Say hello to your new favorite veggie burger.
It’s gluten-free, BIG on flavor, infused with smoky BBQ flavor, and perfect on the grill or stovetop. Let’s do this!
This burger is easy to make, requiring simple methods and 10 wholesome ingredients you likely have on hand right now.
It all starts with black beans that are cooked down until dry and cracked, which helps keep the burgers from being mushy. Then comes toasted pecans, which are pulsed into a meal.
Then we add quinoa, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder, BBQ sauce, and salt. Quinoa adds moisture and also binds the burgers, and the rest is all about flavor: sweet potatoes for sweetness, mushrooms for “meatiness” and texture, and the spices and sauce for smoky BBQ flavor.
For these burgers, it’s best to sear both sides on the stovetop and then finish baking in the oven, where they will dry out and firm up a bit. But they are firm enough for the grill as well!
Once cooked, it’s all about the toppings. We went for vegan buns, lettuce, cabbage, red pepper, pickles, and more BBQ + a little hot sauce. Swoon.
We hope you all LOVE these burgers! They’re:
Smoky
Tender
Hearty
Satisfying
Customizable
Easy to make
& SO delicious
These burgers would make the perfect weeknight meal for you and the family or for hosting! Serve with Crispy Baked Fries, Garlicky Kale Salad, or Garlicky Guac and Plantain Chips!
If you’re into veggie burgers, also be sure to check out our Chickpea Sun-Dried Tomato Burgers, Grillable Veggie Burgers, Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger, Black Bean Beet Veggie Burger, Simple Veggie Sliders, and Green Chili Veggie Burger.
If you like this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Smoky BBQ Black Bean Burger
Ingredients
BURGERS
- 1 cup cooked + cooled quinoa (divided // see notes for cooking instructions)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed and dried)
- 2/3 cup raw pecans
- 1 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil (plus more for cooking burgers // or water)
- 1 heaping cup sliced and peeled sweet potato (cut into 1/4-inch rounds)
- 2 heaping cups thinly sliced cremini or button mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3 Tbsp vegan-friendly BBQ sauce (I like Annie’s organic original BBQ sauce // plus more for glazing)
FOR SERVING (optional)
- Vegan-friendly hamburger buns OR lettuce wraps (and gluten-free if needed)
- Veggies of choice (i.e. onion, cabbage, tomato, pickles)
Instructions
- If you haven’t yet, cook quinoa and set aside to cool (see notes for instructions).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and spread rinsed, dried black beans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake beans for 6 minutes. Then add pecans to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes more. The nuts should be fragrant and golden brown (be careful not to burn), and the beans should appear dry and cracked open (this way, they do not become mushy in the burger mix). Set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- In the meantime, heat a medium to large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and the sweet potato. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning heat down if the potatoes are browning too quickly. Once browned on the underside, flip and cook for 3-4 minutes more or until tender and golden brown. Remove from the pan.
- To the still-hot pan, add the sliced mushrooms and coconut aminos (optional – sub a little salt otherwise) and cook on medium/medium-high for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until they’re browned, fragrant, and cooked down to half their size. Set aside.
- To a food processor, add beans and pecans and blitz/pulse into a loose meal (some texture is good – you don’t want a powder).
- Next, add cooked sweet potato, mushrooms, half the quinoa, sea salt, chili powder, cumin, and BBQ sauce and pulse a few times to combine (again, some texture is good here – you’re not going for a purée).
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the rest of the quinoa. Then taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cumin for smokiness, chili powder for heat, BBQ sauce for sweetness / depth of flavor, or salt for saltiness.
- If the mixture appears too wet, add more quinoa. If it looks too dry, add more BBQ sauce (or a little coconut aminos) to moisten.
- Divide the mixture into four even balls and form into patties with your hands or by lining a 1/2 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap, packing the mixture inside, then lifting the plastic wrap out – mash slightly into more of a disc. Refrigerate burgers for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, heat the cast-iron or metal pan from earlier over medium heat. Once hot, add a bit more oil (or water) and the burgers. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Then carefully flip and cook for 4-5 minutes on the other side. Then turn off heat, glaze/brush with a bit more BBQ sauce, and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake at 375 F (190C) for 10-15 minutes more. The burgers should appear browned.
- Serve as is or with toppings. We enjoyed ours on buns with butter lettuce, shredded red pepper, shredded cabbage, pickles, radish, and more BBQ sauce. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*Prep time does not include cooking and cooling quinoa.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 burger calculated without optional ingredients.
Marcie says
These are quite possibly the best black bean burgers I have ever made. They are perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These will forever be in my regular recipe rotation. Thank you for such a great recipe :)
Whoop! Thank you for the lovely review, Marcie! xo
Traci Love says
Hey!
I just made these today and I’m wondering if they would handle the grill ok?
Should I pre-bake them before putting on the grill?
Hi Traci, they do work on the grill! There’s no need to pre-bake them first.
Elizabeth says
I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could. It is hands down my favorite veggie burger recipe. I’ve made it as directed, I’ve made it with mashed sweet potatoes. I’ve made it forgetting to pulse the quinoa (adding all quinoa at the end). No matter what, always amazing.
I bake 15 minutes at 375 then cool and freeze so I can have delicious veggie burgers all summer! Reheat 10-13 minutes at 375. Serve with avocado, pickles, and ketchup or more bbq sauce. Yummmmm!
Amazing!! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing! xo
BC says
I would love to make these this week and am wondering if there is any possible substitution for the nuts?
I know they are a key part of the recipe, but I have a relative coming over who is on a short term zero fat medical diet. If not, I’ll move along to other oil free recipe!
Hi BC, unfortunately we don’t think this would work well without the nuts. Hope you find a recipe that they’ll enjoy!
SusieQ says
These are my go to vegan burgers. Delicious. Only difference is that I finely chop sweet pots and mushrooms and do not pulse in blender. Everyone I have made them for just love them. Vegans and carnivores alike.
Minimalist baker is one of my favs!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Susie!
Melanie Veal says
Question – where or how did you come up with the nutritional info? I entered it in Myfitnesspal and the calories come out to over 500
Hi Melanie, we use Cronometer. Is it possible you calculated with the optional ingredients? We calculate nutrition without optional ingredients. Or perhaps you calculated with dry quinoa vs. cooked? Either way, we’ll make sure to give the nutrition another look to ensure nothing is off.
Melanie says
I used cooked quinoa. Where the highest calorie count came was the pecans and sweet potatoes.
Hm, not sure why there’s a difference then! We used 130 grams of sweet potato (the metric measurement) in our calculation.
Jen says
Trying the hearty cocoa black bean burgers from your cookbook for our bbq tomorrow. Can I prep them today, refrigerate tonight and cook tomorrow?
Hi Jen, it should work, but they’ll be a little more prone to cracking since they dry out in the refrigerator. If that happens, you could add a little BBQ sauce to add moisture back in. Hope that helps!
LiLiD says
Been meaning to make this for ages and finally did. Replaced pecans with walnuts as pecans are very expesnive here in Australia. Made 8 small burger patties instead of 4 large patties. These were delcious just on there own to nibble on. My meat eating husband loved them also and came back for 2nds. I am going to freeze some to see how they defrost and recook. Defiantly will be making these regularly.
Yay! So glad you both enjoyed these burgers. Thanks for the great review!
Elizabeth says
I’m making this right now and am wondering if I should drain the mushrooms (after cooking) before adding them to the mix. There’s lots of liquid in the pan, but I don’t want to get rid of the yummy coconut amino taste! Thanks – excited to eat these!
Hi Elizabeth, we’d suggest cooking them longer until the moisture evaporates to concentrate the flavor. Hope that helps!
Randi Steckler says
I made these last night. They were extremely delicious! They took a long time to make. I pre made the quinoa but didn’t read thru the recipe closely enough. I should have started earlier which is my own error. My husband loved them! I had never made anything like these before. He just ate another one for lunch and we have 2 more in the freezer to enjoy another time 😃 Somehow I ended up with 5 half cup burgers.
I omitted the chili powder and cumin and added smoky paprika. I roasted the sweet potatoes in the oven. I just sprinkled the coconut aminos on top.
I served them on a roll with avocado on one side of the roll and ketchup on the other and added lettuce.
Next up are the sweet potato black bean burgers!
Dana, I have no idea how you invent all your recipes, I’m just glad you do!
I have made many of your recipes and there has never been a dud! They all have been amazing!
Aw, we’re so glad to hear it, Randi! Thank you for sharing! xo
Claire says
Too much cumin for my taste, it overpowered the patties. I also struggled blitzing the mix in my blender once all the veggies were added but it was easy to mush up in a bowl. I chilled the 5 large patties my mix made for more than 30 minutes but when cooked they didn’t hold their shape so when I came to each them, they just squished out the sides of my bun. This really was a lot of effort and unfortunately didn’t work at all for me.
Hi Claire, we’re so sorry you didn’t enjoy them! Did you make any modifications to the ingredients? We ask because this recipe is a fan favorite. We think mashing in a bowl vs. using a food processor is what caused them to not hold together. A little more BBQ sauce can also help with that.
Claire says
The only modification I made was using walnuts instead of pecans but I prepared them in the same way. And I added more BBQ sauce (as per instructions) to get what I thought was the right consistency. They were fairly wet though so maybe I added too much?
Hi Claire, Walnuts are more bitter, but we don’t think that would make too much of a difference. It’s possible they were too wet then. We hope you have a better experience with the next recipe!
Ashley says
These are the BEST veggie burgers I’ve ever had. I’m not vegetarian or vegan, I’m just trying to eat more veggies :) I like to add ancho chili powder for spice, I also use frozen sweet potato and cook these bad girls in the air fryer. Unfortunately they don’t reheat well the next day. Still trying to figure that out!
We’re SO glad you enjoy them, Ashley! Thank you for the lovely review! Have you tried freezing before cooking and then cooking just before eating? Hope that helps!
Justyna says
I love this recipe and I can’t wait to make it again. It was a lot of time and effort for a weeknight dinner, but we froze the leftover patties and made two more quick and easy meals out of them. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Justyna! Thank you for sharing! xo
Diane says
These are really tasty, and one of the only veggie burgers I’ve found that stay together on the grill! Next time I make them, I would definitely cut the sweet potatoes and roast in the oven (the frying pan method was time consuming and not super effective for me). The “dough” did not pulse super well in my food processor, so I did end up taking everything out and mashing with a potato masher. I also nearly tripled the spices & BBQ sauce to make them super flavorful. So good!
Yum! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Diane! We’re so glad you like the burgers!
Paige says
I almost wish these weren’t so amazing because of the time involved, lol. But every time they are worth it! So so good. I swap butternut squash (I always have a frozen bag) for the sweet potatoes and it’s great. Can’t recommend these enough. Thanks Dana!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Paige! xo
Jan says
These are the best black bean burgers I have ever made!!! SO good. I was inspired to try the recipe because I needed to use up some mushrooms and had of the ingredients.
Here is what I subbed:
Short grain brown rice for quinoa
pumpkin seeds for pecans
Yam for sweet potato
Didn’t have chili powder so I made my own spice blend with smoked paprika/chipotle chili powder/oregano
I plan to eat them with lettuce and avocado and tomato slices-no bun needed.
Thanks for the recipe!
Yumm, thanks for sharing your modifications and such a kind review, Jan! We’re so glad you enjoyed. xo
Hannah says
Could I use millet instead of quinoa?
We haven’t tried that, but we think it might work!
Judy says
Great recipe! I substituted caramelized onions as suggested for the mushrooms (I have a mushroom allergy), otherwise made as written. Even my husband, who is not partial to plant-based main courses, loved them. I have one question: the recipe says to increase the oven temperature to 375° after taking the black beans and pecans out. Is this for the much later step of baking the formed patties?
We’re so glad you both enjoyed them, Judy! Yes, 375 F is for baking the patties.
Judy says
Oops, forgot to leave a rating.
H says
I’ve made this recipe twice so far and it’s the best black bean burger I’ve ever had -seriously! I’m vegan and I personally have been turned off my black bean burgers because of how overly mushy and bland they usually are :( but I’m so glad I decided to try this recipe out. Roasting the black beans in the oven to dry them out is a total game changer! I find that this recipe followed exactly can yield eight good-sized burgers. The first time I made it I doubled it for a group of 5 adults and found that it made more than enough!
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Nan says
I made this last night and was pleasantly pleased! My last couple attempts at black bean burgers didn’t hold together well. These came together beautifully and were easy to form. To simplify, I added a leftover baked sweet potato rather than browning sliced sweet potatoes. Will definitely make this again.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Nan! xo
Holli Loomans-Kropp says
Wonderful flavors, fabulous recipe! I added quite a bit more cumin and chile powder to add a real punch. Will happily make again.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Holli! xo
Tonia says
These were delicious and a huge hit with my non-vegan friend! I made them with your Vegan BBQ sauce (which is now my favorite BBQ sauce!) from your cookbook, SO good! I misread the recipe and mixed in a bit too much quinoa but was able to salvage with adding some extra sauce. I also used butternut squash instead of sweet potato as I had leftovers from making one of your nourish bowls (also amazing!).
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Tonia! xo
Geri Lynn Habstritt says
How do you think quinoa flakes would work instead of cooked quinoa? Might bind better and save cooking time? Would you use 1 cup quinoa flakes to substitute?
Hmm, I’m not share! I’d think it would be slightly more flakes than quinoa since they’re less dense? Let us know if you try!
Kara says
How do you go about drying out the black beans?
That is described in step 2.
Stephanie Ciancio says
Hey there! I made these last night and my mind wandered while I was pulsing the food processor. I added in extra millet and less-dried black beans, but I’m wondering if you have further advice for someone who is dealing with pate burgers. The taste is super delicious, at least I haven’t tried to pan fry or grill them just yet.
Hi Stephanie, what about adding breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)?
Nicole H says
Have you tried using sweet potato puree as an alternative to whole sweet potatoes?
We haven’t. But we think it would work!
Ayodele says
I made this tonight after eating them at my sister-in-law’s house. They were DELICIOUS, but OH.MY.GOODNESS this was time consuming! Quarantine is the perfect time to make this! Just a tip, make extras and freeze!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Ayodele! Definitely a great one to keep in the freezer. Thanks for sharing!
Kianna says
Silly question but how much is 1 heaping cup of sweet potato when you’re just cutting into rounds and not dicing? Want to make these this weekend!
~130 grams or 1 cup + an extra slice!
Selma says
Hi! I love the recipe, but I have a serious taste aversion against sweet potatoes. Is there anything I could swap them with? Thanks!
Hmm, we wonder if maybe butternut squash would work? We haven’t tried it though. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Selma says
I was thinking of cooked normal potatoes maybe? Unfortunately, I don´t like butternut squash either… anything orange, starchy, and sweet at the same time :D I know what a shame! Such versatile vegetables.
That might work! Let us know if you try it!
bethany says
delicious!!! made it twice now:)
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for sharing, Bethany!
Sue Ranford says
Very tasty. Had them for dinner last night. I added a diced onion and clove of garlic fried until golden and soft. I also had some Mexican chilli powders I used. Gave the patties a nice tex mex taste. Yum!
Love the modifications! Thanks for sharing, Sue!
Amanda says
Very very tasty! They took more time to make than my average night’s dinner, however, I froze some and one recipe fed me 5 times (recipe made 5 burgers for me) so overall, definitely worth it. Have eaten these over a bed of lettuce, in an English muffin, and in your spelt roll recipe topped with fried onions, avocado, etc.. Will do a double batch next time to freeze even more.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Amanda! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ayushi says
Instead of quinoa, what can I use?
Hi Ayushi, we haven’t tried these with other grains, but think rice or millet might work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Sheridanfield@gmail.com says
Love all your recipes, in particular your salads and vegetables burgers.
How can I but back the nut content and still keep the texture of this burger?
Thanks so much! We think you could cut it back, but it would lose some texture, unfortunately!
Megan says
Could I use walnuts in this recipe?
Sure!
Cheryl says
LOVE these burgers. Once the components are cooked/prepped they come together so nicely. They are tasty and satisfying. This has become a foundational recipe in our house. I’ve subbed walnuts for pecans, pintos for black beans, and any kind of mushroom on hand. They always work out great. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Cheryl! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Kim says
Can I leave out the mushrooms or substitute them with something else?
Hi Kim, Caramelized onions might be a good substitute, or even raw grated beets!
Anna says
Hi
Can I use dry black beans in the place of canned black beans, and if so what should I do? Tinned black beans are in short supply around us at the moment!
Thanks
Anna
Hi Anna, 1 can yields approximately 1 1/2 cups cooked beans. Here’s our recipe for cooking dry black beans. Or try our instant pot black beans for a quicker way if you have one! Hope that helps!
Myra says
Hello , I am excited to try this recipe out it is going to be my 1st time making veggie burgers and this looks like a delicious recipe. The only mushrooms I currently have or baby Bella mushrooms will they work?
They should!
ellie says
Brilliant veggie burgers!! I used carrot instead of sweet potato just because that’s what we had in, ketchup works instead of bbq sauce and i added crushed crackers instead of pecans as i’m not the biggest fan of them. Great recipe and i definitely recommend :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Ellie! Thanks for sharing your modifications!
ellie says
Brilliant veggie burgers!! I used carrot instead of sweet potato just because that’s what i had in, ketchup works instead of the bbq sauce and i left out the pecans because i’m not the biggest fan of them. Great recipe definitely recommend :)
Thanks for sharing, Ellie!
Natali says
can I substitute the pecans with any other nuts?
Sure! Walnuts or sunflower seeds maybe?
Kiki says
Hi Natalie! I am wondering the same — did you try anything different that worked well for you?
Luisa O says
Subbed walnuts for the pecans, food processor wasn’t big enough so pulsed the pecans and black beans then combined everything with a potato masher. Delicious recipe and I’m usually a meat eater!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Luisa!
Layan says
Yes!! I’ve been looking for a good veggie burger for a while! This burger isn’t dry, and i think the trick to dry the beans first helped it stay together. I didn’t add bbq sauce just because i dont like that. I like the use of quinoa instead of rice or oats because i found those to dry veggies burgers out. Personally, i didn’t enjoy the pecans the first time i made them, but the second time i chopped them more finely and they did add a nice nutty flavour but most importantly, they helped the burger stay togher more. I made this without the nuts a third time, and it was still great and i added about a tablespoon of chickpea flour to bring it together (i think i jsut used too much sweet potato that time).
I definitely recommend this recipe! Not only does it taste good, you can use it as a base recipe for any additions you want to have.
Sadie G says
Best black bean burgers ever!! Have made these for my family twice now and they get better every time. This time, paired them with homemade brioche buns, YUM. 10/10 recommend. Leftovers freeze very well!
Spring says
Delicious and filling! They held up well on the grill!
Jane says
This recipe takes a bit of time, but it is 100% worth it. The recipe makes my absolute favourite veggie burgers. I often swap the sweet potatoes for parsnips, which are more likely to be grown locally where I live. I think I like the parsnips even better than the sweet potatoes.
So lovely! Thanks for sharing, Jane!
Cynthia Deal says
I made this recipe and loved it. I’d like to make it again, but I only have 3 oz mushrooms. Can I substitute zucchini, or is it too watery?
That might work if you sauté it first to remove most of the water? But we haven’t tried it and can’t say for sure. Let us know if you give it a try!
Levely says
I made this and it was soooooo good!!! One of the best I’ve ever eaten. Only problem was it was falling apart? Any suggestions on how to make them bind.
Mix a bit more (the quinoa and beans) and add a date or two when blending (to help bind). You can also try adding more BBQ sauce if they appear crumbly.
Elizabeth Cancade says
Just made a double batch for freezing. The mixture tastes great – haven’t pattied it yet. Do you suggest par-baking or anything before freezing or just freeze them uncooked?
Hi Elizbeth, we recommend freezing prior to frying, and then when ready to use, bake them to thaw, followed by frying. Hope this helps!
Nadine says
Wow! You do get a lot of comments! But I also wanted to tell you that this recipe is delicous and I keep craving it and wanting more. I also love your pics and the way you write the instructions. You are amazing! Thank you!
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Nadine! xo
Natalia says
Is this 1 cup cooked quinoa or 1 cup dry quinoa that we then boil? Or cooked, how much dry makes a cup cooked?
Hi Natalia, 1 cup cooked. That would be about 1/3 cup uncooked. Hope that helps!
Natalia says
Thank you! It helps a lot.
Hannah says
Yum! These burgers are perfect, the combination of ingredients makes them so tasty. Once I cooked the recipe once I flew through it each time after, so simple.
Kate says
These burgers were so good I will never buy frozen or store bought black bean burgers ever again!
I didn’t have any issues with the burger not sticking together – we ended up not using mushrooms and left the pre made patties in the fridge for 24 hours so idk if that made a difference. Definitely my new favorite go to.
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kate. 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
Bethany Renner says
This is a delicious recipe! To keep the burger together better I add 1-2 flax eggs per recipe, this really helps!! Freezes well for a last minute meal.
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification, Bethany. We are so glad you enjoy 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
Hermann Wilhelm says
I have made these twice. Everybody enjoyed them…they want more!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Hermann. We are so glad you everyone 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
Paula James says
I made these twice and they are delicious–I am very picky and these burgers hit the spot. Thx for a great burger
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Paula! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lauren says
Looks great! How many calories are in this?
That information can be found at the bottom of the recipe box!
Jude says
Been wanting to try this recipe for ages but didnt have the right ingredients so I subbed rice for quinoa, walnuts for pecans, soy sauce for coconut aminos and ommited the salt. They were still absolutely delicious! My husband has only just started eating a plant based diet so any recipe that gets his approval is staying! The 2 1/2 tsp chili powder did make for a fiery burger but we really enjoyed it!
I made them up the night before, cooked them for lunch the following day and they were great. Nice to know I can pre prep for bbqs or quick meals. Perfect ?
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jude! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Elena Abbruzzi says
Can you use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos?
Yep! Just use a little less b/c it’s saltier than coconut aminos.
Anna says
The first time i’ve cooked it as written, but the amount of chili made it inedible (maybe I have some kind of extra spicy one), the second time with reduced chili it was amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hillary says
Everything was amazing! We don’t usually have pecans on hand so I just use whatever nut we have so I’ve used almonds and cashews, still turned out amazing! We have also made a bunch and instead of cooking them right away froze them and they were still amazing when we ate them later, just fried and cooked as the reciepe indicates. They are so delicious and definitely added to the weekly meal plans!
So glad to hear you enjoy this recipe, Hillary! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Carina says
Just made these for our family dinner and I did not expect them to taste this delicious. Omg! It was hard not eating the batter alone. The bbq sauce just takes it to the next level. These will be my new veggie burger staple recipe.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Carina. 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
Marni says
I love these. Made four but only served two. Can the burgers be frozen before cooked?
Thank you!
Yes! We recommend freezing prior to frying, and then when ready to use, bake them to thaw, followed by frying. Hope this helps!
Kay M. says
This was an awesome recipe! I added 1/2 quinoa and 1/2 brown rice. I omitted the salt, as I’m watching my sodium intake, and didn’t miss it! The texture was amazing! I kept some pieces of the beans and nuts intact, which allowed the burger to have some nice crunchiness throughout. I was pleasantly surprised by how firm the patty was without being dry. Baking the black beans was a genius move! I thought the recipe called for too much of the cumin and the chili powder, but I was wrong – the seasoning along with the BBQ sauce added so much flavor. Thank you for a tremendous recipe! I look forward to trying your other veggie burger recipes soon.
Thanks for sharing! I borrowed the baking beans step from a friend! Genius, I agree!
Caitlin says
Any subs for the pecans? Avoiding nuts…
We haven’t tried it without nuts, but think oats could potentially work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Karen says
We have nut allergies, so I’m wondering if I substitute with oats, would I cook them first, or bake them with the black beans, like you would do with the pecans?
Hi Karen, no need to cook the oats. Hope that helps!
Amy says
Looking for a nut substitute that’s isn’t oats. ( Multi sensitivity family.)
How about a seed meal? Such as sunflower or hemp. Or a gluten-free flour or GF breadcrumbs.
Sarah says
My beef loving husband loved these as well as the rest of the family. I love all of your recipes. They are no-fail and taste delicious!
Mari says
Hi Dana,
I have your cookbook, and I noticed that several of your burger recipes include quinoa. However, quinoa doesn’t sit well with my stomach. Can I substitute another grain successfully with this or other quinoa included recipes on your site or in your cookbook? Thanks!
Hi Mari, we haven’t tried these or the cookbook recipes with other grains, but think rice or millet might work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes! Hope that helps!
Alan says
Hi there, love the recipes. Just a quick question regarding the nutritional info as I am into my fitness and bodybuilding. I was thinking 289 calories seems a little low with the listed macronutrients of 19g fat, 46g carb and 12g protein. Using these macros, the calorie count comes to 403. There is perhaps something I don’t know regarding nutrition. Any help on this? Thank you :)
Hi Alan! We use caloriecount.com to figure out our nutritional info.
Alan says
Thanks for the reply but that is an article about calorie counting and I’m not sure if you understood my original comment. For this recipe, the macronutrients don’t add up to the calories. So either the calories or the macros are wrong. It’s not a huge deal because I track them myself but I do use them as a guideline as to what the ratios for your recipes are. I know I’m probably in the small minority of readers who care about this stuff but, as the article you linked states, it is important to look at the nutritional info of the food you are eating.
Jane says
I would probably find me a recipe that was more suited to my micro needs. She does these recipes for whoever wants to try them, those who are concerned about certain ingredients and nutritional information should probably just find a more suitable recipe. #justsaying
Lindsey says
Just made this tonight and substituted the barbecue sauce with bulgogi sauce and swapped the spices for ginger and garlic. Served it with kimchi as well. It was delicious! One of the best veggie burgers we’ve had! Thanks for the great recipe.
Cyd says
Loads of comments already here, but I made this last night and have to say: THESE ARE DELICIOUS! Make some right away!
DiscoOwl says
Superb! My favorite part is that it doesn’t fall apart like 100 other veggie burger recipes i’ve tried. Flavors are fantastic. I will definitely be making this again as my go-to veggie burger. My one and only complaint is the amount of time involved — it literally took up my whole evening to make this. But it was well worth it. I’m happy I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Cyd says
Yes, yes, yes to your comments that they do not fall apart and have great flavor! I cooked the potatoes (steamed chunks) and rice (used some in other dishes) a couple of days ago, so these came together pretty quickly. I can imagine doing all the steps in one evening took your whole night!
Kaitlyn says
HI! I’m a adoring fan of your work :)
Would it effect the outcome too much to roast the sweet potato slices with and/or after the black beans and pecans? why not since the oven is already hot and the pan dirty? i love to avoid using another dish if at all possible..heheh..
Oh, that should work! As long as they get tender.
Lauren says
Do you think a cast iron pan is important? It looks like it gives a good sear to the veggies that I don’t get in my metal pan.
Yeah, I love my cast iron! Not essential, but recommended.
Katie says
SO GOOD! I topped mine with sautéed mushrooms (leftover from the burgers), mashed avocado, and pickled red onions.
My meat-eating boyfriend said the texture was the “meatiest” out of all of the veggie burgers I’ve ever made. We like thinner burgers so we ended up getting 8 out of the recipe & paired it with sweet potato fries.
That sounds delicious, Katie!
Janine says
Delicious! I didn’t have exact ingredients so subbed cooked brown rice for quinoa and added a little curry powder. So yummy! Thanks.
John says
What is the best way to reheat these from a frozen state? I’d like to make a bulk amount and store them in the freezer, and heat one up for something quick and healthy to eat. Thanks and cheers!!
See comments above!
Emma says
This was really tasty. I added in smoked paprika too to add to the bbq flavour because it’s my fav.
My burgers fell apart tho, they were squishy. My mix made 6 so I dunno if maybe I used too much veg? My quinoa was a little damp too. I’ll be interested to try again rectifying the above & see if they stay in 1 piece.
Hi Emma! Did you blend them long enough? Perhaps they just needed a few more pulses in the food processor.
Emma Porter says
Maybe ? I didn’t want to puree it tho. I think my quinoa was too wet.
Solène Buffet says
Thanks you so much for this receipe ! These parties are so delicious! I am a slow cook so it did take me quite a while to make them but so worth it! I usually do not like store brought “burgers” here is France and making your receipe was the best decision ever ! They are so good ! Thank you!
We are glad you enjoyed them, Solène!
Jennifer says
A friend recently recommended your website. This is the first recipe I’ve made, and I absolutely loved it! The flavour and texture were perfect. This will definitely make it into our meal rotation. Thank you so much!! xo
Yay! Welcome to the site, Jennifer – we are glad you enjoyed this recipe :D
Marie says
Can’t thank you enough, Dana!! These burgers were sooooooo delicious!! Going to make another batch and put them in the freezer for one of those nights when I don’t feel like cooking.
Question – once thawed, would you reheat on the stovetop or in the oven?
Thanks so much, again!
Yes, you could do that!
Marie says
Thanks again! ?????
Liz says
I made this – they were delicious, a little more time consuming than other vegan burgers I’ve made but the taste and texture is worth it! Don’t even hesitate to invest your time in them, just do it!
Lisa Marie Ware says
I made six batches of this recipe and for my daughter’s first birthday barbecue. It was a crowd pleaser! My sister asked if they could take some home. Ha! Thanks for yet again another delicious recipe.
I send people to your website often when they need recipe inspiration!
Andrea says
What can be used in place of quinoa? Bulger maybe?
Bulgur might work! Or cooked rice, amaranth, or millet? If you try it out, let us know how it goes!
Gabi says
Just finished making these! Haven’t tasted yet (lol) but they look awesome. I don’t have a food processor so I used my blender… if using a blender, I recommend blending beans + pecans/sweet potatoes + mushrooms and putting them in a separate bowl and then combinging together. It will help avoid the beans and pecans from becoming a purée while the potatoes stay whole. Thanks for the recipe!
Sue S says
Great recipe. Wonderful flavor. Made a double batch a few weeks ago for vegan family who LOVED them. Also a huge hit with the non vegans!
There are quite a few steps and it seemed to take me longer than I usually like to spend cooking a meal. So about to repeat for tomorrow so I’m pre cooking quinoa, drying beans and cooking sweet potatoes and mushrooms a day ahead as I’m serving left overs tonight! Hoping that splitting across two nights will make it seem less burdensome.
Sara Meyers says
These were excellent! Loved the flavor and consistency. Made a double batch and was able to get 10 burgers out of it. Does require several steps but so worth it. Unlike many other veggie burgers I’ve tried I had no issue with them falling apart. I really think getting those beans super dry is the reason — so smart! So we made 2 as directed and I’ve now frozen 8 pre frying/baking. I’m serving them on Friday at my bday BBQ dinner. I’ve read all the comments and still a bit confused as to the best strategy for cooking them out of the freezer — if it’s bake for 10 min then fry, for 8-10 min when does the BBQ sauce on top make an appearance. Thanks so much! Can’t wait to serve to my omni friends, along with your macaroni salad. :-)
Abigail says
Last night I made this for me and my partner. We subbed extra black beans because he doesn’t like quinoa. I didn’t have any vegan bbq sauce, so I just used the Hunts or whatever it was in my fridge. The burgers were a perfect consistency after briefly frying in a pan and then baking. We had them on potato rolls with tomato, onion, cheese, and pickles. My predominately carnivorous partner said he would totally eat them again. Good amount of prep work and dishes involved, but a fun date night in.
Yay! We are glad you enjoyed these burgers, Abigail! If you could leave a rating, that would be super helpful for us!
O.W. says
I have made these before exactly as recipe says, and they’re delicious, thank you!
I would like to make a double recipe and freeze some. Do you suggest freezing before or after baking? Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed them! Check the comments above for tips!