The Best Veggie Burger

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Made with a base of black beans and walnuts with plenty of spices, these veggie burgers are bursting with flavor!

A plate with a veggie burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions and fries on the side.

Many years ago I wasn’t a fan of traditional hamburgers.  I’m not sure what it was about them I didn’t like but I rarely ate them.

I would, however, eat a veggie burger if it was good.  Over the years I’ve worked on my veggie burgers and I even won a contest for my Black Bean Burger.

So when I saw a recipe claiming it was the “best ever” veggie burger I knew I had to try it.  The base had two main ingredients, one being black beans.  The other ingredient, the one that intrigued me, was walnuts.

Ingredients:

  • canned black beans
  • walnuts
  • cumin
  • paprika
  • chili powder
  • sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • carrot
  • shallot
  • garlic cloves
  • oats
  • soy sauce
  • barbecue sauce (optional)
  • hamburger buns
  • burger toppings

To Make the Burgers:  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Bake the black beans  for 6-8 minutes or until they begin to split.  Put in the food processor.  Meanwhile, cook the walnuts, cumin, paprika, and chili powder in a medium skillet for 2-3 minutes.  Remove and add to the food processor.  Add one tablespoon of the sun-dried tomato oil to the pan and add in the carrots, shallot, garlic, and tomatoes.  Cook for 5 minutes and then pour into the food processor.  Add the soy sauce and oats to the food processor and process until just combined.  Shape into burger patties.

A bowl with the mixture to make veggie burgers.

I noticed two things as I was making the veggie burgers. The first is that they smelled wonderful. All of those spices and seasonings really came out when cooking them in the skillet.

The second thing I noticed was the texture. I was afraid that they weren’t going to hold together because of the way that they felt. I like a firmer veggie burger and I could tell this wasn’t going to be it.

Can I use a different type of bean?

No you really can’t.  Black beans have a soft, smooth texture which is why they work so well in veggie burgers.  If you are looking for a recipe with a different type of bean I would search for that type of recipe specifically.

Can I add in other vegetables?

I don’t see why not.  Shredded zucchini or squash, chopped onions, chopped peppers, or chopped spinach would work.  I wouldn’t add more than a half cup though or else the rest of the recipe will have to be adjusted.

Can these be frozen?

Yes!   You can make and patty the veggie burgers then put them on a cookie sheet and freeze for one hour.  Take them off the cookie sheet, wrap in plastic wrap, and put in a freezer bag.  Freeze for up to 6 months. 

I was able to easily shape the mixture into burger patties. I got the burgers into the pan and they seemed to hold their shape. I could tell they were going to be on the softer side though.

I did end up basting them with BBQ sauce which I think is a great idea. It helps seal the burger together and it adds just a hint of flavor to the burger overall which is really nice.

Pin Image: A plate with a veggie burger on a bun with fries on the side, text title, a cutting board with a carrot, soy sauce, a can of black beans, a shallot, spices, and a bowl of walnuts.

More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes:

The burgers ended up getting a nice outside crust to them from the skillet and the BBQ sauce. We put them on buns along with our regular burger toppings.

The verdict was that we both thought the burgers had a lot of good flavor. We enjoyed them enough that we both said we would happily have them again some day.

Our only complaint was that they were really soft. We both thought they needed some more texture to them so I think next time I’ll only put half the beans in the food processor and leave the other half whole to add to the burger mixture.

If you’ve tried my The Best Veggie Burger or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

A plate with a veggie burger on a bun with fries on the side.

The Best Veggie Burger

Yield: 4 burgers
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Made with a base of black beans and walnuts with plenty of spices, these veggie burgers are bursting with flavor!

Ingredients

  • 1 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 c. walnuts, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/4 c. shredded carrot
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 c. oats
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 c. BBQ sauce (optional)
  • 4 burger buns

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread black beans on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until they begin to split open.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the walnuts, cumin, paprika, and chili powder in a medium skilled over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until they are fragrant.
  3. Remove from pan and cool.
  4. In the same skillet heat the oil from the sun dried tomatoes over medium heat. Add the carrot, shallow, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Place the carrot mixture, beans, walnut mixture, oats, and soy sauce in a food processor. Pulse until combined.
  6. Shape the mixture into 4 burger patties.
  7. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the bean patties and cook for 3-5 minutes per side or until browned. Baste with BBQ sauce if desired.
  8. Serve on buns with choice of toppings.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home (June/July 2022)

A plate with a veggie burger on a bun with fries on the side.

2 Comments

  1. Are old fashion or quick cooking oats best for this recipe? I’m excited to try these and love the addition of the sundried tomatoes.

    1. I used quick cooking oats and they seemed to work well. I think old fashion would probably work as well but I have not tested that.

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