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.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
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.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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.
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.
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.
Please let me know how your veggie burgers turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Favorite Veggie Burgers
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
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Best veggie burger ever!! Just made a small test patty on my cast iron skillet and it was amazing.
I subbed panko crumbs for oats since I didn’t have any oats laying around and I figured they had similar textures to help hold the burger together. Worked perfectly! Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
I’m excited you loved it, Trisha!
I’ve been buying store bought veggie burgers for years because I thought making them would be a pain, but these were pretty easy! I made the quinoa, black beans, and sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot a couple days prior, and then just assembled and baked them on a weeknight. I got 12 burgers out of them. They freeze great and are so much tastier, cheaper, and less processed than the store bought kind!
I’m glad you thought these were easy and worth the effort! I appreciate your review, Gabrielle.
These are great – so much cheaper and healthier than the store bought stuff I’d been buying! I made the quinoa, sweet potatoes, and black beans (from dry) in my Instant Pot the day before, which made the assembly an easy weeknight meal.
Thanks for sharing, Gabrielle!
These are amazing! Made them for lunch and my husband had 3! We ate them over a bed of lettuce and fresh tomato slices. Sped up the process by microwaving the sweet potatoes instead of roasting.
Thank you for the recipe!!
You’re welcome, Jen!
Would these work flavor-wise without the cilantro? We never like anything I make with cilantro!
You could try adding some parsley for the flavor instead!
I’ve been searching for a healthy nutritious and flavorful veggie burger recipe and now my search is over. This simple recipe frees me from having to buy those highly processed retail products. Thank you for making this wonderful recipe available. Once you’ve made this you’ll never again get your veggie fix at the supermarket.
Could you possibly use a can of yams to substitute the roasted sweet potato? My oven doesn’t work anymore, but i do have a can of yams.
These are the best. Only thing different I do is add 2/3 cup shredded beets for color and I bake them on parchment paper at 375 for 40 minutes. I discovered the long bake time worked well by accident! but find it gives a better texture.
I make a big batch and freeze.
This veggie burger is one of the best I’ve tried :) I combined it with vegan mayo and the result was spectacular! Now I’m thinking to make some burgers for all my loved ones ( who are not vegetarian, but I bet they’ll be thrilled). Looking forward to try other amazing recipes on your site!
Really enjoyed this recipe. I found ot easier to mix with my hands than a potato masher. Am not a vegan but enjoyed for a different meal
These are a staple at our house. I don’t think they’re quite spicy enough so I usually double the spices, and then I triple or even quadruple the recipe, form the burgers and freeze so we always have some on hand. So good!
Delicious, cook them up for lunch over a few days and kept the mix in the fridge. Served them up in buns with hummus, rocket, cashew dressing on the rocket then burger and sweet sesame dressing on top.
That sound delicious, Jackie!
Love these burgers! Usually cook in oven. Are they good for the grill?
I believe some had good luck on the grill! I haven’t tried it yet.
This recipe is AMAZING!! I upped the cilantro for flavor, and boiled the sweet potatoes for convenience. My family loved them! I definitely will make this recipe again and again.It is much tastier than the frozen black bean patties I purchase at the grocery store. I think they’re cheaper to make too!
This was delicious! I added some piri piri sauce and it tastes amazing. The quinoa helps create a nice crunch on the outside of the burger when fried.
These burgers are super good even meat lovers can enjoy them. I baked them in the oven and refrigerate or freeze. Then I pop them in the air fryer when I need a burger. The air fryer which makes them extra yummy. And they are easy to make. I used the chipotle seasoning which I recommend and only 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper so tasty. This recipe is a keeper!
Brilliant recipe. Made this last night…subbed arugula for the cilantra (gotta cilantro hater in the house)…even our 2.5 year old twins loved it!
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Graham.
These look really tasty – and soo healthy!
Okay seriously I wouldn’t normally comment on an online recipe, but this is by far the best veggie burger I’ve ever had and made- They didn’t fall apart for the first time! I’m recently gluten free and stoked on this recipe. I added in four cloves of chopped garlic, one egg replacer equivalent and harissa seasoning. Delicious ;)
Thank you for commenting, Kia! I appreciate it.
I’ve been meaning to comment on these burgers for a long time! Like others, I have made other veggie burgers and this receipe is by far the best ever! I leave out the cilantro because I don’t care for it. I’ve served these as burgers and also without a bun. This Christmas I made them as a main course for my vegetarian son. I plated it with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetarian stuffing, and veggies. It was a very satisfying Christmas dinner! Such a versatile burger, thanks Kate❣️
I’m glad you did comment, Sonia! Thanks for sharing. If you haven’t tried the ones in my cookbook, I think you will like those too!
I recently stumbled upon your website and have been a fan ever since! I tried this recipe because it was burgers without eggs. My family loved the taste, but the texture was soft. I was wondering if the sweet potato was too much. Because your recipe calls for one and half pounds and when I weighed it at grocery store it was five big ones. I did refrigerate the mixture for a few hours before making it. But still came out softer than I expected. And your portion size says eight burgers using half a cup of mixture but mine came to a lot more than that. Again that made me wonder if the sweet potatoes were too much. I have mixed one can of crumbled chickpeas to the leftover mix and I am baking it to see if that helps. Great recipe and I will definitely be making it again.
Every time I try a new recipe of yours (we have MANY regular favorites) I get strong reviews from my family. Today, my 4 yo helped me make these for the first time. My 10 year old said they were “delicious”, my 7yo said they were pretty good (this is truly high praise), my 4 yo said they were “a little spicy but so good”! Finally, my husband asked that these be put into regular rotation and suggested they would be a good taco filling. Thank you for all of your hard work and for creating such wonderful recipes for us to enjoy!
Rave reviews from everyone, Micaela!
I wish I knew Bill I need a transplant too. I wonder where he went for the transplant. I also need jaw surgery.
My husband and I loved this healthy recipe! I baked my burgers initially and they weren’t as firm as I wanted and fell apart a bit while eating. I reheated the leftovers on the stovetop and they were perfect. Also, I preferred having this in a wrap like a falafel vs having as a burger on a bun.
These burgers have great flavor! I decided to bake mine instead of pan fry. I think that they probably stick together better if they are pan fried. Also, my potatoes didn’t mash well. I think next time I will try to boil them instead of bake so they don’t have as much texture to them. My ingredients stayed pretty separated- maybe I overcooked the potatoes. Thanks for the recipe. I will try to modify my method and report back the next time I make them.
Hi, This recipe rocks! So delicious.So much flavor! Thank you!
My goodness, these were PHENOMENAL. I am so pleased that I came across this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!
A.w.e.s.o.m.e with and without pumpkin seeds.
Next time: dried porcini mushrooms gets thrown in the bowl.
Thanks, a keeper.
Made these last night for my husband and 11 year old (picky 11 year old) and they were a total hit. I didn’t include Cayenne, but these had enough of a kick for us the adults without being too spicy for my child. I served them up with a slice of cheese and lettuce, onion, tomato. I had leftovers and just warmed a patty for lunch. LOVE this recipe and will add to my regular rotation as they’re super healthy. ;)
I left out the cilantro because I’m not a huge fan, used smoked hot paprika, and opted out of the cayenne pepper. They were still plenty spicy. I topped them with avocado over a bed of greens and loved them!
These are amazing so I shared the recipe with my brother who then used some of the burger mix for stuffed green peppers! Brilliant!
These have become a staple in our house. We are constantly on the look out for recipes that are Healthy/quick/easy/cheap/delicious. It’s hard to find something that ticks all the boxes but these honestly do!
I’ve been telling everyone about them :-)
Loved it! I tweaked things a bit but all three of us (1 vegan, 1 vegetarian, 1 omni) very much loved it. My tweaks:
-used soybeans instead of black beans (it works just fine – I don’t understand why there are so few recipes with soybeans excluding tofu and soymilk)
-added more salt, a bit of soy sauce and some black pepper
-baked it and served with garlic avocado mayonaise. Overall they were quite mushy, but to be fair I tend to overcook millet (similar to rice) and I didn’t let the mixture sit in the refrigerator, so maybe that’s why.
That said, this recipe fully deserves 5 stars. The combination of the irresistible taste and plant-based nutrition is simply amazing!
My daughter made these and brought me a few to try… These are literally the best burgers I have ever ever had!!! SO FLAVORFUL!!! I am making them and putting some in the freezer!!! I splurged and bought your cookbook recently and I am in love with it!!
Hooray!! Thank you so much, Heidi. :)
Delicious! My first veggie burger and i’ll do it again! Reaallyy tasty. The spices bring a lot of flavours. The texture is perfect.
Thank you!
Amazing! My vegan son said this was the best veggie burger he’s ever had. Thank you
You’re welcome, Sandy!
I made this recipe today and I am completely floored. They were absolutely delicious! This recipe is the first I’ve tried from this site and I plan on making more. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Made them yesterday- so happy! Thanks for sharing this brilliant & straight forward concoction!
What can I use instead of oats?
Hi Moira! I’m sorry, I’ve always used oats in this recipe, so I’m not entirely sure what to suggest. Quick-cooking oats would work, if you have them. Otherwise, you could perhaps use another flour, but I haven’t tried to be sure.
This was really good, however I added more salt and other seasonings than the amount listed. I was worried that the sweet potato would make the burger sweet in the burger as a whole, but I was pleased to find it was a subtle sweetness.
just crushed these for the second time. so satisfying. keep up the good work.
Any suggestions for subbing quick-cook oats? I have steel cut oats only
Hi Maya! The quick oats are important here to hold it together. I don’t believe steel cut would work as they require a lot more to soften and absorb.
These burgers were delicious!!
Loved the taste of these burgers but they were very mushy. When I took a bite, everything squished out the bun. Has anyone else had this problem? Did we not cook long enough?
Hi Taylor, I’m sorry to hear that! Hate it when that happens. It sounds to me like your burgers needed to be cooked a bit longer. Did you weigh your sweet potatoes to ensure they came to about 1 ½ pounds? If you used any extra, that could also make your burgers too moist.
So delicious! I baked and froze them, and then I reheat them as needed in the oven. I love to crumble them after I warm them up and put them in tacos and on top of salads! Thanks for this awesome recipe.
Thanks for the recipe and touching story. Love them, but I don’t make them as spicy, substituting paprika and black pepper for the chipotle and cayenne. I halve the chili powder, but add a little liquid smoke. I used to like spicy food until my chemo and radiation, then my tastes changed.
Delicious! Held together beautifully.
Can we cook the burgers on the barbecue?
Hi Claire! II’m not sure how well they would hold up on an outdoor grill, though, since I’ve only tried panfrying them.
Loved everything about these veggie burgers! Only issue I had,was how to keep them together during the cooking process. If any tips on how I can do this,it would be so appreciated?!??
Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t have a great experience with these, Angela. Did you let them chill at all before assembling?
Unfortunately I didn’t . I thought I had time to, but needed to get dinner on the table. I do have leftovers that I’ve refrigerated and will attempt to make some for lunch. EVERYTHING about this recipe I love! I just wanted some advice on how to firm up or bind the mixture better.
YUM! This was my first time making veggie burgers with sweet potato and we were huge fans! Such great flavour. They did fall apart a bit, as veggie burgers do, so next time I may add a flax egg. Other than that, the only thing I did differently was added extra cayenne for a little more heat.
Thanks for another great recipe—they never disappoint!