Favorite Veggie Burgers

Truly the best veggie burger recipe! These veggie burgers are absolutely delicious and easy to make. Gluten-free, vegan and nut free.

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best veggie burger recipe

Have you met my favorite veggie burgers? If not, it’s about time! I have high standards for veggie burgers, and these put all the rest to shame. I have a feeling they’ll become your favorite veggie burgers, too.

These veggie burgers are hearty and satisfying, and feature an irresistible combination of flavors. They start with a base of quinoa, black beans and oats. Then we amp up the volume with sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, and some carefully chosen seasonings. They’re a little sweet and a little spicy, in the best of ways.

veggie burger ingredients

You may recognize this recipe as the “Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Burgers” that have been hidden in the archives for quite some time. There’s a chance you’ve enjoyed these burgers in my cookbook, Love Real Food, sandwiched between buns with a crisp lime-cilantro cabbage slaw and guacamole (page 177).

Or maybe you’re seeing these burgers for the first time right now! If so, I’ll share why this veggie burger recipe is my favorite:

  1. These burgers are absolutely delicious. In fact, these are the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had. They’re better than any restaurant’s, and far better than store-bought frozen veggie burgers.
  2. These burgers retain their shape before, during and after cooking. Many veggie burgers are a chore to make or to eat, but these are totally fuss-free.
  3. You can cook these burgers in the oven, on the stove, or yes, even on the grill. They also freeze well, so you can make a full batch and enjoy them over time.
  4. These veggie burgers are perfect for serving to friends who follow special diets. These burgers are vegetarian, of course. They’re also conveniently vegan, gluten free, nut free, egg free and soy free.

Watch How to Make Veggie Burgers

mashing veggie burgers

Veggie Burger Cooking Options

You have three cooking options for these veggie burgers, and we’ll start with my favorite one.

1) Oven-Baked

I love baking these veggie burgers in the oven. It’s the easiest way to cook a bunch at once, and they turn out beautifully cooked through and golden on each side.

2) Grilled

These burgers grill well, too! I’ve successfully grilled them on the grates without the burgers falling apart. (If you do run into any trouble, just chill the burgers for a bit before trying again.)

3) Stovetop

Lastly, you can cook these veggie burgers in a skillet on the stovetop. The stovetop isn’t my favorite method because it requires more babysitting than the oven, but it’s totally doable. These burgers are extra moist inside. Check the recipe notes for details.

how to make veggie burgers

Veggie Burger Ingredients

These veggie burgers are made with easy-to-find, healthy ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Sweet potatoes: For the best results, weigh your sweet potatoes at the store to ensure you’re starting with the right amount. Ideally, choose smaller sweet potatoes because they’ll cook a little quicker. We’re going to slice them down the middle and roast them until tender.
  • Quinoa: We’ll start with raw (uncooked) quinoa, and you’ll find instructions on how to cook it within the recipe. Or, if you happen to have 1 1/2 cups leftover cooked quinoa, you can use that instead. Millet will work in place of quinoa, too (check the recipe notes for details).
  • Black beans: Canned or home-cooked will work, as long as they are rinsed and well-drained. Though I have’t tried, I bet you could substitute an equal amount of pinto beans, chickpeas or white beans in a pinch.
  • Red onion, cilantro, and garlic: If you’re sensitive to any of these flavors, don’t worry, they mellow during cooking and produce a delicious end result.
  • Spices: Adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo) or smoked paprika lend some smoky grilled flavor. We’ll also add cumin, chili powder, and salt.
  • Quick-cooking oats: Oats absorb excess moisture and offer a dose of whole grains. You can also use old-fashioned oats, pulsed briefly in a food processor or blender to break them up.

burger assembly

Veggie Burger Serving Suggestions

Burger Accompaniments

Serve these burgers as, well, burgers! Find some great buns, or use butter lettuce leaves for a low-carb, gluten free options. Add any of the following:

  • Ripe, juicy sliced tomato
  • Crisp lettuce or fresh sprouts
  • Pickles
  • Sliced cheese
  • Onion, very thinly sliced
  • Avocado or guacamole
  • Ketchup and mustard
  • Maybe even fried eggs

Side Dish Suggestions

These burgers would go nicely with my Simple Healthy Slaw or Gaby’s Cucumber Salad.

You could make extra quinoa while you’re at it (you’ll need a total of 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa for the burgers), and make my Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Quinoa Salad or Favorite Quinoa Salad.

Ideas for Leftovers

Keep these burgers on hand for quick, healthy meals. Leftover cooked patties store well in the freezer for several months.

Warm one up and serve it with a simple green salad, or a quesadilla, or any hodge-podge of ingredients you may have. However you serve them, these burgers will add some additional veggies, fiber and protein to your meal.

baked veggie burgers

Please let me know how your veggie burgers turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

veggie burgers overhead

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Favorite Veggie Burgers

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 burger patties
  • Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 516 reviews

Print

These sweet and spicy veggie burgers are both vegan and gluten free. You can bake them, grill them, or cook them on the stovetop! For best results when choosing the grill or stovetop method, prepare the burger mixture in advance and let it chill in the refrigerator (you can let it chill overnight or longer if you’d like). Recipe yields 8 patties.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (2 medium or 3 small)
  • ½ cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans)
  • ½ cup chopped red onion (about ½ small red onion)
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce* or 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cups quick-cooking oats** (use certified gluten-free oats if necessary)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing (or avocado oil, if using stovetop method)
  • 8 whole wheat hamburger buns (optional)
  • Your favorite burger fixings: Avocado or guacamole, tomato, onion, lettuce, pickles, cheese, sprouts, ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, fried eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
  2. Roast the sweet potatoes: Slice the sweet potatoes down the center lengthwise. Place the sweet potatoes, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until they yield to a gentle squeeze, 30 to 40 minutes or longer. Set aside for now. (If you’ll be baking the burgers, reserve the parchment-lined pan and leave the oven on.)
  3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, 11 to 14 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 10 minutes.
  4. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin (it should pull off easily) and roughly chop the insides. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the cooled sweet potatoes and quinoa, black beans, onion, cilantro, garlic, adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Use a potato masher, pastry cutter, large spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer to mix really well. It’s ok if the black beans get smashed in the process.
  5. Sprinkle the oats over the mixture and mix well with a large spoon until the mixture holds together when you shape a portion into a patty. If you won’t be making the burgers immediately, cover the mixture and refrigerate for later.
  6. When you’re ready to cook, shape the burgers: Use a measuring cup to measure out ½ cup of the mixture. Gently shape it into a patty about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter. Use your hands to gently flatten the burgers and smooth out any jagged edges. Repeat the process for each patty; you should end up with 8.
  7. If you’re baking the burgers (see recipe notes for alternate options), brush both sides of each patty generously with olive oil and place them on the lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches of space around each one. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the patties are deeply golden on the outside, about 35 minutes, flipping halfway.
  8. Serve burgers as desired. Leftover burgers keep well, refrigerated, for 4 days. Or, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months (thaw in the microwave for about 1 minute or in a 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until warmed all the way through).

Notes

Recipe adapted from the Cafe Flora Cookbook. Cafe Flora is a wonderful vegetarian restaurant in Seattle with an ever-changing seasonal menu—check it out if you’re nearby.

*Adobo sauce note: Buy canned or jarred chipotle peppers in adobo and use the sauce. You’ll usually find this ingredient in the international or Hispanic aisle of the grocery store. You can transfer leftover peppers and their sauce to a freezer bag, squeeze out any remaining air, and freeze for later use.

**Oats note: You can use old-fashioned oats instead, if you briefly blend them in a food processor or blender until broken into smaller pieces (not as fine as flour).

Stovetop cooking method: Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other high heat oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, place several burgers in the pan, leaving enough room to flip them. Cook each patty until browned and heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet for each pan of burgers you fry, and dial down the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Grilling method: Ideally, let the mixture chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before shaping the burgers and grilling. No need to coat the burgers in oil, which might burn on the grill. Shape the burgers as instructed in step 6, and cook on a grill over medium heat, turning once the undersides have turned golden and developed some grill marks. Repeat on the other side.

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free oats and choose your accompaniments carefully. As an alternative to buns, try butter lettuce leaves!

Prepare in advance: Prepare the burger mixture and let it chill in the refrigerator (you can let it chill overnight or up to a couple of days if you’d like). Then assemble the burgers and cook as directed.

Serving suggestions: These veggie burgers don’t have to be served as traditional burgers. The patties are good on their own with toppings like guacamole and pico de gallo, or in a salad with Southwestern flavors. Try serving them with corn on the cob in the summer.

Recipe notes 8/18/20: The original version of this recipe called for ⅓ cup millet cooked with 1 cup water (yielding 1 cup cooked millet) and 1 cup old-fashioned oats, lightly ground in a food processor or blender until the flakes are broken up, but not as fine as flour.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Makenzie Ann

    I can barely even handle how good these look. YUm.

  2. Amy Jo

    Seriously? This looks like a little slice of paradise. So satisfying and yummy.

  3. Nik@ABrownTable

    That is a fantastic story. I’ve been considering becoming a donor since a friend of mine with CML benefited from a transplant several years ago. Your burger sounds delicious!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Nik. I’m glad your friend’s health has improved. I hope you’ll join the registry! I just read that there is only a 1 in 500 chance that you would actually be chosen as a donor, but it’s nice to know that you’re there in case someone needs you.

  4. Laura

    So much to love about this post, Kathryne. Obviously your generosity and kindness isn’t surprising to me at all, but the part about how Bill has taken on your tendencies towards food is crazy! Science! So amazing.

    I still haven’t tried a veggie burger with oats. It’s time! These look unreal.

  5. Irene @ {a swoonful

    I’m so inspired! You make vegetarian, wholesome food look so vibrant and appealing on so many different levels!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Irene!

  6. Jacqui

    Loved reading your story. That is totally wild, but so cool too! And I love a good veggie burger that doesn’t fall apart!

  7. Gemma @andgeesaid

    That is such an inspirational story about Bill. I think you’re amazing for doing that, and I can’t believe how it’s affected him! :) :) :) Really made me smile :) xxx

  8. Laurie Whaley

    This veggie burger looks & sounds yummy! I am going to try making some & freeze them also. I’ve been a vegetarian about 5 months now, eventually becoming vegan hopefully. I need to learn to cook vegetarian meals, the Morning Star veggie products are good but, I need more variety. Love their veggie bacon! I’m going to buy the cookbook you mentioned & I’m going to look into donating stem cells too. Kudos for helping Bill! It’s amazing he’s developed allergies like you & has acquired a taste for spicy foods like you. The world needs more people like you! This story touches my soul. I needed a lift. :)Thank you for sharing! God Bless You

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Laurie. I hope you love these burgers! I think they are worth the effort.

  9. Heather/snacktive

    So cool! I’ve never heard a story like that before. If you ever do go to Seattle, you’ll have to come to Portland too!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Heather. I’ve always wanted to visit Portland! Someday I’ll make it there.

  10. Kelly

    Your story & Bill’s comment inspired me to sign up as a donor – my registration kit is now on its way! I love your blog, thanks for all of your fabulous recipes!!

    1. Kate

      Kelly, thank you for joining the registry! That means so much to me and Bill, too.

  11. Sylvie @ GitK

    How funny that he inherited your tastes in food too!

  12. Katie

    That is such a touching and inspiring story, Kate.

    On another note, I cannot wait to try these burgers this weekend. Perfect addition to an outdoor meal.

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Katie. Please let me know how the burgers turn out for you!

  13. Sophie

    Such an amazing story, Kate! I LOVE and chuckle about how Bill has aquired some of your allergies and preferences — the Thai/spicy-food love aquisition is especially wonderful :) Thank you for sharing with us! I would love to get registered to donate.

    These look so delicious and simple, what a gret combination of flavors and nutrition. I can’t wait to show them off at a Memorial Day cookout coming up! I’ll let you know how they work on the grill :)

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Sophie! Please do let me know how they turn out on the grill. I definitely recommend chilling the patties first for best results.

  14. Bill Harper

    I have to say something about this whole concept of getting new taste preferences from your stem cell donor. As soon as I learned about Kathryne’s affinity for spicy food, I mentioned it to my doctors and asked if my own new obsession with spicy food came from her. Because the timing of this lined up so perfectly with the time I got my transplant, I was convinced it had. But although my doctors thought it was pretty cool, they said they had never heard of that happening and so it was purely coincidental. So apparently it’s not a normal thing that happens, but despite that I know it happened for me and I’m so happy it did!

    They This whole getting your stem cell donor’s taste preferences thing

    1. A

      Hi Bill,

      There are a few other anecdotal stories out there about recipients inheriting food preferences from their donors. I don’t remember all of them but one about watermelons sticks out in my mind (the recipient HATED them until the transplant and started getting cravings for them after). It might be a coincidence but isn’t it nice to think our stem cells carry a little of our personality? I’m sending good thoughts your way for continued healing!! I hope you and Kate get to meet one day!

    2. David

      Acquired Affinity Transfer is not so strange, just not predictable. I also worked with a guy that hated tomatoes all his life, except cooked in sauces, etc.
      He’s this older stodgy white dude, and he got a kidney transplant, happened to be from some “dead black lady” (not that he cared about her color or was racist, just how he identified her…)
      About two weeks later, he wants, he CRAVES *something* tomato-y, can’t pin it down. Finally eventually has some raw tomato on a salad, and BINGO! Hits the spot. Snarfs down raw tomatoes after that.
      About six months later he contacts the donor lady’s family and asks about her affinity for tomatoes, and they laughed and told him that yeah, she really had a thing for tomatoes–fried green, picked off the vine, cherry to roma to beefsteak, didn’t matter. They asked “Why?” and he told them, and they all had a laugh and a good joyful cry too, because here’s their dead relative, still living on and expressing herself in some odd way in this guy.
      Like I said, it happens FAR too much for coincidence, just not enough to be worth a funded study. Hence, no science behind it.
      But it definitely happens!

      1. Kate

        That is a funny story. Glad we’re not crazy for thinking the food preference could have come from me! I’ve loved spicy food my whole life, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some sort of genetic component to it.

  15. Alaina!

    These sound incredible! And they’re beautiful

  16. krystal

    I made these for dinner with the hopes of freezing the leftovers. First off, AMAZING flavor. I only had one slight problem …. somehow I left out the oats!!! I think I read the recipe as I was adding stuff to the bowl and thought “eh, that uses the food processor so I’ll do that last” and then, like, just didn’t. Well, if we left them in the pan long enough they held up enough to get tossed onto a bun. They were a little soft, understandably, but yummy.

    Will make again …. correctly!!

    Thanks for the great recipe. I am always happy to try new grain/veg combinations in patty form!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Krystal! Glad the burgers turned out well even without the oats!

    2. Ita

      My son is allergic to oats (and also all the gluten-containing grains – wheat, spelt, rye, barley). I was wondering if there was some substitute for the oats that might work in this recipe?
      But then I came across this comment, and wonder if perhaps I could just leave the oats out altogether? Or maybe add some cornmeal?

      As an aside, I love the stem cell donation story here! I have heard of people inheriting food allergies from their donors as well.

      1. Kate

        Ita, I bet you could leave out the oats, but I bet adding cornmeal or something else that is absorbent like oats might work better. This recipe has been pretty amenable to others’ substitutions. Hope they turn out great!

        1. Ita

          Thank you! I made them and they were delicious! Sadly, not all my children were fans, but the oldest three and youngest one in our family ate them happily!

          I used cornmeal instead of oats (2/3 c, I was afraid to use more). The burgers were very soft before I put them in the frying pan, and I was sure they would fall apart, but they held together beautifully!

          And I felt so happy to offer this nutritious component of the meal (even if not everyone ate it!)

          Thanks again for your help!

          1. Kate

            Thank you, Ita! I’m so glad the burgers turned out well with your substitutions. Thanks for letting me know!

  17. Bridget

    You had me at sweet potato! And what an amazing story. It’s almost unbelievable that we can save strangers’ lives today with a registry and technological developments. You’re incredibly brave and generous!

  18. FHurley

    I just made these tonight and used quinoa instead of millet (didn’t have any on hand) and only had 1 sweet potato, which was less than a pound and they turned out great! And no, they didn’t fall apart, which is the trick to a good veggie burger! I did find them quite spicy, I like spice, but one might try just 1/4 tsp of cayenne to start with.

    Thanks for another great recipe!

    1. Kate

      Thank you for commenting! I’m so glad the burgers turned out well for you.

  19. Liren

    Katherine, what an incredible bond – to know that your lives are uniquely intertwined – such an incredible gift, for both of you! It is so heartwarming to know that a friendship has developed.

    I am always on the hunt for a good veggie burger (the spicier the better!), this looks just right!

  20. SCTx

    Incredible. 10 out of 10 is a very hard match to find. Very hard. Just takes one person, but very rare to find that lineup. Congratulations to both of you for being united in that way and this story of amazing success.

    1. Kate

      Thank you!

  21. Damn Delicious

    What an amazing post. And these burgers – YES PLEASE!

  22. Georgia

    These look incredible!!! I am always on the search for good veggie burgers that are not made in some factory somewhere – and as I love black beans this seem a winner.

  23. Jamie

    What an incredible story and of course the veggie burgers look amazing! I make a black bean burger that I cook on the grill. The key is to freeze it first and rather than cook it directly on the grate of the grill, you put a piece of tin foil on the grill, spray it or rub it with olive oil and then grill the patties on that. It might work with this recipe.

    1. Kate

      Great to know! Thank you for the tips, Jamie.

  24. Anela

    I just joined the registry! Thank you for sharing your story – I just went back and read your before and after posts. Also, I live in Seattle and love Cafe Flora. I’m visiting my (vegan) sister this weekend and maybe we’ll make these!

    1. Kate

      Thank you SO much for joining, Anela! Really glad to hear it.

  25. Gerry @ Foodness Gra

    Great story and what a beautiful veggie burger! Truly making me drool…

  26. Carolyn

    Hey – Thanks for sharing. I just received my stem call transplant in October of 2012. Mine was a cord blood transplant, so I won’t get to meet my donor. They are only three at this point anyway. Bu thanks to the Mom that was willing to share!!!

    1. Kate

      That’s so great, Carolyn. I’m glad you got the stem cells you needed!

  27. The Newlywed Chefs

    We LOVE veggie burgers! The addition of sweet potato is so unique and sounds delicious!

  28. Jamie @ GB&G

    At first I just gawked at your gorgeous photos, then I read your beautiful story and now I’m having a kit sent to me. Kate- you rock in so many ways!

    1. Kate

      Jamie, thank you! That’s wonderful.

  29. Rhonda

    Kate, as usual you never fail to inspire on so many levels with your generous spirit. Delicious recipes, gorgeous photos, and a pure heart. May God bless your life richly. You are one cool lady.

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Rhonda.

  30. Chris Tanburg

    These look delicious! However, it needs more meat to keep climate change under control by stopping methane production!

  31. Allyson

    Thanks to your post, I just signed up to get a kit sent to me. Thank you for the inspiration- and those burgers look amazing.

    1. Kate

      Thank you so much for signing up, Allyson. That means a lot.

  32. Shannon

    What started out as what seemed like a laborious recipe is likely to turn into a labor of love. I made these tonight after being turned off by some high-gluten TVP recipes. It felt like a lot of prep, but the burgers turned out to be worth it and hopefully as this recipe becomes a regular part of my cooking repertoire they won’t feel so tedious to prepare. I used quinoa instead of millet, but otherwise made no alterations. They held together and fried up well in the skillet.

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Shannon! Really glad these burgers were worth the effort.

  33. Holly

    Made these last night for dinner, delicious! Must admit that I halved the recipe, but forgot to halve the spices! It was delicious with double the spices! I would make it that way again for sure. I used toasted sourdough bread rather than burger buns and also cous cous instead of millet (as that’s what I had in the cupboard). Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Holly! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. The more spices the better, if you ask me!

  34. Kasey

    You amaze and inspire me, lady! Reading your post just made my day. I can’t imagine how incredibly grateful Bill is for your gift…and how fun that he now gets to enjoy spicy Thai food as much as you do :)

  35. sara forte

    how amazing are you?!?! pretty freaking amazing. I didn’t even know this was possible, I’m going to go read your links now. You are the good people, my friend. Thanks for sharing this.

  36. N

    These look delicious! Do you think bulgar would work instead of millet? Or quinoa? Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Hi N, I’ve heard that quinoa works well!

  37. Mariyam

    Eating something simuler tonight :)

  38. Sarah Hartley

    I love three things about your post:

    * The recipe itself- YUM! Can’t wait to make it soon… I also am a huge sweet potato fan, and although not strictly vegan/vegetarian, I LOVE this sort of food…
    * The fact there is a restaurant that exists called Cafe Flora! Flora is the name of my sweet horse and I love it!
    * My blog’s name also features Flora! I HAVE to go to this restaurant one day…

  39. Liz

    Wow. Just. Wow. Can I ask you how painful the procedure was? I know it’s a stupid question when the outcome is saving a whole other person’s life, but along with episiotomies & wisdom tooth removal, lumbar punches are something I first heard about when I was very little as part of one of those stories you hear about when episiotomies, wisdom tooth removal and lumbar punches go wrong (not all at the same time). Also, I felt a little faint reading about the blood donation process on Be The Match’s website. Basically, I am a total wuss. I’m working on it though. Last week I touched the left behind, molted skin of a spider.

    1. Kate

      Hey Liz, that’s not a stupid question. I didn’t give bone marrow, which I’ve heard is painful. We used a different process called peripheral blood stem cell donation instead, because the doctors thought it would be more effective for Bill. It’s also less invasive. I had to get a shot for five days in a row, and that medicine made me feel achy because it was stimulating stem cell production in my bones. It really wasn’t that bad, though. Then I got hooked up to an apheresis machine (the same machine they use if you donate plasma) for four hours. Often people have to sit there longer than that, which would be uncomfortable. All in all, though, it wasn’t terribly painful and I’d do it again. If you are super squeamish about blood, it might get to you.

  40. Mark

    This looks delicious! What a great idea. I am always on the hunt for new veggie burger recipes.

  41. Mel

    Hello! I’m really excited about this recipe. I just had an amazing spicy sweet potato + black bean burger while in upstate New York this past weekend, and I’m hoping to recreate it tonight. One thing I thought you might like to know, your website doesn’t display correctly on my iPad (I have the iPad 2).

    1. Mel

      Update: These were delicious!!!

      1. Kate

        Glad to hear it! Thanks, Mel.

  42. Alison Leighton

    Hi Kate

    Do I use Millet Flakes or Millet Grain for the recipe?
    Cant wait to make it. Awesome site!!!!

    1. Kate

      Hi Alison, use millet grain. I’ve heard quinoa works as well.

      1. Alison Leighton

        Great thanks. Will be making them at the weekend :)

  43. Hannah

    Hi! I just wanted to say your post and talking about being a stem cell donor inspired me to register with the bone marrow registry. I just sent in my cheek swabs yesterday! My uncle has acute leukemia and I’ve felt at a loss of what I can do to help somehow. Maybe I can’t help him directly but I hope that by signing up to be a donor I can help someone in need. Thank you for sharing your experience!

    1. Kate

      Hannah, I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner. Thank you very, very much for joining the registry! Best wishes to you and your uncle.

  44. Julia {The Roasted R

    I made these tonight and they were maaaaagnificent! Thanks so much for a healthful, delicious veggie burger!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Julie! :)

  45. Joan

    My son is a 7 year survivor of a stem cell transplant. I know first hand that donors are heroes! Can’t wait to try the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burgers, cheers!!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Joan! I’m so glad your son got the treatment he needed.

  46. Marissa Ponder

    I made this over the weekend and it was great!! I used my mini food processor to mash up the beans and it worked great! I topped it off with Heidi Swanson’s Chile de Arbol sauce from her super natural cookbook (I can’t remember which one thought) and it was a home run! Thanks for sharing.

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Marissa! I’m glad you enjoyed the burgers. I bet they are amazing with Heidi’s chile de Arbol sauce—I will have to give that a try soon!

  47. moniquemorris

    how many black beans what is 1 15oz converted to cups????

    1. Kate

      Hi Monique, 15 ounces is a scant two cups. Sorry for the confusion; I’ve updated the recipe with that detail.

  48. J Moss

    These were pretty good. I used flax meal with water to create the egg substitute to help bind the patties. Also having a wobble thin metal spatula really help in transferring the sticky patties to the pan and for flipping. Other things I added was hot sauce and hot peppers!

    Thanks for the post!

  49. Amanda Johns

    Hi Kate!
    I just donated blood today! I am O+ and I am a runner. I came home to rest and found this recipe to aid my recovery and I am going to cook it up right now! I just know it is going to be delicious! I started running about a year and a half ago because my father in law was undergoing treatments with Leukemia and I needed a way to deal with the stress. As if that is not enough to justify my sincere appreciation and admiration for your heroic act… I also have a nephew who was 5 when he was diagnosed with Leukemia and he just celebrated his 15th birthday a couple days ago! I have run two marathons in this last year for Team In Training and have raised funds to help in the mission of finding a cure and providing patient aid. I have been on the registry for nearly a year now. Thank you so much for sharing this heart-warming story about you and Bill! You’re an angel!!!

    1. Kate

      Hi Amanda! I hope you loved the veggie burgers. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and for being on the registry. I’m so glad your nephew is better! Thanks again!

  50. Susan Winter

    Looking forward to trying this! Do you think they would freeze? Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Susan, yes I think they would!