Black Bean & Quinoa Homemade Veggie Burger Patties

As promised (over a year ago… oops, my bad!) here is the recipe for our favorite healthy, homemade veggie burger patties. These vegetarian black bean quinoa patties are loaded with protein, nutrients, and a ton of flavor! And as delicious as they are on their own, I highly recommend pairing these homemade veggie burgers with our dill, garlic and lemon yogurt dipping sauce. The combination of the crispy, hearty veggie burger with a tangy, creamy topping is pretty much to-die-for.

When we bring this dish to any get-together, it is always one of our most requested recipes to share… even by our “vegetarian skeptic” friends!

Speaking of gatherings, we most often make these black bean veggie patties in petite appetizer or bite-size portions (okay, maybe three bites) rather than full-blown veggie burgers. However, you can shape these yummy babies either way! 

Note that the recipe provided makes approximately two dozen 3-inch round patties, or about a dozen standard size veggie burgers (two baking sheets full). It is the perfect size for a party, to have leftovers, or extra to freeze. I promise, you won’t be disappointed if you have extra! These black bean veggie burgers are really amazing as leftovers (even cold!) – and also freeze and reheat quite well! That said, feel free to cut the recipe in half if needed. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans of black beans (15 ounce cans, or about 3 cups cooked beans – if you prefer to start with raw dry beans)
• 1.5 cups cooked quinoa (½ cup raw before cooking)
• 8 ounces of brown cremini mushrooms, finely chopped 
• 1 small-medium or ½ large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bunch of kale (about a dozen small kale leaves or 5-6 large ones)
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped (loosely packed 1/2 cup)
• Crumbed Feta Cheese- approximately one 8 ounce package
• 2 eggs (or egg replacement)
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs (we prefer to get organic whole wheat breadcrumbs as a healthier option)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin 
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional, sliding scale for personal preference)

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Prepare Quinoa & Black Beans

First, you’re going to need 1.5 cups of cooked quinoa. This is usually about ½ a cup dry before cooking. Follow the instructions on your quinoa package to cook the quinoa. We usually add a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt into the cooking water. Feel free to prepare the quinoa in advance (such as the day prior) before assembling the veggie burgers. 

Strain and rinse two cans of black beans. Put the black beans in a large mixing bowl and partially mash them. The goal is for about 75% of the black beans to become mashed (like dry refried beans) but leave a small portion somewhat whole as well. This helps the homemade veggie burgers bind together while still maintaining a nice texture. 

To mash the beans, use a fork, potato masher, or a trick I recently learned – the end of a clean mason jar!  Once the beans are mashed to your liking, stir in the quinoa and mix well. 

Step 2: Prepare the Cooked Veggies

Before we get cooking… See how it says “finely chopped” or “minced” next to almost all the veggie ingredients? That is important. If the vegetable bits and pieces are too large, your homemade veggie burgers are going to crumble and fall apart more easily. If meticulously chopping veggies sounds like a chore, this is a great time to bust out your trusty food processor and get the job done quick!

On the stove top, heat a splash of olive oil in a sauté pan – or as we love to use, a cast iron wok. Add the finely chopped onion, mushrooms, and minced garlic. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and sauté those together until the mushrooms have released their juices and the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir occasionally. 

In the meantime, wash and de-stem the kale leaves. Shake them off to avoid introducing excess moisture, and then chop those up nice and small too. Add the kale to the mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Continue sautéing this combo on a medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, allowing additional moisture to evaporate off. During this time, prep the other fresh ingredients described below. Once it is finished cooking, add the kale-shroom mix to the bowl of quinoa and black beans. 

Step 3: Prepare & Combine Other Veggie Burger Ingredients

Now we will prep all of the other ingredients that will be added into the veggie burger patty mixture raw. Finely chop up one red bell pepper and fresh cilantro. If it isn’t already, manually crumble the feta cheese into little pea-size pieces (no need to be perfect here!). 

Add the bell pepper, crumbled feta, and one loose half-cup of chopped cilantro to the bowl of quinoa and black beans. Also add ¾ cup breadcrumbs to the bowl, and your kale-shroom mixture if it isn’t already at the party. 

Drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil and add the called-for seasonings, including salt, black pepper, cumin, and optional chili powder. Stir to combine. Here, I like to give it a taste-test before adding the raw egg and adjust seasonings if desired. Finally, add two whisked eggs and stir to thoroughly combine. It is okay to sort of mash the mixture as you stir, helping it all stick together. 

Step 4: Form & Bake Veggie Burger Patties

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Prepare a baking sheet (or two) either by lining it with parchment paper, or greasing it with a decent layer of olive oil or butter. Sometimes I use a little spray olive oil on the parchment paper too, which helps the outside of the veggie burger crisp nicely. If you do choose to use parchment paper, it can be reused when you freeze any leftovers! 

Use your hands to gather and form the veggie burger mix into patty sizes of your liking. Again, we most often make them on the smaller side – forming appropriately 3″ round by ½” thick mini veggie burgers. Truth be told, the smaller they are, the better them seem to hold together! We sometimes make larger veggie patties too, but need to be more gentle when flipping them. 

Bake your homemade veggie burgers for a total of 30 minutes*, carefully flipping them over half way through baking. Each side should become golden brown. 

*If you are baking two trays at one time (which we have done!) be sure to rotate the trays partway through to promote even cooking. Double trays and large veggie burger patties may need an extra 2 or 3 minutes of baking per side, though I still recommend checking the underside after the first 15 minutes. 

Step 5: Serve & Enjoy

Get ready for some seriously tasty business! These black bean and quinoa veggie burger patties are excellent when served warm, but are just as good as they cool down too. This is one more reason they’re a perfect vegetarian party appetizer! If you do put a bunch on a platter, allow the patties to cool slightly before stacking them to maintain a crisp “crust”.

Though we love to serve the veggie patties with yogurt dill sauce, that is only one of the many wonderful ways you can enjoy them! Of course, they can be eaten like a classic burger with cheese and condiments (don’t forget the pickle!) on a bun, open face sandwich, or lettuce wrap. 

When they’re made small or broken up after cooking, these veggie burgers can also be served like healthy falafel in a pita, or as a vegetarian taco filling! Oftentimes, we each have a couple small veggie burgers a la carte, alongside a big helping of sautéed seasonal vegetables for dinner. 

Aaron just chimed in over my shoulder “Basically, you can eat them any flippin’ way you want.” Lol.

Tips for Storing, Freezing and Reheating Homemade Veggie Burger Patties

Store the extra veggie burgers in the fridge inside an air-tight container, and either use or freeze them within one week. 

To freeze homemade veggie burgers, spread the patties out in a single layer on a baking sheet or tray, not touching. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking. Freeze the entire tray for several hours or up to a full day. Once the veggie burgers are completely frozen, quickly transfer them into a freezer-safe storage container (without allowing them to defrost at all in between). It is okay to stack them now. 

Freezing the veggie burgers individually first should prevent them from sticking together in the freezer, and makes it easy to pull one or two out as needed in the future! However, I usually re-use the parchment paper used during baking by layering it between the veggie burgers. If you don’t have time or space to individually freeze them first, definitely use parchment paper between when freezing fresh veggie burgers.

Reheat the frozen veggie burgers either in the oven on 375F until warmed all the way through, or how we prefer –  in a skillet on the stovetop with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. 

If you like this recipe, you’ll probably also enjoy these:

• Easy Parmesan Zucchini Fritters (also recommended with our dill yogurt sauce!)
• Roasted Two-Bite Garlic & Herb Smashed Potatoes
• Vegan Roasted Sugar Pie Pumpkin 3-Bean Chili
• Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash & Sage Soup

Thanks for tuning in! Please report back and let us know what you think with a review if you try our veggie burgers. I really think you’re going to love them. As always, feel free to ask questions and spread the vegetarian love by sharing this article. Come find me on Instagram @deannacat3 and use #homesteadandchill to share your creations.