Vegan Burgers with Black Beans and Beets

Most homemade veggie burgers fall apart in the pan or taste like a bland patty of mashed beans. These hold together, with black beans and roasted beets and carrots pulsed to a coarse texture that stays chunky, then fried until the outside crisps and the middle stays soft. Roasted beets give them a deep color and earthy sweetness that no frozen store-bought patty comes close to, for a fraction of the price. Make a double batch and freeze the extras between sheets of parchment for weeknight dinners.

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This vegan burger is built on black beans, with roasted beets and carrots, sautéed mushrooms, onion, and garlic worked in. Oat flour binds it, and cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper season it.

The vegetables are cooked before they ever reach the food processor. Beets and carrots roast until soft, mushrooms fry until golden, and onion and garlic sauté until soft and sweet. Everything then gets pulsed together, deliberately stopping short of a smooth purée.

The patties fry in a skillet for a few minutes per side, which crisps the exterior while the inside stays tender. The recipe makes four thick patties, and the raw formed patties freeze well.

Why this recipe works

Every ingredient here is doing a specific job. Black beans provide starch and protein that set as they cook, forming the patty’s actual structure. Mushrooms provide glutamates, the compounds behind savory depth, which is why a mushroom-free bean burger tastes flat no matter how much salt you add. Beets contribute earthy sweetness and the deep red color that reads as substantial rather than beige.

Roasting the beets and carrots instead of boiling them is not just about flavor. Roasting drives off water while boiling adds it, and excess moisture is the single biggest reason homemade veggie burgers crumble. Dry vegetables let the bean starch and oat flour do their binding work instead of fighting a wet mixture.

Oat flour binds better than wheat flour here because oats are high in soluble fiber, which absorbs several times its weight in liquid and forms a gel as it hydrates. That gel holds the loose pieces together without making the patty gummy the way a heavier dose of wheat flour would.

Stopping the food processor early matters more than any single ingredient. A fully puréed mixture has no internal structure and cooks into a paste. Leaving visible chunks of beans and vegetables gives the patty something to hold onto and adds texture to chew.

Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

• Canned black beans – The base of the patty. Their starch and protein set during cooking and hold the burger together.
• White mushrooms – Add savory depth. Frying them first concentrates their flavor and drives off water.
• Red beet – Gives the patties their deep color and an earthy sweetness that balances the beans.
• Carrot – Adds natural sweetness and body, and roasts down alongside the beet.
• Soy sauce – Brings salt and a savory backbone that ties the vegetables together.
• Garlic – Sautéed with the onion for aromatic depth without raw bite.
• Yellow onion – Cooked until soft and sweet, it carries flavor through the whole patty.
• Olive oil – Used in three places: roasting the vegetables, sautéing, and frying the patties. Divide it across the steps.
• Oat flour – The binder. Its soluble fiber absorbs moisture and gels, holding the loose mixture together.
• Cumin – Adds warmth and a mild earthiness that suits the beans.
• Ground black pepper – Sharpens the other seasonings.
• Smoked paprika – Contributes smokiness that stands in for the char of a grilled meat patty.
• Kosher salt – Seasons to taste, on top of the salt already in the soy sauce.
• Hamburger buns – The vehicle. Toasting keeps them from going soggy under a warm patty.
• Burger toppings of your choice – Whatever you like on a burger, plus a sauce or condiment for the bun.

Ingredient Notes

• Check the label on your buns. Many standard hamburger buns contain milk, eggs, or honey, so a burger that is otherwise fully plant-based can stop being vegan at the bread.
• Make your own oat flour if you do not keep it on hand. Rolled oats blitzed in a dry blender or food processor for about 30 seconds give you exactly the same thing.
• Use plain canned black beans rather than seasoned or chili-style beans, which bring their own sauce and extra liquid into the mix.
• Tamari is a soy sauce substitute and is the safer choice if anyone at the table avoids gluten.

How to Make a Veggie Burger

1. Cut the beet and the carrot into big chunks, add some oil, and place them on the baking sheet.
2. Roast at 325 degrees until soft, about 15 minutes.
3. Chop the mushrooms.
4. Fry mushrooms until golden, then add chopped onion and minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 5-7 minutes.
5. Put the roasted beet, carrot, black beans, sautéed onion, and mushrooms into a food processor or a blender.

6. Pulse the mixture a bit.
7. Add flour, spices, and salt.
8. Pulse again, leaving some small chunks.
9. Form the mixture into patties.
10. Place patties on a preheated skillet with a few spoons of olive oil.
11. Fry them on each side for about 2-3 minutes.
12. Toast hamburger buns.
13. Spread a sauce of choice on the top bun. Add a patty.
14. Top with your choice of burger fillings (lettuce, onion rings, tomato, pickles).
15. Add more sauce if desired.

Tips for Making the Best Black Bean Burgers

• To prevent your vegan burgers from turning out mushy, partially dry out the black beans. Spread the canned black beans on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes at 350° (beans should just be beginning to split). 
• When using a food processor or blender, make sure you don’t completely mash the black beans. Chunks of beans will give your vegan black bean burgers a bulky and satisfying texture. 
• If you want a little more pizazz, add a little chili pepper.
• You can also make this vegan burger recipe ahead of time and freeze your burgers. Stack them between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. You can even bake or grill the frozen burgers if you forget to thaw them.

Variations to vegan burgers:

• Using canned beans for convenience means you can substitute other canned beans for black beans if you want: kidney beans, red beans, pinto beans, Roman beans, or black-eyed peas. Experiment with different flavors and textures. 
• Add in other vegetables that you like, such as celery or green or red peppers. Simply sautée 1/2 cup of your chosen vegetables with the onions. However, don’t overload the mixture with too many veggies because the patties may crumble.
• Add a finely chopped handful of cilantro or parsley leaves. Dried herbs like oregano, sage, or marjoram are also a flavorful addition.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator Storage: Store cooked patties in an airtight container for up to 4 days, with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They firm up as they chill, which makes them easier to handle the second day.
• Reheating Method: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a little oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side to restore the crisp exterior. A 350°F oven for about 10 minutes also works. Avoid the microwave, which steams the patty and leaves it soft throughout.
• Freezer Storage: Freezes very well for up to 3 months, either cooked or as raw formed patties. Stack them between squares of parchment and seal in a freezer bag. Cook raw patties straight from frozen, adding a minute or two per side, and reheat cooked ones the same way.

More Vegan Recipes

• Marinated Beet Salad
• Loma Linda Sandwich Spread
• Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Spicy Corn Salsa
• Roasted New Potatoes
• Sauerkraut Salad
• Cilantro Lime Rice

Favorite Vegetarian Side Dishes

• Boiled Carrots
• Steamed Green Beans
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Grilled Corn

Be sure to check out more of my easy vegan recipes and simple vegetarian recipes here on CopyKat.com!