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.
Kat says
These were delicious, the texture was great too. I did a couple things differently as I didn’t want to go to the store. I used fava beans instead of black beans, and ground oats instead of panko, I have bread crumbs but they are not vegan. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Edilane Barrios says
After watching What the Health ( which was very disturbing) now I’m trying to change my way of eating ,since Monday I have been meatless on lunch and dinner, and you Dana with your awesome blog has helped me a lot. I made this burgues last night and they came out so delicious?.
Thank you
Crystal says
I’m pretty sure “What the Health” led quite a few of us here!
Lindsay says
I’ve made these twice, both times on the grill and they stay together perfectly! They are deeelish ! I love every recipe I’ve made of yours, thank you !!
Melissa says
Omg ! This was delicious ! I subed the brown rice with quinoa …..just because I already had cooked quinoa and I was hungry lol and I added about a tsp on garlic salt …….again I say OMG ! Soooooo good and savory . The best I’ve tried so far. You’re always right on the money !
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Melissa! We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Lindsey says
I’ve made this recipe over and over again. It’s my favorite bean burger to date. My mom-vegetarian husband loves them as well. We enjoy them on a bun but they’re also good enough to just eat plain with some cheese melted on top and some bok choy sweet potato fries on the side. Love making extra of these a s freezing them for further BBQ’s. Everyone who’s tried a bite has loved them as well. Thanks for the recipe. Again :)
Anita says
Recipe amazing! I used it to springboard a slight variation. used Lundberg wild blend rice and grains, also reduced the spices to half or less. Added garlic powder. Also processed mushrooms like the onions and sautéed these too. Doubled recipe and used a can of black beans and a can of kidney beans with a little pinko crumbs and little rice flour on my hands when forming the patties. Then placed between layers of wax paper and placed in ziplock freezer bag. Froze. Used a George Foreman grill to make a great pattie. My 3 year old granddaughter loved them.
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Anita! We are so glad you and your granddaughter 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
Tracy says
One word: amazing!!!! Fab in a brioche bun with best foods mayo, tomato, cheese and rocket. Simple but so good!
C says
The link for for the preferred method of cooking rice doesn’t work ! :(
It should work now!
Boo Sracic says
I would also like to add I followed the recipe except I didn’t have any cumin powder but used cumin seed but the processor surely finely chopped it anyways neither did I have coconut sugar so I used stevia. It was so good I could have even done without grilling it and made a quesadilla with it!!!!!!
Boo Sracic says
This was absolutely delicious and I’m not a vegetarian or anything but do eat a very wholesome diet though we had friends in town that are vegetarians and this was beyond PERFECT!! My little girls 4, 2, 1 were even loving it (including my pregnant self haha). I wish I could attach photos of how beautiful these came out! I made medium size patties and it came out to about 7. I must say I was licking my spatula haha.
I also feel that people are not giving fair reviews when they omit your suggested ingredients and add their own and don’t give it a fair rating!!! Thank you for this awesome deliciousness!!
Veronica says
Great recipe! It was a lot easier than I expected and they tasted great! I made them for Father’s day and will be making them again this Sunday for a game night with friends.
Nicole I says
I made this with a few minor changes. Instead of a full cup of walnuts, I added 3/4c walnuts plus 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten. I used instant forbidden rice. I added some aquafaba as it seemed a bit dry, possibly because the rice was quite firm and I didn’t want to add more BBQ sauce. I only put 1/2T each chili powder and cumin as I didn’t want it to taste too Tex Mex. I Had been sceptical, but it stayed together on the BBQ and tasted excellent.
Sam says
These were really good! I think mine were a little too wet but they still managed to hold mostly together on the BBQ. Most vegan burgers we eat tend to be really dry and these weren’t dry at all. Thank you for the recipe – it’s a keeper!
Aphroditise says
These were so good!!! and i had all the ingredients on hand. I love this site?
Kirstie Kimball says
I made these and slapped some of the MB onion rings on top, put on some vegan cheddar, and loaded up with BBQ sauce. AMAZING. <3
Colleen says
Made these tonight for tomorrow’s festivities (7/4) and they are really tasty! I didn’t have BBQ sauce handy so I subbed ketchup, and didn’t have bread crumbs so I threw some GFV bread slices in my food processor. (Bummed I missed the crushed pretzels suggestion by a responder. :) I enjoy reading others’ posts to see what they did to change it up.
Many thanks for sharing your hard work and awesome recipes!
Adeline says
Hi Dana,
I have just received your book and I have tried Smoky BBQ Veggie Burgers. But as usual, each time I tried to make these kind of patties, they fall apart when I flip them over. :( Would have any kind of advice for me? Thank so much in advance!
Nicole I says
Try adding aquafaba. It’s a miracle.
Meg says
Is it possible to leave out the onions? Would that effect how well the burgers stay together?
Nope! It shouldn’t.
Meg says
Perfect, thanks!
Melissa says
I’ve eaten a lot of veggie burgers and this is the best buy far. Even the fussy three year old tried some and my meat eating men had seconds!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
Bo says
Love these. I’m eating like a king at work.
Kate says
These were great! This was my first time making a vegan burger(I’ve made vegetarian ones in the past). I made them exactly as the recipe says and they held together beautifully. My husband and myself both loved them, we will definitely be adding these to the dinner rotation. Thank you for this recipe!!!
Rebekah Detrich says
Have you tried to freeze them raw? Well before grilling? Just wondering if it will work
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).
Jan says
I’ve become allergic to all nuts. I see I can sub in bread crumbs for the walnuts. Does that mean I still need to use the Panko bread crumbs as well? It’s really hard trying to go vegan and be allergic to nuts. LOL
Definitely tricky! Yes, add the panko breadcrumbs and also add enough to sub for walnuts.
JR says
I made black bean burgers before but not as tasty as this recipe. My husband loves hamburgers so much that he would eat some every day, hence making veggie is a logical step to keep him healthy. These are seriously delicious!!! Thanks for making a believer out of me as I have eaten some awful veggie burgers in my time.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, JR. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Tricia says
Great recipe! What ingredients are key to making it grillable? Would quinoa be ok to sub for rice?
Quinoa will work, Tricia!
kristi says
Score again, Dana! I made these last night and my husband put them on the grill. PERFECTION! They didn’t break, stick, or crumble. It was truly amazing! And so fast to put together. I must add that besides being truly grillable, they tasted delicious too! I subbed pecans because I was out of walnuts and used a spicy BBQ sauce. It was a delicious addition to my veggie skewers!
Melissa says
Hello!
Would you happen to have a suggestion on what I could substitute the beans and walnuts for? I know they’re pretty important components, but oddly enough (and unfortunately) people who have chronic migraines can’t eat beans or nuts, and it makes it so hard for me to find/create a recipe for a good veggie burger! )-:
Thanks in advance!
Hi Melissa! I think that trying to substitute for the beans and walnuts on this recipe would be quite tricky. That being said, why not try this recipe instead? I think you may have more luck with it if you can do chickpeas! Hope this helps!
Briana says
I made this- it held up on the grill and was delicious. Boyfriend said the best veggie burger he ever had. I added an egg because I wasn’t a little worried it wouldn’t hold together. THe walnuts are an MUST.
Alison Lesley says
These burgers are delicious! And compared to other veggie burgers I’ve made, are super easy and quick. I cooked them on our shared building BBQ so was slightly concerned about sticking and making mess, but there was no issue. I highly recommend these!
Maggie says
Very, very good, very easy. Next time will omit bbq sauce and sugar and use a spicy ketchup as we like a kick.
Thelma says
These are the best burgers. I first found your recipe in January last year and have been making them ever since. I use organic red Jasmin rice. I make a big batch each time as quarter pounders, freeze them and they cook perfectly from frozen on the hob in a little coconut oil and stay intact.
I now can enjoy going to BBQ s when invited as I can safely take my own vegan burgers and some to share. Thank you MB.
Thelma says
Not sure why only 4 * the first time I tried to click 5 but it wouldn’t light up!
Luisa says
Hi guys,
Any ideas on what to substitute the BBQ sauce with? Thank you!!!
Hi Luisa! I’d just leave it out!
Mrs E. says
These burgers are fabulous…great flavor! We just started a plant based diet and this burger definitely delivers on flavor and did not fall apart on us! The key is to mix it for 1-2 minutes as the recipes states. I used an English muffin mold to form my patties because the measuring cup did not work for me. I used 4 Tbls. of home made BBQ sauce (Easy! Google Bobby Flays Barbeque Sauce made with Chipotle Chili). We grilled our burgers on a charcoal grill and left them on too long but they still had moisture. I rubbed a little olive oil over the tops of the patties to make sure they did not stick. Our friends who are not plant based really enjoyed the flavor of these as well. Measurements are right on!
Daphne Jorgensen says
I have made these burgers several times now. They are my favourite. They do stand up to grilling but you have to be careful when grilling them because they can fall apart. Yesterday, I added 1 tbsp of ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp of water. The flax kept the burger quite firm and you don’t have to cook them carefully. Flip till your heart’s content. Flax may be good as a binding agent with some of your other burger recipes that can’t be grilled as they stand.
Thank you for your efforts in helping me with dietary restrictions. Your recipes make me feel like I have no restrictions.
Sincerely, Canada
Jill says
I did the same thing! Added 1 TB flax seed meal soaked in 3 TB water. Held together beautifully! These burgers were amazing! Best veggie burgers I’ve ever had :-)
Rachel says
I make these regularly — I love them, and so does my non-vegetarian husband — but I picked up a tip from another recipe that I’ve since incorporated, that I think makes a significant improvement in the texture: dry the beans out by baking for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, spread in a layer on a sheet. Then proceed as directed. This change makes the texture a little chewier and helps the patties hold together more.
Terrific flavors. We adore these, and every time I make them I get a big thumbs-up.
Thanks for sharing!
Reese says
Made these tonight – I subbed in gf bread crumbs – delicious and I ommited the onions. Mashed some avacado with lemon on top. Used gf bun. Hands down this was the BEST veggie burger I have ever made! Once again Minimalist Baker rocks ! Thank you ?
Susan McCallum says
BBQd these tonight and we all LOVED them. I did reduce the smoked paprika by a lot just because I find it an overpowering spice but followed the recipe otherwise. Sooooo delicious! Actually I think I prefer these to beef!
Melissa says
I made these a few times exactly as written and I absolutely loved them. They held up perfectly in the pan and were easy to (gently) flip. Since then, I’ve experimented with them a bit. I’ve finely chopped red pepper, carrot and even broccoli and sauteed it with the onion and added it to the mix. I also use whole wheat panko and have subbed quinoa and even couscous for the rice depending on what I have in the fridge. I’ve also added a scoop of flax seed to the walnut mixture to boost nutrition. This recipe is so delicious no matter what I do to it. Love, love, love it!
Sarah says
Just made this for dinner tonight. I can’t say enough good things, jam packed with flavor, easy and they totally stick together. While they aren’t as firm as meat who cares lol! They are far better for you and are cruelty free! I am personally always creeped out by things that are too meaty anyway. Way to go Dana!
Sarah says
Btw I substituted panko for oat flour and they worked great!
Bo says
So tasty.
Somehow I came up with 8 1/2 cup burgers…
I soaked 3/4 cup of black beans overnight and cooked them. I’m guessing they yielded much more than 1 1/2 cups cooked beans.
What do you find the ratio of dry to cooked black beans to be?
Thanks so much for what you’re doing.
Hayley says
I made this exactly according to the recipe and they turned out so good!! The spices were perfect and the consistency of the burger was awesome – not too mushy and the outside was nice and crispy (I pan-fried ours). We paired our burgers with some homemade baked fries and a homebrew :) Delicious!
Nicole S says
I have made these veggie burgers 10 times at least and my family loves them! The flavor is better than any other veggie burger we have had. I even chop up mushrooms and other veggies left from the week and cook them along with the onions. All I can say is they are fantastic. Thanks for the great recipe.
Cam says
I used a four bean mix instead of black bean. Can’t wait to make the recipe again with the black bean!
Ri says
Could I sub black beans for lentils? I have a hard time digesting black beans. Also, I’ve seen others comment and say they had a hard time keeping the burger together while cooking it. Any tricks to keep that from happening?
I think that would work! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes! Make sure to mash the mixture enough so that they stick together well!
maple says
Hi Dana,
This looks delish! I plan to bring this on our long haul airplane trip next week. Flight is on the Tuesday/ Wednesday. Plan to make this on the Sunday prior. Any tips on how to keep it fresh?
Thank you,
Maple
Hi Maple! Hmm I’d recommend definitely freezing them and transporting in freezer bags. If its a long flight, they’ll likely thaw but the best you can do is freeze them if you’re wanting to bring them along. Hope this helps!
Mike Pfirrman says
Flavor was really great but I found them a bit dry. I actually have made this recipe twice. First time as burgers. They fell apart. Needs to have something to bind them a bit more – like flax seed, chia or sweet potato. Maybe some vegan starch like arrowroot. Flavor is fantastic. I made them the second time as a filling for Stuffed Red Peppers. Put some Pineapple Habanero sauce over and was amazing.
Angèle says
hey!! awesome recipe! what can I sub for vegan bbq sauce? I can’t find it in shops :(
The BBQ sauce is a pretty key flavor. But curry paste, harissa, or this homemade ketchup might work: https://minimalistbaker.com/whiskey-bbq-ketchup/. Let us know if you give it a try!
Charles & Kendra G. says
This is still my favorite recipe (minus any oil or sugars). Yum! My wife and I put them in air fryer (Thank you QVC) and they come out perfect, no oil and guilt free.
I have to admit that they turned out so perfect we never have tried to grill them. For a quick lunch or dinner, they go great on Ezekiel bread or in a whole-grain wrap. Double the recipe and make a bunch for the freezer. Trust me, it’s worth the effort and you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time living.
We love your recipes, Thank you!
Katie says
These were absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to make these again!
Next time I’ll:
• make them smaller/thinner
• use panko breadcrumbs*
• use 1/4-1/2 TB sugar (too sweet for me)
• up the spices** (excluding salt & pepper)
*I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
**I increased the spices the first time around, but I’ll continue to do so. I also added some garlic powder & onion powder.
Helina says
I made this for dinner tonight and it came out great. I usually make veggie burger patty with beans and potatoes. I saw your recipe and decided to try it and I am really glad that I did. The walnut spice mix gave a very nice flavor to the patty.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Helina. 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
Ms_Rach says
Love these! We have made several times as tasty burgers, but on the last batch my new chili powder was too spicy. I added in pinto beans and corn then stuffed the batter into enchiladas. Thank you!
ayva says
This quickly became my absolute favourite veggie burger recipe. I use red kidney beans tho because we don’t have canned black ones where I live. Tastes amazing!
Pam Seward says
I want to buy them already made. I’m disabled. Is that something you might do anytime soon?
Sorry Pam, that is not something we currently do! I recommend checking your local grocery store or market for some veggie burgers if you’re looking to purchase some pre-made. Hope this helps!
Emaleigh Downey says
The taste on these are great! My non vegan sister really liked them! I think I made them too thin or something but they did fall apart a bit. Also going to maybe add a bit more bred crumbs next time!
CINDY FOSTER says
I have bees. Do you think honey would work in place of the coconut sugar?
Thank You.
It should!
Laura says
Have been looking for a good recipe. Made them for dinner and even my husband enjoyed them. Too much snow outside so I fried them in pan on the stove. They did crumble more than I thought but maybe I’ll make them ticket next time. Still delicious flavor!
Heather says
Just made these and they are delicious!! Have tried the store made ones and was not that crazy about them. I am a new vegetarian so still trying recipes. Would definitely recommend this one!
Lene Kirkegaard says
Just grilled these! Really good, best i’ve tasted! Ran out of walnuts and substituted it with a selection of pinenuts, cashew and peanuts, and a little walnuts. Taste was amazing. Thanks!
Btw also made the bbq sauce you have…also yummy,
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lene. 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
Melanie James says
As a die hard MB fan, I had no idea that her food could get this good, oh my goodness. My meat loving fiancé just asked if we could put this burger on rotation! This was my second time making this, and this time I used gluten free pretzels ground up instead of bread crumbs and it was phenomenal! It was also so filling I only ate 1/2 a burger. Keep it up Dana! :)
Kaitlyn says
I made this in a skillet and they weren’t very stable. Kept falling apart. What did i do wrong?? They were super delicious even though they were a bit crumbly!
minnie says
This looks AMAZING! Could you use olive oil instead of grape seed or avocado oil? That’s all I have at the moment.
You bet! Happy cooking! :D
Victoria says
We loved this recipe and i love this site for easy recipes to prepare as I’m not one who really loves cooking, but these taste great with minimal prep :)
I’m adding this to my list of recipes we eat weekly which already includes your southwest tofu scramble!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Victoria. We are so glad you enjoy our recipes! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Linda Snyder says
I did not care for this. It was quite sweet. Tasted like a baked bean patty. Some of the family liked it, surprisingly my 14-year old son who is picky. Might be OK as little “meatballs” on top of a salad, but I’ll keep looking.
Amber Dean says
I don’t know if I messed it up somehow but it didn’t turn out very well for me. I also couldn’t find vegan panko bread crumbs so I made my own from toasted vegan bread.
Carmella Mattie says
This is a family favourite, the kind that I will write down and put into my recipe box and my children’s children will savour for years and years. Thanks for these, definitely hold up well every single time I’ve made them, and that is a lot of times. Everyone who tries loves them. Brilliant! I’m trying with quinoa tonight to see if I can get some extra protein packed in!
Anna says
There was a bit too much chili in this for me – I put in half what the recipe called for but it still over powered everything else. I couldn’t taste the toasted walnuts I was so looking forward to :(
Sorry to hear that, Anna! We recommend using a chili powder blend for best results! Is it possible you used chili powder made from just chilies?
Joan Moodie says
This one sounds really great but was wondering if you have a veggie burger that is made with seeds and oats. Had one at a place called OTC just outside of Thunder Day. Been looking ever since. Cheers..
We don’t! But you could probably modify any of our veggie burgers to include them! Sub the walnuts for seeds and the breadcrumbs for oats. Let us know if you give it a try!
bo says
Hands down the best veggie burger ever!!! Love this recipe so much, it really does hold shape! Thank you x
Kimberley says
Just made these. Used 1/2 the amount of chili because my family isn’t a big chilli fan. Loved them. So tasty. Will be having these again (although with even less chilli because these were still ‘rather spicy’ lol)
Kimberley says
Oh and we added some garlic ?
Monique Richards says
love this, thanks so much for sharing!! We made it for my bf’s younger brothers and they genuinely thought they were meat patties :-) Mine turned out a little sweet – I might leave out a bit of the coconut sugar next time and maybe add in some marmite. Thanks again :-)
Shelbi says
Holy Guacamole! I made these last night and I was so pleasantly surprised at how flavorful these are. The coconut sugar really packs a good punch of sweetness, which really goes nicely with barbecue sauce. I never would have guessed that all of those spices (plus the walnuts) would go together, but it really works perfectly. I loved the grilled onion inside the patty and I also grilled extra onion for the topping. I would choose this over a meat patty any day! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Cat says
Making these now and they’re coming out great, both for consistency and flavor. I reduced the sugar by half, but will just cut out completely the next time I make them. Didn’t have BBQ sauce, instead used some leftover marinara sauce and still really tasty. Other subs: gluten-free panko and cashews instead of walnuts. Plan to freeze half for dinner later this week. Thanks!
Brian says
For a guy who is not spending much time in the kitchen I had lots of extra cooked rice and beans as these “expanded” on me, and the receipe asks for these in volumes of cooked rice and beans. Measurements of dry beans and rice would have helped me.
Tried food processor to mix everything. No good, ended up with fried “paste”.
After new batch was hand mixed and adding an egg thinking that might be a good idea, they came out quite nice. Still need to work on technique and amt. of BBQ sauce etc. (to taste) but wife thought they were good, so I am on the right track. Have only fried them in a pan so far, but see they would do ok on the grill.
I have never tried a veggie burger before, so this was a pleasant surprise!
Than you.
james adams says
This was my first veggie burger recipe, so I can’t compare – but I can’t imagine anything better. Wow, it tastes great, and held up to grilling just fine. I modified some things. I live in pecan country – so, I used a cup of pecans, toasted medium golden brown (instead of the walnuts). (Instead of the white onion) I chopped a fairly good size sweet onion, and sliced an 8 oz box of button mushrooms, and reduced them all in a skillet with vegetable stock as needed – until the onion was more caramelized than the average bear usually does – final volume being somewhere between 3/4 to 1 cup. The grape seed oil, I just put in the bowl, to mix in with everything else. I elected the brown sugar (rather than the coconut sugar). Otherwise, I followed the recipe. Thank you, Dana – you’re doing something great for others!
Jamie says
Made this tonight, it was just ok on a bun with toppings. Maybe it was wrong to be expecting more of a morning star burger taste, it just really didn’t meet expectations. The cooked patty tasted too nutty, and other than the BBQ sauce there wasn’t much savory element to the burger.
Jess says
I’m not vegan but just made these for vegan friends and oh my goodness they are AWESOME. Great flavour and texture and I hate beans but I love them in this! Got some vegan “cheese” to go on top too.
Mathu says
I made it today. It came out very nice. Yummy. Thanks!
Mela Jones says
Easy peasy perfect brown rice recipe
Douglas Purcell says
They tasted amazing, the vegan burgers did. Only thing to improve on is how to get them to hold together better. had to be pretty gentle with them so they would not fall apart
Bree says
Made these last night and they were perfect! It was surprising that I had all of the ingredients, but it did. They were really flavorful, and the texture was nice. I will mash the beans completely next time because I hate the feeling of biting into a whole bean.
Josh says
Hey thanks for the recipe, I was wondering if you can freeze the patties prior to cooking like you would to a meat patty.
Yes!
mark says
Thanks for this recipe, lots of flavor
i only had raw peanuts but they worked well
used chilli sauce instead of bbq
blended 8oz pack of mushrooms, then cooked in a dry pan to remove water
1/2 cup extra water in rice to make it sticky when done to hold burger together
my 2 vegans love them and soi did the meat eater lol
thx again
weemac says
Throw some green banana fries in the mix and we’re in business.
Taya says
Excellent all around! Taste and texture were an A+. I cooked mine in a cast iron pan since we don’t have an opportunity to grill at the moment. I also added more panko bread cumbs as needed to help the mixture stick together. My husband loved this version of a veggie burger the best. Thank you!
Lyn Tansing says
What is the sauce/topping on the Grilled Veggie Burger under the top of the bun and under the ketchup/mayo sauce? Anyone have the recipe for this sauce? This is also shown in the picture on the right side of the plate the veggie burger is served on.
Hi there! It’s a mix of vegan mayo, ketchup and sriracha! + whole grain mustard.
Kathleen Bachman says
I am transitioning to vegetarian and these are better than regular beef burgers. They are much more flavorful and filling! I topped them with roasted red onion and orange peppers which a slice of cheese and put them on an onion bun. I will be recommending this to every chef I know!!!! Amazing!!!
Brian says
I am curious as to how far in advance that you can make burgers before actually cooking them? Do they get mushy in a short amount of time or do I have a few days before they can be cooked? Thanks!
Hi Brian! I think you could make these up to a few days in advance They won’t get mushy. Good luck!
Benji says
Ok this was my first try with a homemade vegan burger. I made some changes like put some chickpeas in as part of. La k beans. It grilled great but wasn’t as solid as I like when eaten. The taste was a little sweet also. Next time I will cut the sugar. It was a success but is a work I. Progress. Thank you for sharing.
Laura says
Made these burgers with a few subs- sesame oil instead of grapeseed, pinto beans instead of black beans, and we added a 1/2 cup black olives and 1/2 cup red pepper sauteed with the onion. These burgers were delicious. We cooked them over the camp fire and they tasted superb. Texture was not 100 %, but the leftover burgers that sat for an extra 15 min were perfect.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Laura. 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
jwinkhart@optonline.net says
I made these burgers over the summer for a vegan BBQ that I hosted. Both the vegans and the carnivores loved them! I had to send the link to the recipe. And they grilled beautifully. Kudos on a great veggie burger!
rebecca timmons says
I have a very big man who is vegan, and burgers are always the things he missed most about the vegan diet. I’ve made these 4 times over the last year, and I have to tell you – this recipe is killer. Fantastic. Love your site – it’s the perfect balance. Thank you for your efforts and sharing!
RT in Canada
Abigail says
Made the recipe. Love it. Even though I had to make some minor adjustment because I live in Mexico. My question is can I make patties and freeze them? It’s just me and my husband and we happily ate burgers for the better part of the week but it would be great to be able to pull them out of the freezer once a week for the sake of variety. Or to have some on hand if something unexpected comes up.
jwinkhart@optonline.net says
I made a double batch for a BBQ and froze the leftovers. They were just as good as the first time when I defrosted them to re-heat.
Hannah says
I always try to review the recipes after I make them. I debated reviewing this one because I had to make a lot of substitutions due to the ingredients I had on hand. I wanted to make it exact, but I was impatient and wanted to make them right away!
Substitutions: First, I substituted quinoa for the brown rice. Next, I used a little extra black beans (I used 1 can total; about 2 cups) and I also added 1/4 cup of regular breadcrumbs to compensate for not having walnuts. Then I used red onion instead of white onion. I made 8 patties instead of 5.
Since I can’t compare the changes I made to the original recipe I can’t say if there was any difference in texture. I CAN tell you that they held up perfectly, and the texture was really nice.
As for the flavor, they were amazing. I imagine what I made probably tasted a little different because I didn’t have walnuts. However, I used all of the spices that the recipe called for and it was a perfect combination of flavors.
These are the best black bean burgers I’ve ever had. Since I used quinoa instead of brown rice, the recipe took 30 minutes total. The patties formed easily and didn’t fall apart while I was assembling them. They cooked evenly and held together perfectly.
Make these burgers, and you’ll want to eat them every day!
Marie says
^
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Oh and I used breadcrumbs instead of walnuts because I couldn’t find any at the time I bought the ingredients.
Marie says
Since I became vegetarian (now vegan) I never ate (nor cooked) any burgers because in my town there aren’t any restaurants that sell vegan ones (not even vegetarian) and I’ve been to lazy to make them myself. But now I decided that it’s time to cook for myself and came upon your blog and this recipe.
The first time I made them I tried to fry them in a pan and they barely held together (only 2 of 4 did and by luck). I tried to add some more breadcumbs and then I included 2 flaxseed eggs and these made it even worse. After some time I decided to try and bake them and it was the best idea. I still couldn’t flip all of them without crumbling some but at least half of them remained intact.
Today I made them again and I don’t know what happened but I used the exact same recipe (baked them again) and only 3-4 of 11 came close to intact.
Both times I used a sauce made of mayonnaise and ketchup (as instructed) because I can’t seem to find a vegan BBQ sauce in any markets.
Could anyone help me by saying what I did wrong? I really like this recipe (even my sister who barely eats a meal without meat likes it) and want to do it often :)
Cam says
Did you throughly dry & drain your beans, that could be one of the reasons they fall apart? My beans were almost a dry paste when mashing them which I think made them hold together well.
I also used a little vegan wosterchire sauce and less sugar than the recipe. I probably went overboard on the smoked paprika but they were still very good! They held together perfectly.
Here the end result: https://s12.postimg.org/q6sjzpcbx/burger.jpg
Tammy says
The mayo/ketchup is to be used as a condiment. That is probably the issue
Annette Parte says
Delicious, they stayed together well, the recipe made six large burgers.
Hannah says
Hi!!
I am going to use these for a bbq on Saturday and am assuming its okay to use white rice in place of brown?? Let me know if you can!! Thank you :)
White rice should work Hannah! Enjoy!
Paul B. says
I made these for the vegetarians at my Labor Day bar-b-que, and they came out great. I used regular walnuts and toasted them a little in the skillet. The burgers held together well on the grill. The method of pressing them into the measuring cup to form the burger worked so well that I also used it for the non-veggie burgers that I made. I used 1/3 cup and the size seemed perfect (for regular bugers 1/2 cup would have been better since regular burgers shrink a bit). It would have made 7 burgers, but I made 6 instead and stuffed some mushroom caps with the remainder. I didn’t get to try the stuffed mushrooms as they were gone by the time I got to the table with the rest of the meal. There were lots of complements, and even the burger that I burned (that I didn’t want to serve) got eaten.
Paul says
Terrible. It’s a good veggie crumble. It’s not a burger.
Lyndon says
Worked perfectly for me, although I replaced the nuts with oats. I’d suggest perhaps you did something wrong?
Amy says
Just made these almost exactly as written. I substituted toasted hazelnuts because I didn’t have walnuts on hand. I have tried many different veggie burgers but always cook them on the stovetop because they just don’t hold up to the grill. These were perfect on the grill! I served them with red onions and fresh guacamole on wheat buns. Will definitely make them again.
Leigh says
My husband cannot eat onions, shallots, etc. due to an allergy. If I leave them out will it affect the moisture of the burger? Meaning, will it crumble? Perhaps I could sub a finely grated veggie like carrots or zucchini? I know onions add some great flavor, but it’s one of those challenges I cook around.
Thank you for your amazing recipes, they’ve been a real blessing to our family.
Hi Leigh, we haven’t tried that, but yes, adding a different veggie might help with moisture- maybe celery too?