satisfying in the hunger department and with flavor! Held up together on the grill too! Paired alongside your bbq corn with sirachcha aioli mmm good! Also used the bbq sauce and aioli on the burgers themselves! I have been obsessed with finding recipes on your blog- you have rekindled my love for cooking. My boyfriend is gf & vegan, me having been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, have started eating that way as well. I lost interest with food and felt like nothing was as good as I used to make before being vegan. Your blog has sparked that fire inside of me again, to love cooking and get creative! Your vegan recipes are tasty and satisfying thank you thank you thank you! Looking forward to what comes next ❤️
Derek says
Very yummy and held together well in a shallow pan on stovetop. However, you’ll want to cut spices by at least 50-75 percent for it to be served to children. All three of my kids, who are 3, 4, and 7, and who eat a lot of store bought veggie burgers (Praeger’s) were running for the fountain after the 1st bite. Otherwise, a good recipe.
Shannon says
LOVED this recipe! I added a little garlic to set it off- just fantastic!
Thanks for the “ultimate Veggie Burger”!!!
Michael Fishman says
I made these last night and they came out all mushy for me and didn’t cook up well in the skillet so I guess I did something wrong. I didn’t actually dry the canned beans so maybe that was my mistake :(
Yes, that’s likely what went wrong. Better luck next time!
Emma says
Oh my lord this was delicious! I halfed the quantity of spices in the walnut mix though, because damn a whole tablespoon of chilli powder? Too much for me
Lori says
This recipe is not great. Mushy in the middle. The burger stayed together better than others. A waste of walnuts. Couldn’t even taste them. To be honest I’m getting tired of people making websites without a real talent just for money
I will not be trying anymore of her recipes
Pollyanna says
And yet many, many other people enjoyed them! MOST veggie burgers have a soft texture, have you had more success with other recipes? Could you share them?
Yes walnuts are expensive but they add flavour, oil, nutrition and contribute to the ‘luciousness’, try the recipe with a substitution and you will notice their lack. Not every ingredient is a ‘feature ingredient’.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, but why did you feel it necessary to be so unkind? I always read reader comments because they help me understand a recipe better before I attempt it. I appreciate useful commentary, but angry comments don’t help anyone.
Jayna says
Bravo – perfect response to an unnecessary and unkind comment.
D Williamsd says
I made these today for my son and his wife. They are vegetarians, and they said these were amazing!!!
Deb says
Hi Dana,
Could you bake these instead of grill or pan-fry? What temp would you cook them at and for how long?
Thanks!
Deb
Yes! We’d suggest using this recipe for reference: https://minimalistbaker.com/sweet-potato-black-bean-burger/
Anne H. says
I’ve made this recipe twice now, I LOVE these! The second time I made them, I didn’t have walnuts so I substituted a mixture of sunflower and pumpkin seeds. I also tripled the recipe so I could have a stash in the freezer. Thanks very much!!!
Cindy says
Definitely the best bean burger recipe I’ve ever used as far as it holding together and cooking well. Great flavor also!
Mary Ahern says
As usual, you guys rocked this! These are amazing. So amazing that I found myself “sampling” some of the mixture repeatedly out of the bowl before I even made them into patties to go on the grill, tee-hee. I also have been wanting to tell you how I can’t thank you enough for such a great blog! You are my go-to favorite blog for recipes that I can count on! Thanks for all your hard work and sharing your talents with us!
Alan says
Cracking. Just made a batch of these, only sub I made was using kidney beans instead of black beans as I’m not a fan of black beans. I’m in the UK, and a drained 400g can of beans is pretty much exactly the right size. I really wasn’t sure as I was prepping it all but they came out magnificently, two burgers scoffed and three more in the freezer. Thank you.
Lalita says
Fantastic recipe. Wow fabulous veggie burgers!!!
I have started making this all the time and freezing them
Thank you
Lalita says
wonderful recipe….the veggie burgers came out so well
I have made burgers before but this recipe tops the cake.
Thank you
Cynthia Bamford says
Just tried this and got rave reviews-it was delicious and easy to prepare
FYI: Some may find it spicy with one tbsp chili powder and should decrease the amount of chili.
Samir says
Hi There!
First — thank you for sharing this recipe! It came out quite good with my mods, which I’ll detail below.
Mods:
I subbed a 1/2 cup of toasted oats for 1/2 of the walnuts
Cut cumin down to about 1/2 tsp (I’m particularly sensitive to it)
Added 1/8 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (I’ll up this to about 1/4 next time)
Used some red kidney beans an addition to the black beans
Added 1 TBSP each of red miso and soy sauce for some depth of flavor and umami. I’ll add more next time
For the oats, I toasted them for a few minutes on high heat, till they started to crackle a bit and brown. I ground the spices and walnuts together until they were a fine meal. Then added oats and pulsed so they were just a bit pulverized but still mostly whole.
Shaped and grilled over charcoal, held together great.
I LOVED these burgers but my wife didn’t care for the sweetness that the BBQ sauce brings. She’s ultra sensitive to anything sweet. Any ideas for a sub?
Angie says
Thank you for this recipe! We LOVED it! I made a few substitutions according to what we can eat (almonds instead of walnuts, brown sugar instead of coconut sugar) but overall we loved the flavors and texture of these burgers ?
Kerry says
I am having a large household of people over for 4th of July tomorrow. I just finished making 9 batches of these burgers! It yielded 68 burgers that were a scant 1/2 up each. I have not cooked them yet, but the flavor of the mixture is so delicious! I made 8 batches with the walnuts and one batch substituting sunflower seeds since one guest is allergic to walnuts. Thank you!
Thanks! Hope you love them!
Susan says
So good, made them tonight and this recipe is a definite hit/keeper! Economical too! I appreciate your recipes SO much, everything I have made has been so delicious, easy to make, satisfying and healthy! Thank you, Dana!
Thanks so much for your lovely review and kind words, Susan. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Akash says
We just made these today and let me tell you they are the best veggie burgers I have ever had. I’ve been a vegetarian my entire life (35 years) and they are way better than what I’m use to eating (store bought for the most part)
Thanks!!!!
So kind! Thanks Akash!
Janelle says
These look amazing! Quick question: Can the patties be refrigerated and then grilled at a later time, or will that mess them up? Thank you!
Yes!
Jacqui says
This was the best veggie burger I have ever had- we felt like we were eating a hamburger. Great recipe!!!! We put avocado,grilled onions & tomato on a grilled bun . Loved it!!!
So kind! Thanks Jacqui!
Jacqui says
I have never written anything before on a recipe. This was worth taking the time to write. My husband who is such a picky eater and usually will not even try something like this loved them. That is quite a compliment ! Looking forward to trying other recipes!
Vicki says
I am thinking of making some of these for Saturday for a 4th party and I just thought about eliminating the panko (as I am trying to avoid anything with wheat)……maybe add oats instead and maybe some chia seeds as they are gelatinous and thought it might bind and help keep burgers from falling apart.
Vicki says
and also eliminating the BBQ sauce because commercial BBQ sauces have lots of hidden nasty sugars.
Vicki S says
I’ll let you all know if the chia seeds are a good idea.
Vicki Stankewitz says
Just an update……..I made theses burgers for a 4th party on that Saturday before and they were so good but I made some changes and I will post it below after my comments.
As I said in my previous post, I was gonna add some chia seeds thinking that it might be a good binding agent (really couldn’t tell you if it was or not, because all I know is that chia seeds are gelatinous and thought it might help……but anyway they add additional nutrition.
And I made my own BBQ sauce sorta and it added flavor to the burger.
1 cup cooked brown rice (could also you some kind of wild rice/grain blend like I did…..had leftover precooked in freezer)
1 cup raw walnuts (or sub bread crumbs) (it will be mentioned in the recipe…..but the walnuts will be dry toasted in a saute pan)
1/2 Tbsp grapeseed or avocado oil, plus more for cooking (used NON-GMO canola oil because that is what I had on hand)
NOTE: Many of the canola oils on the market on highly laden with GMO’s and Pesticides.
1/2 medium white onion or to equal 3/4 cup, finely diced (I used a red/purple onion…….that is what I use most in any cooking for color)
You could just use a yellow/brown onion if that is what you have on hand.
1 Tbsp each chili powder, cumin powder, and smoked paprika (I omited these three spices and used McCormick Grill Mates “Chipotle & Roasted Garlic” seasoning blend)
1 tsp each sea salt and black pepper, plus more for coating burgers (I feel that the burgers don’t need the extra salt and pepper on
outside of burgers because there is enough flavor coming from everything else)
1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or sub organic brown or muscovado sugar) (I omitted the sugar because I used sweetener somewhere else in the
recipe)…….my BBQ sauce (below)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, well rinsed, drained and patted dry (if using canned black beans, I would not cook them because they are somewhat already cooked during the canning process…….if I already had dried black beans prior to going shopping and had the time to soak and cook them, I would have used those instead……I find that buying and using dried beans of any kind have much of a better flavor and texture than canned beans)
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (I omitted the panko bread crumbs and used rolled oats as they will be ground up……plus I added a little
more in whole form for visual appeal to burgers……I am trying to eliminate anything with wheat in my diet as wheat is a damaging
lectin for blood type O)…….but what good did it do yesterday having the burger on the brioche hamburger bun plus the cakes.
3/4 Tbsp vegan BBQ sauce (I didn’t have this so I created my own little concoction……..I could have used a commercially store brought
BBQ sauce that we already had in the fridge, but those are loaded with high frutose corn syrup and other bad sugars. So this was
my somewhat BBQ concoction…….but didn’t use exact measured measurements……so go by your own taste buds if you make your
own)
2/3 to 3/4 can tomato paste (6 oz)
few spoonfuls of sauce from can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (this is what gives the BBQ sauce “smokiness”)
few small squirts of yellow mustard
about a 1/4 cup raw unprocessed honey (a Little more can be use if more sweetness is needed)
about a 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (adds a little more sweetness and it darkens to make it look like the commercial
BBQ sauces.
few splashes of white wine vinegar (white distilled or apple cider vinegar can be used)
few shakes of salt and pepper
And I topped it with a homemade chimichurri sauce
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chimichurri-sauce/
Laura says
This was my first attempt at a black bean burger. I added mushrooms and cilantro because they are staples in my diet. Holy dinner, they were good! With mixed green and some veganese, it was just as satisfying as any burger I’ve ever had. Full belly and guilt free!
Jessica says
I am planning to make these for a BBQ this weekend! Is it possible to make ahead and freeze them or do you feel this will mess with the texture too much?
Thanks!
Lisa says
Could I make up the mixture a day ahead of time? Or would that mess up the texture. Thanks.
Yes, they can be made a few days in advance
Mallica says
Wow…this is the best recipe I hav ever tried for a patty
Moist and full of flavour..
Loved it
Thank you for sharing
Baiba says
Dear Dana,
I had never even made a burger in my life – with or without meat. But this was so great – I made these veggie burgers once and been thinking about them ever since.
Our national holiday of celebrating summer is coming and I’ll be making more, finally! But I do have one question – can I add a flax egg to the mixture to make the patties more firm?
Thanks so much!
You can try that! You can also add a little less rice and more beans so the mixture holds together a little better. Glad you’re enjoying them!
Nicolo says
Best vegan burger I’ve had in 8 months being Vegan :)
Thank you so very much for this delicious recipe!!
Lindsay says
These were wonderful! Paired them up win some vegan peanut butter cup cheesecakes from this page as well. Everyone loved them! Great recipe and full of flavor.
Terri says
Hi
I’ve just made these and the hubby reckons they are he best v burgers I’ve ever made, after 30 years, high praise indeed.
thanks for your amazing website,
I’m going to try the falafel recipe next
best wishes from over the pond
Terri ?
(Lincolnshire, U.K.)
Vicki says
I just made these today and they are fabulous. What is that glorious seeded drizzle under your sauce? Is it a smashed cherry tomato or something else, like relish? Yummy.
I believe just grainy mustard!
dyana says
awesome! trying this tomorrow for my weekly cookstravaganza.
Jackie says
These were great. However, I messed them up due to a busy kitchen. I added 2 cups of brown rice and had 1 less can of black beans than I needed. I didn’t have onions on hand, so I had to sautee mushrooms. These STILL turned out very, very good though a little heavy on my tummy. I think I could only eat one with a bun. Thanks for the recipe!! My apologies for butchering your original one. I will give it a try in a couple of days once we finish the burgers we do have.
In addition, the fact that I was able to salvage these burgers after totally killing the original recipe really speaks for me to how you do as a cook (chef). You are great. And this is not my first try at cooking something you put out there and me messing it up and it STILL turns out excellent!! Kudos.
Genesis says
Amazing recipe! My boyfriend and I have been vegans together for over a year and we’ve recently wanted to get into a healthier routine; away from the processed, expensive side of veganism. He’s picky with his veggies and he loved this recipe. We had a lot of fun making it together.
I think my only complaint is the texture. The poster mentioned this and I could have cooked them wrong but, I mean, it IS a bean burger so I expected them to be soft but if I had handled them like a regular patty they definitely would have crumbled. Again, not the poster’s fault. It’s just the nature of the ingredients.
Otherwise, the seasoning was perfect! With so many vegan recipes I find myself having to tweak the seasoning to escape this bland black hole but this recipe was beautifully balanced. I dressed mine with grilled pineapple and mushrooms and it was delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Big Village says
Just made about 40 of these for my son’s first birthday BBQ…They were amazing! I added vital wheat gluten into the mix along with everything listed in the recipe…I used about 1/4 C or so (perhaps a bit less), per 5 burgers. It helped with the texture as I tried a sample burger without the gluten which was very delicious but a bit to squishy for my liking. The gluten just firms things up a bit more. I recommend experimenting a little with amounts if you do add the gluten, as too much would definitely ruin the whole batch! A couple other little mods: I made the beans from scratch and seasoned them with some paprika and cumin, and added some Better than Bouillon to the cooking water. I also added some Better Than Bouillon to the rice to give it a bit more flavour.
These burgers got rave reviews at the party, and a neighbour with two carnivorous little boys said that they didn’t even notice that it was a veggie burger! :p
So kind! Thanks for sharing!!
Missy says
These burgers are so tasty! They grill well or in a fry pan. They also freeze well. Great recipe…thanks!
Eric says
These burgers were very delicious! Followed recipe to a tea and they turn out great!! Our family loves all your recipes…
Keep up the good work!!
Kate Haines says
These were great! They are softer, but that doesn’t bother me. I ate these with more BBQ on top. :P
My husband even got seconds (win!).
Thanks for sharing, Kate!
Sarah says
These are so delicious! My husband asked me to make a new batch so he could take them to work all week! I used instant brown rice and loaded up on the seasonings. You can also freeze the patties and make later!
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Sara says
Idk what I did wrong. This was my first vegan bean burger and it was very soft. The burger had no texture or taste but I added all of the spices and the barbecue sauce :(
Jared says
The last veggie burger patty you will ever need! Amazing flavor and texture. Not too dry and not too squishy. I served it to two avid meat eaters and they devoured them. Better than any restaurant’s veggie burger and definitely better than any packaged patty. I was actually searching for a black bean-less patty recipe though still came upon this one. I’m glad I did. I never need to search for another veggie patty recipe again.
Thanks for sharing, Jared!
SuzyQ says
This was my first venture into veggie burgers and I am sold on these. They are absolutely fantastic. I’m not necessarily going for a vegan burger and I thought it was a little on the dry side, so I tossed in a beaten egg as well. I used breadcrumbs and sautéed the onions in olive oil and used my own recipe for BBQ sauce. I am so in love with this recipe, I’m going to make meatballs out of it and bake them in the oven to use with spaghetti squash and marinara. This will be on regular rotation in my kitchen. Thank you.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing, Suzy!
Sam says
Tried these out, they were delicious. I’m not sure if I did something wrong but my burgers would hold together on the grill:/ any suggestion as to what I may have done wrong/ fix the problem?
Zoë says
I loved this recipe! The first veggie burger that my whole family liked! I used half black beans and half cannellini beans, used breadcrumbs instead of walnuts and managed to cook them on a bbq, it worked really well! Thanks for a fab recipe
Selena says
Hi all, do you really need the sugar in this recipe? I’m trying to go sugar-free… Or can it be substituted for anything else? Also, does it need the bbq sauce? I’m not a huge fan or mayo or ketchup due to the chemicals… Thanks! Looks like such a super recipe I’d love to try it with the subs..
Feel free to omit the sugar if you would prefer. The BBQ sauce is a pretty key flavor though so we would recommend including it- you could try a low sugar BBQ sauce such as Primal Kitchen.
Roxi says
Thank you for the recipe! I used almonds and mixed seed instead of wallnuts , red beans, white rice. I worked with what I had in the kitchen. And it was delicious!! I fried them in the pan and they didn’t fell appart
peter says
This mix looked worryingly dry but once dressed up (with pickle, hot peppers, cheese, mayo, mustard etc.) they turned out very tasty. And yes held together over charcoal.
Alao feared the rice would overwhelm. Didnt.
NB they burn easily on thrngrill. Pay attention
I swapped mixed nuts (Costco) for walnuts. Worked fine.
Some of the ingredients seemed odd. Not sure what would be wrong with olive oil.
Overall, i’d do them again.
Katie says
Wow! This recipe is amazing! I, too, had tried many veggie burger recipes that just fell apart in the pan – or as soon as they were removed from the pan. So as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. It’s really simple, sooo tasty, and really does hold together well. (You still need to be careful with it, but with these burgers, your care actually pays off.)
The only thing I changed was I used half tomato ketchup and half Chipotle paste instead of the barbecue sauce, as I realised at the last minute that I didn’t have any barbecue sauce. Other than that, I did exactly as you said, and they came out perfect! Thank you so much!!
Beth says
Can you freeze these, and then grill them?
Christina says
That’s what I did! I let them thaw before grilling them, and it worked out fine.
Sarah says
OMG!!!! Love these burgers. So easy to make too! I am not a fan or veggie burgers in the store but always crave a burger this time of year. This burger fills that craving! Can’t wait to make it again!
Natasha says
Omg, these were amazing. Made these for my 8 year old (we were recently told he shouldn’t eat meat because of his health) and he loved them as much as I did. I couldn’t believe it. Thank you so much for this recipe, now my son doesn’t have to miss out on burgers.
Melissa says
My friend made these for a recent camping trip we took and I LOVED them! Extremely flavourful and honestly, a third of your way into the burger, you’re so used to the texture it’s just like eating a traditional beef burger. Extremely satisfying and filling, I will definitely be making these tons this summer~
Michael says
I loved it. I’m a save this recipe for later. Thank you!
Sophia says
Wow! This recipe was really good. I did make some substitutions because I didn’t have all of the ingredients listed but it still came out good. The spice mixture was amazing and really gave these burgers a “wow” factor. My only challenge was that they were a little looser in firmness than I would have liked but I think I’ll add more bread crumbs, oats or I may even try the wheat gluten that someone mentioned above. In any case, this recipe is a keeper and I will definitely be making these again. Thanks!
Tim says
I really love these burgers. I made them according to the directions and they turned out great! Very filling and the sweet, smokey taste was perfect.
Luca says
i don’t like bbq sauce, do you have any suggestion for me?
The BBQ sauce is a pretty key flavor. But maybe curry paste or harissa?
Hannah says
I did some things differently, not because I thought it needed altering, but because I used what I had. The result was still great. My boyfriend and I are very picky about meat substitutes and this is definitely a winner. I used purple onion instead of yellow and instant brown rice. I also used olive oil instead of grapeseed. I patted the beans dry and in the end put all the ingredients in a food processor. I started to smash the beans with a fork as the instructions said, but it was taking far too much time. Make sure to only pulse the ingredients together to ensure it does not turn into a thick goo. I also used regular bread crumbs from some pieces of bread I threw in a food processor. The cooking instructions seemed a little vague, so at first I baked each burger a few minutes on each side and then briefly broiled each side for a crispier outside. I hope you love these as much as we do!
Hamid says
Can I use olive oil
Michelle says
Most of what I’ve seen talks about olive oil having a low smoke point, causing it to become toxic when we cook with it. Therefore, it’s better to use it cold, as in dressings, or dipped with bread. However, I’ve seen it listed as having a smoke point of 405F, whereas grapeseed was listed to be 420F.. not too far off. Anyways, I’m sure she listed grapeseed because it’s commonly understood that it’s not great to get olive oil too hot, and grapeseed is one of the best high-temp alternatives. I suggest maybe reading a few things on it if possible, and decide for yourself. Blessings!
Ray says
Michelle, Olive oil as a cooking oil Toxic? I should be dead by now – along with most of Europe, Mid East and US for that matter.. Contrary to the point there is nothing healthier.
We only cook with Olive oil and sesame. Canola for that very rare fried dish, and i mean very rare. Like once a month or two. Never been in better health. Best change we ever made.
As for uncooked have an Olive oil cocktail daily to improve your health.
You are in control of the heat and if you think that you will even be able to detect 105 degrees of difference – you are fooling yourself.
Every thing in moderation.
Michelle says
Hey, thanks! That’s why I said “most of what I’ve read” .. I don’t claim to know everything for sure. So I really appreciate you taking the time to update my understanding! I definitely don’t claim to be able to detect the difference in heat, either. Was just starting a conversation about the matter, so again I’m really glad you added on.
I’m interested to read more about it in the future, considering I have definitely heard from many sources about the toxicity of olive oil when used at high temps – I wonder what makes them say this.
It seems like you can find compelling evidence for any side of any argument these days, depending on where you look and who you ask .. makes it hard for one to believe anything without becoming an expert on the matter themselves.
Anyways.. Many blessings, Ray!
Jennifer says
Can I use a different oil than the 2 mentioned as I don’t like purchasing an item if it’s not something I normally use, plus those two oils may be expensive. I don’t know though , never having purchased them before. How about coconut or safflower oil?
I’d go with safflower. Grapeseed is a good option too that’s affordable. Or avocado!
Anna says
My Dad mostly(jokingly) mocks mine and my sisters vegan ways but this recipe was a huge hit, even for him! I quote, “I could make myself sick on these burgers!!” I made a few tweaks to our tastes but wow, I am massively impressed :)
Lily says
Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe! They held very nice in the grill! Many many thanks!
Zoe says
Amazing recipe! I made these this weekend for my boyfriend (who’s not a vegan) and he loved them and asked for seconds!
Jess says
Hi! I love your blog! I recently made these and they fell apart. I followed the instructions exactly except for measuring the mixture out in measuring cups at the end. I’m not sure what I did wrong. Any feedback would be helpful. Thank you!
Ms-Rach says
This recipe was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipes!
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Ellison says
A few things about this recipe:
With the legumes and nuts, the protein value is likely near that of good beef.
This is one of the few veggie dishes I have made that did not leave me hungry an hour later.
When this recipe is done right, it has more flavor than a beef pattie (that’s right, I said it!).
Excellent recipe. I will be making room on the grill this summer for a veggie dish!
Julie says
These were sooo good. I didn’t have black beans on hand so I used a can of white kidney beans, and it turned out great! I followed the rest of the instructions exactly. The only thing is that they kind of fell apart in the pan, but I was able to put then back together. I’m definitely making these again, but I will double it so I can keep some in the freezer.
Claire says
These were delicious! I’m a new vegetarian, leaning towards veganism, so I’m trying to expand my repertoire of hearty meals without relying to heavily on convenience products. I’ve just demolished two of these burgers, (done on the stovetop), and my only observation for my next time making them is to use the 1/4 cup measure and make them just a little thinner so they cook/heat right through evenly. (using the cup measure to mould them is a genius idea!!)
I’ve also made your easy Chana Masala, which I love, and your baked falafel, which were lovely but unfortunately reeeeeally dried out in the oven :/ but I shall persevere until I get it right. I love this website :)
Lisa says
These were very flavorful, but the softer texture was an issue for my family. I often add a bit of vital wheat gluten to our veggie burgers to give them a similar density and chew as a meat burger. It also helps the veggie burger to stay together on the grill nicely during flipping/turning. So, next time around I would replace the panko bread crumbs in this recipe with vital wheat gluten. Since we are trying to watch sugar/sweetener intake, I did not add the 1 TBSP of coconut sugar and I replaced the BBQ sauce with Trader Joe’s Steak Sauce as it still has a sweetness to it. The last change I made was that I dropped the cumin to just 1 tsp given I am sensitive to this spice, but given the nice strength of flavor in the steak sauce the burger still had an outstanding, balanced flavor.
Corinn says
I’m thankful for your comment as I have been searching them all in regard to texture. That is a major issue with those not accustomed to eating plant based diets and I don’t want to discourage others from trying them if they are “squishy” ;)
Have you tried the recipe since with VWG? If so, did they have more firmness, similar to a store bought veggie burger?
Lisa says
Hi Corinn!
I have not remade these particular burgers with the VWG, but I have made other burger recipes from this site and I did add it to those recipes the first time I made them. I usually add around 3/4 – 1 cup, but the amount can be played with to suit your texture liking. I really do like how well the various burgers hold up on the grill when adding the VWG and my family really loves the firmer texture. If you try adding the VWG please let me know how it turns out and whether you enjoyed the burgers that way. =)
Kayleigh says
Oops, I meant to say “layered under the burger sauce.”
Kayleigh says
For anyone wondering, I think the sauce in the picture at the top is some sort of whole grain mustard layered under of the burger sauce mentioned in the recipe’s notes–two parts vegan mayo to one part ketchup. Not certain, though. Either way, I can’t wait to make these!
Anneli says
I’ve made these burgers twice already and love them. I don’t use walnuts because of allergies and I’ve subbed bread crumbs, but, next time I’ll try oats instead like someone has mentioned in the comments. I love them!
P says
Made slight alteration with homemade vegan barbecue sauce and using adzuki beans and flat beans tasted amazing. Thanks for a great recipe. This one is a keeper. This is a first recipe I have tried will come back fore more.
Tanisha says
I made my own vegan BBQ sauce too
Amy says
In 23 years of vegetarianism, how have I never made my own? I think I was just waiting for this recipe.
Grilled up awesome. Held together fantastic. I froze a bunch of them (non-grilled) and so far they seem to reheat very well. Just enough kick in the spices. The meat-eating husband enjoyed it, too.
Thanks for another non-daunting, full-on delicious recipe.
Amy says
Did you thaw them before grilling? Or throw them on the grill frozen? I just froze a double recipe of these, uncooked for July 4th.
Amy says
Hmm… we’ve only reheated them in a pan on the stove. But based on packaged veggie burgers, maybe you could throw them frozen on the grill? I will say that after being frozen, they (or maybe it was just mine) fell apart easier than the original grilling. You probably don’t notice as much if there’s a bun involved. Happy grilling to you…
Helen says
This is a great recipe initially, but the brown rice recipe linked in the instructions is nonsense. Three cups water will do for one cup of brown rice, and there is no need to rinse it. While the brown rice cooked, I prepared everything else. That makes it a lot simpler. Nice recipe, thanks!
Michelle says
It actually works really well! I’ve made it the same way you do many times, and I decided to try this new way, and it’s great. The rice comes out with a different texture, one I prefer. You don’t know till you know, sister. A closed mind is your worst enemy.
peter says
Actually i found the saveur beown rice recipe worked very well. (though i too skipped the washing step)
And i’ve suffered mushy brown rice for years.
Shayna says
I agree, that the saveur recipe worked fantastic. I also thought at first glance that it seemed silly to use so much water, however all my attempts to make brown rice the “traditional” way have failed. Boiling it, then draining and letting it steam made it come out fluffy, perfectly cooked all the way through and not gummy. I would also note though that the “12 cups of water” is a flexible number – I made 1.5x the amount of dry rice and did not scale up the water and it was totally fine.
Sara Free says
Made these tonight and tagged on Instragram :) the flavour was amazing! These will be great poolside in the summer.
julie says
I have been vegetarian for 23 years and never made a homemade veggie burger til today. What was I thinking? ?? Amazing. Only change I made was sub oats for walnuts due to a child with allergy, and left out the cumin. Oh and I cheated and used the ready to eat brown rice :) this is a keeper, thanks!
Tisha says
Do you have to cook rolled oats if you sub them for the walnuts or put them in raw? Thanks! Hoping to make these at our Memorial Day bbq.
I’d say raw (or toasted)
Rameses Romero says
Would like to make these for my wife, how much of the rolled oats do I measure? Please advise – Thank you.
Mary says
1 cup
Davida Rochelle says
Thanks for the substitution idea as walnuts are a bit pricey and I always have oatmeal on hand. Can’t handle Seitan on my stomach and have been looking for a similar recipe for potlucks.
Nazura Gulfira says
Hi! I’m your new fan. I’ve only tried two of your recipes, but I LOVE THEM BOTH! Will definitely try other recipes as well. Thank you so much! Keep making and sharing awesome recipes :D
Summer says
I am going to make these this weekend but does anyone know the sauce used on them? It looks amazing !
Billie says
from the “Notes” (above): *For a simple burger sauce mix 2 parts vegan mayo and 1 part ketchup. Add hot sauce or Sriracha for extra heat.
Latisha says
Had this for lunch today (no bun) with the pea pesto pasta on the side. This is the most flavorful veggie burger EVER. If you like smokey bbq type flavors try this. I had no breadcrumbs so I used oats. It was sooo perfect. Truly fulfilling and satisfying. I’m no vegan nor vegetarian. Just looking to cut out meat / poultry this month. Though after eating this…I feel like I could go vegetarian! I also loved cooking brown rice the methods that’s recommended. I will try to make my black rice like this as well. Thanks for this!
Erien West says
This was my first try ever of a bean burger and I have nothing but good things to say about it. My carnivore husband even ate 2! The seasonings were a perfect combination. The walnuts made it hearty and the rice added great texture. I am a HUGE bbq sauce fan so that just added to my loving of this burger. The texture was great and I was able to grill them effortlessly without them falling apart. I had to send this recipe to my vegan mom for her to try. Only thing I did differently is I added garlic powder to the outside like I would a normal burger. Well done!
Candy says
Amazing!!!
Laura says
These look awesome! Just wondering if I sub breadcrumbs for the walnuts to I have to toast them? Sorry silly question but I’m a bit of a new cook ;). Thanks in advance and I love your blog!! It’s the best!!
chef Mark K says
Bread crumbs are toasted bread, so; No.
Annette says
What is the sauces you used on the burger as well as the one with the seeds on the knife
Whole grain mustard on the knife. For the other sauce, mix 2 parts vegan mayo and 1 part ketchup. Add hot sauce or Sriracha for extra heat.
Jb says
Wish you showed nutrition info with recipes
Listed under “nutrition information” of every recipe.
shirley says
Just made the burger and they are Slamming!!
Delish!
Helen says
I really enjoyed this recipe! I made a couple of substitutions:
flageolet beans rather than black beans
sunflower seeds rather than walnuts
and the burgers worked out really well. I’m looking forward to trying out more variations on this super successful theme – thanks for the fabulous recipe!