This easy recipe is one of my all-time favorites. It combines creamy sweet potato, flavorful black beans, and several spices to make delicious burgers, perfect for impressing friends and family. The vegan black bean patties are tender in the middle and crisp on the outside, with a wonderful flavor combination of sweet, savory, and smoky. Plus, this recipe is completely egg-free, dairy-free, and nut-free, and you can use all your favorite burger toppings. Black beans are incredibly versatile—not only great for burgers but also amazing in soups! If you’re craving something warm and cozy, you’ve got to try my black bean soup recipe, which brings out the rich, hearty flavor of the beans in a whole new way.
Watch my video tutorial!
How to make my best black bean burgers
Make the black bean patty mix: First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Next, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into small cubes. The smaller the cubes, the faster they will cook. Peel and quarter the onion. I cook the garlic cloves whole with the skin, but you can peel and half or quarter them if you want.
Black beans: Use home-cooked or canned beans (drained and rinsed). Alternatively, use pinto beans or white beans like cannellini. Sweet potato: To make the base of the patties. Onion and garlic: Use a red onion and fresh garlic cloves. Breadcrumbs: Use regular or panko breadcrumbs as a binder for the patties. Spices: Smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. To add spice, add some cayenne pepper, chili powder, or chipotle powder.
You will also need hamburger buns and your favorite toppings: lettuce, tomato, (plant-based) cheese, avocado, ketchup, etc. Then, place the prepared vegetables on a baking sheet and brush them with some olive oil or use a bit of cooking spray. Roast them in the oven at 350ºF/180ºC for 25-30 minutes. Flip them halfway through cooking. Then, in the last 15 minutes, add the beans to the oven as well. This allows them to bake and dry for a bit. Once roasted, let everything cool down for a few minutes. Then remove the garlic skin if it is still on. Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor: roasted sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, black beans, breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Then, process them into a slightly chunky paste. Taste the black bean mixture and adjust the seasonings to your liking if needed. Shape the patties: Next, use your hands, a large ice cream scoop, or around 1/3 cup to measure the patties evenly. Then shape them by hand by making a ball and then flattening it to your desired thickness. The mixture shouldn’t be sticky or too dry and crumbly. With the mixture, I made 5 large patties, but you could make more if they are a bit smaller. Grill and assemble: To cook the black bean burgers, heat a neutral oil in a large skillet and pan-fry the burgers over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned and crispy. Alternatively, bake them at 350ºF/180ºC for 15-20 minutes or grill them on the BBQ, flipping once, until lightly browned and crispy. While grilling or pan-frying the burgers, I love to heat the burger buns and start warming the cheese over the patties. Finally, assemble the burgers by layering a lettuce leaf, black bean patty, tomato, mashed avocado, and some ketchup, mayonnaise, spicy sriracha mayo, or your favorite toppings. Then enjoy right away with a side of sweet potato fries or a fresh green salad. If you try this black bean burger recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
