Recipe

The Black Bean Veggie Burger You Won't Want To Set Down

By Angela Kerndl at University of Illinois

As boring beef burgers are on their way out of style, I've become more interested in other options, like veggie burgers. I stumbled upon a veggie burger recipe that interested me as sweet potatoes are one of the main ingredients. While sweet potatoes might sound like a strange thing to add to a veggie burger, I assure you, you will not regret it.

These spicy black bean and sweet potato burgers are beyond simple to make, and will allow for plenty of tasty leftovers throughout the week, which is perfect for a hectic schedule.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup oats
  • 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
  • 1 15.5 oz. can black beans
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 small yellow onion chopped
  • 1/3 cup quinoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 8 hamburger buns

Angela Kerndl

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut each sweet potato lengthwise and then again in half. Cut into smaller pieces to allow them to cook faster. Place the sweet potatoes in the oven for about 35 minutes. Take the potatoes out of the oven and remove the peels (this should be easy to do). Chop the sweet potatoes into small pieces and set aside to cool.

Angela Kerndl

Step 2

Cook the quinoa in 2/3 cups of water. Let the water boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Place the oats in a blender or food processor until they are broken up, but not completely fine.

Angela Kerndl

Step 3

Mix together the oats, quinoa, beans, sweet potato, cilantro,
onion, cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt in a large bowl.

Angela Kerndl

Step 4

Shape about 1/2 cup of the mixture into a patty. There should be enough for 8 patties.

Angela Kerndl

Step 5

Place about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and cook each patty for a few minutes on each side. Serve on a bun or plain. Add any toppings you'd like, such as avocado, lettuce, tomatoes or pickles.

Angela Kerndl

The best part about these veggie burgers is that they can be both vegan and gluten-free, depending on the type of bun you choose to use. If you want, you could opt for no bun at all and serve the patties on their own or in a salad.

Either way, this black bean and sweet potato veggie burger has a healthy mix of grains and proteins and is sure to impress whoever you're feeding. Save some patties for later to cook on the stove or on a grill and you're set for another deliciously fresh meal.