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.
Lola says
I have made these several times for vegetarian and meat eating friends and they are super delicious. This last time I didn’t have black beans so I used a combination of pinto beans ( from dried in my pressure cooker with a splash of liquid smoke) and fava beans from a can. It’s a super delicious substitution which I think I’ll do again as a variation. Thanks for the good recipe!
Smart! Thank you for sharing your recipe changes, Lola!
SK says
Eureka! A veggie burger that stays together!!! Followed the recipe (almost) exactly: used 1/2 BBQ & 1/2 vegan worchestershire. Topped with a pineapple radish pico and served on some toasted homemade bread. FANTASTIC recipe!
Lynx says
Hello. I did this yesterday and i must say they are very good! In Portugal we dont use much bbq sauce so it was hard to find and in the end i wish i used much less than what is mentioned because i felt like the bbq sauce monopolized the flavour of the burger. Maybe Its because we dont use it much so we are not used to the flavour, i dont know. I Just wanted to leave this note thanking you for the recipe and advising other ‘bbq sensitiva users’ to use less of it :)
Thank you for the note, Lynx! We are glad you enjoyed them :D
Lisa says
Absolutely amazing- I am new to vegan cooking and this is one of my favorite recipes! My question is can these be frozen before cooking or do they have to be cooked first?
Jenna says
Would these freeze well? I want to make these ahead of time for a camping trip and can’t decide if it would be better to freeze and thaw or just keep refrigerated?
Yes! See the notes.
Margo says
I Made these and they taste good but they did not hold together, I wonder if you have a special trick for keeping them together?
THanks
Hi Margo! They are a little tender but should hold up. You could try and firm them up by baking them on a baking sheet for 15-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven!
Stephanie says
Delicious and very satisfying!! I used Panko crumbs instead of the walnuts. I added garlic and a little bit of Worcestershire for flavor, and an egg to ensure they held together. I put about 3/4 of the black beans in a blender and pulsed them a few times. Each patty was pressed firmly into a 1/2 cup measuring cup, and I came out with 6 patties. I also refrigerated them for about 3 hours prior to grilling which may have also helped prevent them from falling apart. We topped the burgers with sriracha mayo, avocado, tomato and cheddar cheese. Everyone loved them – including the meat eaters. Thank you minimalist baker!! ✌???
Yum! Thanks for sharing your recipe modifications with us, Stephanie!
Dan says
These are the best. THE BEST. They hold together like none I’ve made before, and so healthful and high-protein, with all those nuts and beans and brown rice. I’ve made them twice as written, doubled the recipe the second time b/c they went so quickly. I portion out the patties and wrap them individually, then store them in the freezer so they’re ready any time. They can go on the grill straight from the freezer.
I just made them again, this time with major substitutions – garbanzos instead of black beans, curry power & garam masala instead of the other spices, pistachios and pecans instead of walnuts, Major Grey mango chutney instead of bbq sauce – a perfect Indian-spiced version. I can’t wait to try out other flavor combinations. I’m thinking Thai curry and peanuts; hoisin sauce and 5-spice powder; allspice/jerk seasoning, red beans, and mango sauce…
Thank you for sharing your substitutions with us, Dan! We are so glad you enjoyed it.
Jacki says
Dan, thank you so much for commenting! I had to make the “batter” on a Thursday night but won’t be grilling until Saturday at noon and I wanted to know what I should do. The party is at a different location. I didn’t want to transport raw batter on trays in a taxi. But frozen, in containers, I can do!
Thanks for letting me know I can freeze the uncooked batter. Do you thaw before grilling or just put it on the grill frozen? On foil of sorts or straight on the grill? Thanks for your insight!
Dan Zarin says
Straight from the freezer to the grill. They just need an extra minute or two.
Mika says
These are wonderful…the flavors are amazing. I’ve made them twice now. Each time subbed quinoa for rice. 1st time I didn’t have panko so just used flour. Not sure what I did first time around but they were too wet for a grill (maybe I didn’t drain the beans adequately or could have been lack of panko). I baked them instead and they firmed up. 2nd time around I used the panko and they were much firmer. In any case, both times turned out great and this will be added to my regular recipe rotation. The bbq sauce I used made them even more special (and spicy)…it is a cherry ghost chili bbq sauce that comes from Cherry Republic up in Northern Michigan (where I grew up). Thank you SO MUCH for all your hard work and great recipes. I’m very newly vegan (a process that took about a year to happen) and you have made my life so much easier and interesting in the food department!!
Claudia says
Finally gave this one a try since the recipe seemed pretty simple and not to time consuming. I did not have any brown rice so I used medium calrose rice instead. My mixture ended up being very dry, I thought the opposite would of happened because of the rice I used, so I ended up having to double the amount of bbq sauce. These burgers held together great! I ended up pan frying them since it was raining out, so can’t say how it would go on the bbq.
The only reason I gave 4 starts was because I found the taste of the smoked paprika overpowering. It was all I could taste. I will either omit or reduce the amount next time.
I will definitely be making these again. My new go to for vegan burgers. Love your recipes. Keep up the great work :)
Sun says
Hi I am always looking for new things yo serve my vegan son at family gatherings. I buy store bought veggie burgers but want to find homemade stuff as I prefer that. I went and got Walnuts and brown rice this morning to throw these together but realized I have two cans of garbanzo beans but no black beans. Has anyone subbed w garbanzo? Would it still be tasty and grillable?
Dan says
I did (I also subbed other spices for Indian ones, but I was going for a specific flavor) and they came out fine. The one thing I did differently when I made it with garbanzos was to puree half of them in the food processor along with some of the bbq sauce (liquid was needed to thin them enough to fully break down), since they’re a little firmer than black beans.
Brit says
Wow, flavor explosion! Just made this recipe and loved it. I used lentils instead of black beans, curry powder instead of chilli powder and ran out of pepper (what!?) so added chilli flakes instead. Will definitely go back to this recipe as a base for new flavor combinations.
Erin says
This was seriously very delicious!! My husband loved it too! It didn’t stay perfectly together (I think I should of added a bit more BBQ sauce) but it did much better than any others I have tried. The flavors were perfect. Yummy!
John E says
Wow, delicious and they really *do* hold together! I found using the measuring cup or whatever to mold the patties was important — otherwise it’s hard to get the shape uniform enough and will crumble at the edges.
Also, I used buffalo sauce instead of BBQ sauce to spice it up — extra delicious.
Whoop! Glad you enjoyed these, John!
Lebene says
I’m really confused by the measurements and am bad at maths. I have 250g of brown rice so wanted to increase the portion size in relation to the beans. None of the cups/weights matches up with any searches I do on cups or grams.
Can anyone help a girl who can’t do maths???
Lebene says
I figured out the maths but what do cooked black beans mean? Does it mean they are very soft to the touch or cooked as they are in the can? I lightly boiled the beans for a few minutes because I felt they were too hard and then dried them in the sun but they were still very firm. Mashing them now is quite a task.
all the questions, what is the meaning of life?
Pam says
This is my favourite veggie burger recipe. The texture is perfect and the flavour is simply delicious. I had to substitute oats for the bread crumbs and the burgers turned out great. I pan fried these on the stove too. Thank you for another great recipe!!!
Stephanie says
We love these burgers! This is our go to recipe. I make a double or triple batch and freeze them for later. The flavor is perfect and holds up great on the bun even loaded with lettuce tomato and pickle. I actually prefer them to a regular hamburger. Thank you.
We are so glad to hear that, Stephanie!
Soaw Nyce says
I made this recipe. I think it is the best veggie burger Ive ever had. Held together fine and a great consistency for eating. I toasted my nuts “well done” to get that smokey flavor. I couldn’t resist adding some fresh basil leaves from the garden.
I ate it with mustard and fat tomato slices , and spinach leaves. I can easily see how to play with the recipe after making a great base.
I love burgers, but gave up eating meat and hate soggy, or over processed store bought brands.
5 stars
Beth says
I made this last night as a test recipeon the family ahead of cooking it for a large school group. I used the oats, as we were working with kids, and omitted the chili. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Husband loved it, kids loved it.
Our vegan friends are eating the leftovers as I write this, and there is a rave sesh going on.
Yay! Glad to hear it, Beth!
Cory Ryan says
Hi, these are definitely among my favorite burgers to make! I’m going to grill this Wednesday, so I feel I should bake in the oven a little to help firm the patties. I’m also making the day prior. How do you feel about baking a little, storing in the fridge, then grilling the next day?
Yes, that will work!
Lin says
Really delicious, recipe exactly as is. Pan fried. GREAT flavor, spice.
Haley says
My sister in law talks about you a lot. And it’s funny because I have been making these veggie burgers for over a year now and just realized they are your recipe! We are not vegans or vegetarians in our house but we love these burgers. I like to make guacamole and then I serve them with a big dollop of guacamole on top. I use more bbq sauce and less cumin and chilli pepper to go with our own taste preference. I never use walnuts but use lots of bread crumbs. I find that my burgers can be a bit delicate so I would likely lose half of my patties if I grilled them. I cook them on the stove and they turn out just great. I will even take the left overs and crumble it over a salad..! Love this veggie burger recipe.
We are so glad you are loving this veggie burger recipe, Haley!
Carly says
These burgers were amazing! My fiancé and I switched to full vegetarian earlier this year and have been living off your recipes.
Amy says
Has anybody had any luck trying this with chickpeas at all? I used to have a fantastic chickpea walnut burger at one of my favourite restaurants and haven’t been able to replicate it at all
Hi Amy! You may be interested in this burger recipe as it is made with a chickpea base!
Amrit says
I have a few questions? Can quinoa be substituted for brown rice and can quick cooking oats be substituted for the panko?
Can green puoy lentils be used in place of black beans?
Hi Amrit! You can use quinoa and oats, but we haven’t tried using lentils in place of black beans, though I think that should work. If you give it a try, report back! Make sure to mash the mixture enough so that they stick together well. Good luck!
Amrit says
Thanks. They turned out great. I stuck with the black beans and added quinoa instead of rice and oats instead of panko. I baked them instead of grilling them and added homemade mexican seasoning. I also omitted the onions.
Woot woot! Glad to hear it, Amrit!
Heather says
Hi! Do you think this recipe could be used to make a loaf rather than patties? Thanks!
Hi Heather! Yes, I think that could work! If you give it a try, report back!
Peach Flinn says
I’m not a huge fan of black beans, or really any beans (quite a struggle as a vegetarian!), so when I make these, I use diced mushroom instead. I sauté the mushroom well before adding to the mix which helps to get some of the moisture out. These burgers are so delicious! I make them often. My carnivore husband loves them, too!
So glad you were able to adapt to your preferences! Thanks for sharing!
Kathy K. says
Fantastic recipe! Burgers are flavorful and hold up nicely on the grill. I made slider size for my guests and they were all devoured. I have a couple of notes regarding the recipe that you may find helpful: 1) the 15 oz can of Organic S&W black beans is exactly 1.5 cups after being rinsed and dried – no need to open a second can. 2) Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scooper to form burgers, if you’re making the slider size, which I highly recommend because these burgers are really rich.
ebony says
How do you prepare the black beans
Kathy K. says
Hi Ebony – Cooking the beans yourself is easy, but takes time. You need to start a day ahead. You cover the beans with water and soak overnight. The next day, discard the water and cover beans with fresh water. Bring to boil then simmer until beans are tender. There are a few ways to prepare your own beans, so check out methods on line. I would suggest Alton Brown or Food Network sites, they are very reliable. Good luck!
Hi Ebony! This recipe may be helpful!
Kimmi says
Anyone know if quinoa can be subbed in for the rice? Was hoping to use that to pack a little more protein but wasn’t sure if the texture would be the same.
We think that would work! They may be a little more tender though.
Sherri says
This recipe should be adjusted. I made it the other day for a bunch of people and I made the mistake of not going with my instinct. One tablespoon of chili powder for one cup of rice and one cup of beans is extreme. The burgers were too hot!!
Kathy K. says
Hi Sherri – You made a good point that the author should suggest adding the chili powder in stages and taste as you go. Everyone has a different heat tolerance. Also, if you find your soup, stew, burger mix etc. is too spicy, add a tablespoon or two of honey. Works every time.
Hi Sherri + Kathy! Thank you for your suggestion. We’ll look into it!
Paula says
wow this is my go to veggie burger I have tried many of them and this one is by far the best for the grill. Thank you for all your fabulous recipes.
Woot woot! Glad to hear it, Paula! :D
Richelle says
These were amazing. Held together perfectly. I subbed ground oats for the panko to make it GF. I used the food processor to chop up the beans after I did the walnuts. Made it much easier and even quicker. Thank you for the great recipe!
Laura says
Can you make a bunch and freeze for later, or should they be cooked first and then frozen?
Hi Laura! 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).
Lisa says
I have made this recipe so many times because my family and I love it. Hands down the best veggie burger recipe I’ve ever made. Just wanted to say thanks!
Brianne says
Do you think I could sub in pecans for the walnuts?!
Yes!
Heather says
These were great! I made exactly as instructed. I got rave reviews and they held up very nicely. Great flavor too.
Yay! We’re glad you hear it, Heather :D
Ola says
They are amazing! Even though I didn’t use rice because I thought it would be too much carbs and substituted bread crumbles with cornflakes they turned out really good! I was surprised by how flavoured they were. They were a little bit squishy (probably because there was no rice) they didn’t fall apart, I wasn’t mad that they were soft! Delicious 10/10, would recommend
Annie Bloom says
I made these last night for my husband and me. Great taste, stayed together for easy flipping BUT still a mush burger! Put on a bun and squished right out. Just can’t get a veggie burger to have the consistency to hold up in a bun. Any suggestions?
Hi Annie! You could try and firm them up by baking them on a baking sheet for 15-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven!
Alli says
Absolutely loved these! I would add a little cayenne pepper for some heat next time, but they were a big hit at a bbq I hosted!
Eileen says
Absolutely delicious! Restaurant quality. We had a hearty meal, froze the rest, and reheated per your direction to another great meal. So happy to have found your recipes!
Thank you!
EIleen
Jill says
I just made these for second time. We made them last weekend on the grill, and then again tonight! Truly amazing, and I’m sure it’ll be our “go-to” burger for the Summer! It’s a super delicious recipe, thank you so much for sharing it!! These burgers make us happy! :) -Jill
Shelley Goodfellow says
I have made these several times now and each time someone always asks me for the recipe. I leave out the sugar as I find the bbq sauce has enough sugar in it. Freezes well too even before grilling. Thanks for a yummy and filling burger recipe.
Hillary Whelan says
I never leave reviews but I’ve sung your praises so many times, I feel I should. These are awesome burgers! The best part is that they really stand up to being grilled which means I don’t have to cook them…my husband is the grill guy. So any part of cooking I can get out of, I do. So thank you for figuring out a veggie burger than can be grilled. Thanks for all you do for those of us that are culinary-challenged.
Anna says
I made this for my parents and brother and sisters (who are very skeptical about burgers that don’t contain meat) and they absolutely loved it! I doubled the recipe to make extra and everything came out perfect. Definitely the best veggie black bean burger I have made so far.
Natalie Reid says
Made these veggie burgers today and wow so good! I grilled 4 and fried 4. My husband and I each ate two from the grill and they were so delicious. I’m taking a couple leftover to my Mom this weekend to taste. We’re meat eaters, but my husband asked if we could try a few veggie recipes and voila this was a hit!! THANK YOU for this recipe;) it’s a keeper!!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear this, Natalie!
Jahnavi says
Can these be baked? If so how do you recommend doing so? Thanks!
Yes! I’d bake them at 375 for 15–25 minutes.
Wendy says
I just want to say, we recently moved to complete plant based lifestyle. These burgers were fabulous and hit the mark with both my husband and I. I did reduce the seasoning since 1 TBL of each seemed too much so I reduced it to 1 tsp each of the chili powder, paprika and cumin. I used an organic agave based BBQ Sauce and this worked perfectly. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe that you can actual grill and flip.
Baja Linda says
I have tried many veggie hamburger recipes but was on the search for something non-mushy. While all the recipes I have tried taste good, they just don’t have the density of meat that I miss. My search brought up this recipe and although it doesn’t say it’s non-mushy it does claim to hold together when you follow the recipe. For flavor I would give it a 5/5. Really tasty combo of flavors. I didn’t have walnuts so I substituted with raw cashews and omitted the sugar. They held together reasonably well (I pan-fried two of them). I find that chilling them first helps with that and flip carefully. I think that too much moisture is the worst culprit when it comes to mushiness and falling apart so follow the steps to keep that down to a minimum. Since my quest for a firm burger failed on this try I decided to crumble the mixture into small pieces and pan fried the bits until they turned crunchy and rolled them up with the toppings in a tortillia like a burrito. Delicious! I also tried baking the crumbles for about 40 minutes at 350 deg. and they also came out nice without the oil.
Micah says
This recipe is awesome. You can substitute the spices for taco seasoning, brown it in a pan and make burritos or tacos. Substitute italian seasonings, add an egg if you eat eggs, and use it for meatballs.
Jahnavi says
My first post didn’t let me rate it….
Jahnavi says
AMAzing!!!!! <3 Seriously the best veggie burger I’ve ever had—and I’ve spent my whole life eating veggie burgers! 5 stars, hands down.
I have one question. Can these be baked? If so what temperature and time do you recommend? Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy them! Baking should work- we would recommend using this recipe for reference: https://minimalistbaker.com/sweet-potato-black-bean-burger/
Anne says
10/10. I can’t score these high enough. The perfect vege burger. Thank you.
Nicole says
Just made these, with a few substitutions, I had no black beans nor brown rice, used kidney beans and quinoa instead, work really well, super tasty, my omnivorous daughter loves them too!
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Nicole!
Sarah Pulvere says
Anyone try substituting quinoa or barley for the brown rice? Ive made these multiple times with brown rice and this time I’m out so wanted to try an alternative rather than run to the store. Thoughts?
It seems as though others have tried quinoa and had success with it!
Pat says
Add a small beet in there and they look like real burgers (if you them to).
Great stuff, thank you!
Melissa Blaseck says
I have tried a lot of different soy burgers between Emeril L., Bobby Flay etc. This veggie burger is incredible. It stays together really well and the punch of flavor is there as well. This burger moves up to #1 on my list.
For the BBQ sauce, we used Kentucky Bourbon flavor, but the low sodium one from Whole Foods is just as good. I tried half the batch with Kentucky Bourbon and the other half with the Whole Foods.
I also added Muenster and Pepper Jack Cheese slices. Oh Yeah- This recipe rocks, especially with sweet treats potato homemade fries.
Thanks so much Miminalist Baker. This was worth the work. *****. Five Stars Lady.
Susan says
I omitted the sugar from this recipe — I felt my BBQ sauce added enough sweetness. Otherwise, I made according to instructions. I used about 3/4 tsp. salt. The flavors were delicious, especially the paprika, which provided a nice smoky flavor. I measured by 1/3 cup, which provided 10 English muffin size patties. The burgers held up well on my indoor grill; however, they became pretty flat and mushy as we ate them. All-in-all we enjoyed them. My husband commented, “Not bad for a veggie burger.” I would make them again.
Karla says
I’ve noticed some people have issues with binding, I found that adding peanut butter solves this issue. I unintentionally added too much rice and my mixture was too dry. I added more beans, more bbq sauce and it was still very crumbly not strong enough to form a patti without falling apart, so I added about 1 tbsp of peanut butter and it was perfect. I’m guessing any nut butter would do.
Renette says
I have made this many times! The only thing I do differently is, I Don’t let the walnuts cool! The warm walnut oil acts as a binder. This gives much needed moisture and really holds the burger together!
Renette says
I have found that by cooking this in a non-stick skillet, it gets crispy. (I usually use cast iron).
Ashley Vondrak says
We make these burgers all the time! Absolutely love the flavor, texture, and how easy these are to make!
Cydni says
Can I use pinto beans?
Yes, that should work! Other people commented saying they’ve had success with pinto beans.
Bridget says
These turned out AMAZING! The flavor is great, perfect amount of spice. These stayed together very well while cooking. They even stayed together surprising well while eating which I never expect from a homemade veggie burger. I absolutely love this recipe. I had been looking for a good vegan burger recipe and I have definitely found it. Will definitely be making these again!
Ali says
In regards to the black beans, how should they be cooked?
Hi Ali! Are you using dried black beans? If so, in a large pot, add 10 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and soak for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours (Hot Soak). Hope this helps!
Alaina says
I’m sorry, I meant the canned black beans. Do they need to be cooked further or just use them out of the can? Thanks for your reply!!!
Just use them out of the can!
Ruhan says
Absolutely brilliant! I love this. I had a collaboration with a top class Chef and the results was fantastic.
Thank you.
SharlaMJ says
Hi I just made the “Freddy’s Style Thin and Crispy Veggie Burgers”. I got it form the 31 meals cookbook. I couldn’t find that recipe on the site so I’m posting here as this one is very similar. I had a moment of inspiration and added beet. It made the mixture very wet so I added panko which made the mixture firm. It held up great in the stove top grill! I used olive oil in the pan. It did not stick once nor did it break. I used a mold to get a perfect round shape. I’m happy I used beet. It gave the pattie a lovely red colour. Thank you again for another great recipe.
Moni says
These burgers are divine and flavoursome. They hold together just perfectly. They were served on another gem, vegan nuts&seeds bread from The Lazy Cat Kitchen. Together with avo, pickles, mustard, capsicum, tomato. Yum. Yum. Note: I couldn’t be bothered getting a new batch of walnuts so I substituted them with almond meal and regular breadcrumbs. No dramas whatsoever. Thank you for a lovely recipe, Dana.
Moni says
Also omitted sugar and used red instead of white onion. Seasoning was just spot on.
Sandra says
Hi there…..new to veganism. Can I use whole meal bread for the breadcrumbs?
Hi Sandra! That should work!
Saaniyah says
Hi, I am 15 and made this for my family for lunch tomorrow. My dad couldn’t stop eating the rice and bean mixture uncooked! It tasted delicious even before frying them. The beans, rice, and BBQ sauce really make it taste good. thanks for the recipe! My mom’s proud of me ;p
Travis C says
I have made two versions of this recipe for veganuary this year and they were both utterly delightful. I did however make some changes, opting for roasted salted pistachios in their shells (because that’s what was in the pantry), using a difference spice mix (macadamia dukkah and store bought burger spice mix in my favourite version) and also adding a hefty tablespoon of chiptotle peppers in arbol sauce when whizzing up the blackbeans in my food processor. I also included a generous splash of liquid smoke. I have cooked many vego burgers over the years but these are hands down the best I have cooked both in terms of savoury meaty flavour and “burger” like appearance. The texture I achieved may perhaps be a wee bit fragile for a grill, but cooked in a skillet on the stove they browned perfectly, stayed together fine and most importantly smell AMAZING while cooking. Given how quick and easy these are to make, I am certain they will be a firm favourite for years to come.
Tony says
I made this today. They are definitely grill-able. The texture when making the recipe as described was perfect. The only thing I would adjust is the spices, a little less chili powder and maybe add some cayenne. I made them on the larger side using a half cup measure and got 5 full size burgers with a little extra for a slider. It’s frigid outside here today so cooked them in a cast iron skillet. It makes a great crust this way and didn’t fall apart when biting into them. I used a soft bun, I think a hearty bun would be too much and force the burger to squish. At best, a brioche bun.
Nigel says
Just made these – great flavour and texture but they fell apart when I tried to pick them up with the spatula…. not sure if I did something wrong but followed it exactly… We didnt mind – still tasted great!
Stacey Kavs says
This is the best burger we have ever eaten, ever. The texture, flavour, structure, grilled crunch, ease to make. I’ve shared the link to Facebook because literally everybody needs to eat this.
Recipe alterarions:
We doubled the mixture (this made 12 decent sized patties) but subbed out half the walnuts for bread crumbs (so we used 120g walnuts and 120g extra bread crumbs). We used half the cumin because my husband doesn’t love it and we added a tablespoon of Keens Curry Powder. We used a thermomix and after sauteeing the onion we simply chucked everything in there and blitz it on turbo for a few seconds.
If you’re reading this and wondering if you should make it – yes, drop everything, make it immediately!! Even the kids loved it!
Minimalist Baker always on the money. Thank you thank you!!
Stacey Kavs says
I forgot to say that we totally left out the chilli for the kids :-)
Vicky says
Just fabulous
Vicky says
Left out the walnuts as none in cupboard. These were delicious. Thank you so much for this fabulous tasting burger! Next time I will make a batch without Chilli powder for my 6 yr old too ……
DJ says
I tried this recipe, and cooked the burgers on a skillet with olive oil. However, it was very difficult and they all fell apart. So I remolded them once they cooled down, but they still broke up when eating. – Any advice for next time??
(They still tasted AMAZINGGGG but I served them on a salad, rather than in a bun due to their consistency)
Hi DJ! They are a little tender but should hold up. You could try and firm them up by baking them on a baking sheet for 15-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven!
Dj says
Thanks so much for the advice! I tried the recipe again for dinner tonight, and dried out the black beans, and I LOVE how they came out!! :) :) thanks you for beautiful recipes like this one <3
Liza says
This is the first recipe I tried from your blog, and its AMAZING. Thank you so much.
Candy says
This recipe inspired my own version… this is a great base. I desperately seeking something close to the cheesecake factory veggie burger so I sub 1 cup brown rice for 1/2cup and 1/2 cup farro. I added a bunch of diced mushrooms and a few diced carrots to the onion and then sauteed. I used fresh basil and parsley and roasted garile… pulsed in nuta bullet. I used ketchup and olive oil vs grape seed and bbq sauce. I did use 3/4 cup bread crumbs and only 1 can beans. Oh and Italian seasonings. I absolutely LOVED the burger and wold not have been able to do it without your recipie
Dorothy says
These were fantastic! Subbed cashews for walnuts because that’s what I had in the kitchen.
The tip about packing them in a little measuring cup is key I think to getting the patty packed well enough to stay together.
Have you ever tried Bushwick Kitchen’s gochujang sriracha???! So amazing on these burgers.
Thanks for a great recipe! Keeping this
Emma says
This is a super tasty flavour combo. I really enjoyed these. I didn’t have black beans in so I used brown lentils. They were very crumbly but I wasn’t trying to grill them so it was ok.
India says
I made these three different times twice on grill once on stove I think I’m addicted . And one the times I chopped one of the burgers up and ate it on a taco shell with lettuce and tomatoe it was yum
Mad says
I made these for BBQ and they turned out great!
Thanks you!!!
Cathy Ann says
These were absolutely delicious! I diced some grilled piquillo peppers, and added them to the mash (yum)! No need to buy frozen vegan burgers ever again!
Jules Tough says
This is a amazing recipe, and I’ve used it probably 10 times so far, and each time has been fab. I’m not a fan of black beans so I’ve tried lots of substitutes – I’ve used pinto, garbanzo, butter beans so far and all have worked just great. I’ve also used a wild rice blend instead of just brown rice and the different types of rice create a really nice visual in the burger, which is great if you’re not using the black beans. I don’t think you need the coconut sugar if you like to add sauces to your burger as ketchup and mustard sweeten the burger anyway. The only other thing I’d pass along is that the chilli/paprika content is too spicy for most people that I’ve served this burger to, so now I just use 1 tsp paprika and 1/2 tsp of chilli powder. Thanks for all the wonderful creativity and inspiration in your recipes.
Christian says
Thank you for converting the meassures to grams etc. This makes it so much easier to follow the recipe, when living here in Denmark ;-)
Mary says
These were tasty enough and held together nicely, however I only used 1 heaping teaspoon of the spices ( not 1 tablespoon as written) and the spices overwhelmed all other flavours.
Keri says
These tasted ok with some disappointment. I am a 25 year vegetarian and while I appreciated the recipe, would make adjustments. They did in fact fall apart somewhat on the grill- on foil. I actually would add much more seasonings as I expected them to have a brighter flavor. They needed citrus, garlic, fresh herbs, etc. – something more punchy. The BBQ sauce did nothing. They weren’t a stand out, at least the first time I made them, but provide a framework to build upon. A good one for beginners perhaps but definitely change it up! Use more flavor, and, don’t cook on the grill.
Ronnie says
Made burgers last night for my vegan son and his girlfriend. Must point out that he was a carnivore for over 25 years and became vegan a few years ago. They both said it was the best vegan burger they ate, including Europe.
I used more smoked paprika, added some Mexican seasoning but omitted the cumin. I also used fresh chilies (ground with the walnuts) and walnut oil. Did not have panko so breadcrumbs went in.
The burgers grilled perfectly and the even the none vegans who got a small taste were really surprised how good they were.
Keep those recipes flowing!
Betsy says
I just started going meat free and am aiming for a full plant based diet. I made these today and they are so delicious. They are very soft, but that is expected. I made them exactly as the recipe calls for and loved them!
Kevin says
DING DING DING … we have a winner!
I’ve tried over a dozen vegan burger recipes and this one has by far the best “beefy” flavor and texture. I substituted the panko for chickpea flour for a gluten free option, and it holds together great. I topped it with a burger sauce (mix vegan mayo and ketchup) which complimented it nicely!
This is also an excellent high-protein vegan patty to go with my weight training.
Thanks for the recipe!
Reghan says
Hands down BEST patty ever ?
Cat says
This recipe has been a gift! We grill. A LOT! Practically every night when it is nice out. I’m on my fifth or sixth batch of these and I usually double it and freeze to have on hand. Love them and they are always a hit when I share. I don’t love BBQ sauce so I leave that out, use a little veggie broth for moisture and added some dry mustard to the spice mix to balance the flavor with no BBQ. I also leave the sugar out because I lean savory and I’m trying to cut back on sugar.
Thanks for a beautiful recipe that is easy to prepare and really is grillable.
Korrie says
Made them tonight. They were easy to make & delish?? They cooked great on the grill!!?
Karlyn says
They are kinda sweet…
Husband says they are delicious but taste nothing like a hamburger…LOL
#newvegetarians
Gordon Walker says
Tasted good, but falls apart. I could see this working as a pancake-like patty in a skillet, but falls apart on the grill. Still looking for a good recipe for a grillable veggie burger.
Adam T says
This is how you keep the patties together with one extra step:
After rinsing the beans, put them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and into a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes to dry them out. Then do everything else the same as listed. (You might need to mash the beans with your hands after they cool since they will be much firmer). If you do that they will easily be able to handle the grill without falling apart. Good luck!
Vicki says
Dana I made these today for grilling this evening. Can I freeze the other patties before grilling or do you have to grill before freezing? Im the only one in my family eating these. Ill let you know how they turn out. Yum!
Thanks!
Hi Vicki! 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). Hope this helped!
Adam T says
You definitely don’t need to cook them before freezing. We just pop them straight from the freezer into a skillet and they taste amazing.
Source: Have made this like 20 times.
Vicki Karschner says
Thanks Adam! That’s what I did. I froze them right away and got one out of the freezer, grilled it and it was amazing! This is the only burger that is tasty and does not fall apart! Yum! Thanks Dana!
Hongkongsuey says
I made these for a bbq and they were very well received. I made them the day before and chilled them until needed. They held together brilliantly, better than any other recipe I have tried. I will be making them again.
Sam W. says
I made eight burgers with this recipe, I grilled them all, ate two and I tossed the others in the freezer. After reheating they tasted even better!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Sam! Thanks so much for the lovely review! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
christine says
My husband and I have made these burgers about 50 times. They are the BEST. We absolutely love them. Thank you a million times over.
Crystal says
This recipe was excellent! House full of meat eaters loved it. This is making my transition to the vegan world so much easier. Love the fact that there are no eggs in the recipe and it still formed perfect patties. Can’t wait to make these again.
Necia says
Best black bean burger I have EVER tasted! This is a winner, and this recipe will be used over and over again!