These vegan Quinoa Black Bean Burgers are super easy, healthy, and packed with protein and iron. No food processor needed. Just one bowl! Jarred sun-dried tomatoes transform these patties into the ultimate flavor bomb! Plus, they're loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, and gut-healthy fiber.
Make these quinoa black bean burgers ahead of time and freeze them for up to three months. They hold together extremely well, and can be made gluten-free, and oil-free.
This quinoa burger recipe was inspired by Sun-Dried Tomato Tempeh Burgers, as well as these Easy Vegan Chipotle Tofu Burgers on my site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Quinoa is a seed that's packed with protein, iron, fiber, and antioxidants. It's an excellent plant-based substitute for making protein-rich vegan burgers. Use any type of quinoa for this Quinoa Black Bean Burger recipe. For even more flavor, cook the quinoa is vegetable broth instead of water.
- Black beans add substance to these burger patties, and are high in protein and iron. They also act as a binder for these quinoa burgers, eliminating the need for eggs. Drain and rinse the beans well before mashing them.
- Sun-dried tomatoes add a rich and savory umami flavor to this black bean quinoa burger recipe. Plus, they're rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, particularly lycopene which is thought to be a powerful anti-cancer nutrient. Use jarred sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for the best flavor and texture.
- Tomato paste adds a nice flavor without being too overpowering and helps to bind the burgers. Feel free to use substitute Thai red curry paste instead.
- Breadcrumbs help to hold the burgers together by absorbing moisture. You can use almond flour if you have a gluten intolerance.
- Fresh cilantro (not shown): This ingredient is optional. It adds a bright, citrusy flavor to these vegan patties.
See recipe card for quantities.
🥫 Substitutions
- Black beans - use kidney or pinto beans instead
- Tomato paste - instead of tomato paste, use vegan Thai red curry paste
- Sun-dried tomatoes - omit as needed or use rehydrated dried sun-dried tomatoes for oil-free
- Cilantro - use fresh parsley instead, or omit as needed
- Breadcrumbs - substitute with gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour
- Olive oil - for pan frying, substitute with the oil from the jarred sun-dried tomatoes for intense flavor
Meal prep my healthy Vegan Air Fryer Falafel for adding to salads or sandwiches for more plant-based protein. Visit my Vegan Burger Recipes page on this site for more easy healthy vegan patty recipes.
📖 Instructions
Bake or Pan-Fry: These patties can be baked or pan fried, or a combination of both. For baking, preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Use leftover cooked quinoa, or cook a fresh batch for this vegan quinoa burger recipe. Transfer the quinoa and broth (or water) to a small pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 14 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat. Set aside for 5 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork.
Step 1. Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
Step 2. In a large bowl, fully mash the black beans with a fork and potato masher.
Step 3. Add the cooked quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cilantro (if using). Mix well to combine.
Step 4. Form 4 patties using about one-half packed cup for measuring each burger.
Step 5. Place them on a nonstick baking sheet with space between for flipping and browning.
Step 6. For baking: Bake these vegan burgers for 7 minutes before flipping them over, then continue baking for about 7 minutes more, or until golden brown on both sides. For pan frying: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, turning them so all the edges cook evenly.
💡 Expert Tips
- Mash the black beans fully using your hands. The mashed beans help bind these quinoa burgers.
- Use your hands to combine the ingredients together well. This gives an even texture and flavor throughout the patties. If they feel too moist and sticky on your hands, you can use disposable gloves.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover burgers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze them solid on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating frozen burgers: Thaw them overnight in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 380°F. Place frozen burgers in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet and heat for about 10 minutes. Flip them over and bake at 420ºF for about 10 minutes more, or until warmed though.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Make the black bean quinoa patties up to two days ahead of cooking them and refrigerate in an airtight container, until you are ready to cook them. Cooked burgers will keep well for 3 to 5 days, depending on when you pre-make the patties.
Freeze them solid on a baking sheet before transferring the patties to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before cooking them.
Serve these black bean quinoa burgers in a bun with avocado, onion, and tomato, or in pita with hummus and greens. Or add them to veggie bowls for more protein. You can also serve these on a bed of hummus with arugula, and chili crisp.
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📖 Recipe
Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- ¼ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed (or ¾ cup cooked)
- ½ cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained, and rinsed
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped (jarred, preserved in oil)
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs or almond flour, or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 3 ounces tomato paste or vegan Thai red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
Instructions
- These patties can be baked, pan fried or grilled. For baking, preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Cook the quinoa: Transfer the quinoa and broth (or water) to a small pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 14 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat. Set aside for 5 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork.
- Mash the beans: In a large bowl, fully mash the black beans with a fork or potato masher.
- Combine: Add the cooked quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cilantro (if using). Mix well to combine.
- Form 4 patties using about one-half packed cup for measuring each burger.
- For baking: Place the patties about 2 inches apart on a large nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes before flipping them over. Bake them for about 7 minutes more, or until golden brown on both sides.
- For pan frying: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil (or the oil from the jarred sun-dried tomatoes) in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet. Place the patties in the skillet, leaving space between them for flipping. Cook them for about 5 minutes on each side, turning them so all the edges cook evenly. (Optional: Bake them for about 7 minutes more.)
Notes
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- Mash the black beans fully using your hands. The mashed beans help bind these quinoa burgers.
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- Use your hands to combine the ingredients together well. This gives an even texture and flavor throughout the patties. If they feel too moist and sticky on your hands, you can use disposable gloves.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover burgers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze them solid on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Nimita Quadros
I made these and it was perfect- I cannot believe they held the shape so well. I opted to lightly pan-fry them in a bit of olive oil. Definitely adding this to my list for weeknight vegan dinners as I easily have all the ingredients in my pantry! Thank you so much for sharing!
Nisha Melvani
Yay! I'm so glad you tried them and they were a hit! Have a great week.
MK
We really enjoyed these! They were very tender and really any favorite sauce could go on top! Thank you for sharing!
Nisha Melvani
Thank you. This is one of my faves. I'm so glad you liked them.
Sian
Hiii
Sorry if I left duplicate comments because I didn’t see my question below after posting it…
Do you think canned green lentils will work for this recipe? 🥺 I’m eager to try this for meal prep.
Nisha Melvani
I believe they will! Add them gradually to see how much you need.
Sian
Can I sub black beans with canned lentil?
Nisha Melvani
I haven't tested this but you can try. Just add rthem gradually until the desired texture.
Viola
Made this last night along with the recipe for the roasted potatoes. My husband loved the texture of the roast potatoes so much.
We loved the complexity of the flavors in the burger. So good.
Will be in my rotation for sure.
Nisha Melvani
I'm so glad you both enjoyed them. Thank you for leaving a comment. Have a great weekend.
Michele
The burgers were delicious and the recipe was so easy to prepare. The instructions and suggested ingredient substitutions I found really helpful. Highly recommend
Nisha Melvani
I'm so glad you found it helpful and enjoyed the burgers. Thank you.
Zach
Do you think I could make the mix in advance and then make the bake or fry the burgers fresh as needed? If so how long do you think the mix would last in the fridge?
Nisha Melvani
Yes! Up to 5 days.
Bruce
I didn’t have any sun dried tomatoes so I used a canned chipotle pepper instead. Gave the burgers some real kick!
Nisha Melvani
Oh yummm! That sounds delicious!
Holly Scott
Made these today for our family dinner - everyone thought they were delicious! I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes so just omitted them and added some grated sweet potato as that’s what I had in the fridge. Really nice burgers (although ours did fall apart a bit!) Also, super speedy to prep as I used the nutribullet to get the black beans etc nice and mashed. Thanks for sharing
Nisha Melvani
Hi. Sweet potato is a good addition. While the sun-dried tomatoes are optional, I find they help them to hold together well. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Valerie Murray
Love this recipe.
Would you suggest baking/cooking first before freezing? Or just forming the patties uncooked and freezing them that way.
Nisha Melvani
Hi. Thank you! I would bake them before freezing. Hope this helps.
Holly Scott
This looks like a really delicious burger recipe that I’ve bought all the ingredients for today, ready to cook for dinner tomorrow! Will report back on what the family thought….
PS thank you for specifying how much quinoa is needed when uncooked - super helpful!
Nisha Melvani
Hope you all enjoy them!
Lisa
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try. What’s the sauce on the bottom of the burgers? Thanks
Nisha Melvani
It is a white ban miso spread I will share soon. You can also use hummus!
Tracie
Hi. Looks fantastic. Are nutrient for one patty?
Nisha Melvani
Yes! When you make 4.
Marcus Brown
I plan on making this tomorrow. Thank you!
Nisha Melvani
Enjoy!