Veggie Bean Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries
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A few weeks ago when I posted the soba noodle stir-fry and mushroom barley risotto with you I shared that I was making some changes in my eating. I have been trying to eat more fruits, vegetables and grains, but more notably than that, I have been making huge cuts in the amount of animal meat that I am eating. As in, virtually none. I haven’t cut meat out completely, as I still eat it from time to time when I go out to eat (although I’ve been choosing vegetable and pasta-based dishes more and more frequently), but at home I can’t remember the last time I prepared it. As a result, I have been doing a lot of trial and error with vegetarian dishes that are hearty enough for lunches and dinners. As I was flipping through my Joy of Cooking book looking for something else, I stumbled across these burgers. My lunches have been much more enjoyable ever since!
I have previously made regular ol’ black bean burgers and then created a spin-off black bean mushroom burger, but this latest creation blows both of those out of the water. Not only do they contain black beans and mushrooms, but there is also brown rice, grated carrots and a few other veggies packed into the burgers. They are hearty, pretty large, and along with the sweet potato fries, keep me full all afternoon, which is great since I struggle with afternoon snacking. I like to eat mine with a dollop of sour cream, and fresh salsa when I have it in the house.
I don’t have much of a recipe when it comes to my sweet potato fries; they are more of a “throw together” type of thing.
I take one sweet potato and slice it up into sticks about ½-inch in diameter…
Then drizzle just a tiny bit of olive oil over them (just enough to lightly coat), and toss with a combination of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Spread them out on a baking sheet…
And bake at 450 degrees F until they are browned, flipping them about halfway through.
They are such a satisfying (and healthy!) addition to a meal, and they go extremely well with these veggie bean burgers.
I struggle with lunches filling me enough while still being healthy so I don’t reach for snacks in the afternoon; I could use some help. What are some of your favorite healthy and filling lunches? Thanks for the suggestions!
Two years ago: Old-Fashioned Spice Cake
Three years ago: Pesto Pasta & Chicken[/donotprint]
Veggie Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup (160 g) chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup (64 g) grated carrots
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cumin
- 31 ounces (878.84 g) canned black beans, rinse and drained
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1½ cups (292.5 g) cooked brown rice
- 1 cup (72 g) chopped cremini mushrooms
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the grated carrots, chili powder and cumin and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- 2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mash together the black beans, mustard, soy sauce, ketchup and parsley. Stir in the onion and carrot mixture. Add the cooked brown rice and chopped mushrooms, stirring to combine. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
- 3. For the mixture into six patties. Heat the 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the burgers and cook over medium-low heat, for 5 to 8 minutes per side, until browned and crisp.
Did you make this recipe?
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These came out awesome. I used corn instead of mushrooms.. Just what I had on hand.
I made these for dinner tonight and everyone LOVED them. Its an awesome recipe! Do you have any advice for preparing ahead and storing, or freezing uncooked patties? I’d love to be able to take them or lunch when i’m short on time or a stove, but i don’t know if prep-ahead is something that should even be attempted with bean burgers :)
Hi Caiti, I have made these in batches and frozen them once they are cooked and cooled, but I have never tried to freeze uncooked patties. I hope that helps!
Hey! I tried this recipe last night and it was AMAZING. I’ve been trying black been and mushroom burgers for years and have never had great results, until last night. The rice and carrots really add a great dynamic and the mustard/soy flavor was great. I was skeptical about not needing an egg, but you really don’t. I’ve frozen 4 uncooked patties for later. Oh and I added a dollop of all-natural ranch dressing and some hot sauce, which pushed it over the edge. Thanks for the recipe.
All I can say is WOW! We had these for dinner last night & I’m eating one for lunch right now…they are beyond flavorful. I actually prepared the burgers on Sunday night and let them sit in the fridge (uncooked) until dinner Monday evening (I knew they’d be time consuming otherwise). I had a hard time flipping the first burger, but then I got the hang of it. We put these on buns with Colby-jack cheese…amazing!
I love stuffed vine leaves – vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs. They’re healthy, tasty, meat-free – and filling.
As a pescetarian (but mainly a vegetarian) I am always happy to find new recipes! The burgers are on the cast iron skillet as we speak and the sweet potato fries just came out of the oven. Only problem: how do you get the burgers to stay together when you flip them? maybe I didn’t mash the beans enough?
Hi Ashley, I just kept the spatula close to the skillet and turned carefully. Enjoy!
I can’t even tell you how much I can’t wait to try these burgers. Most veggie burgers have nuts in them which is why I usually have to avoid them. I’m so excited to try these!!
I have the same problem as Barbara. I have made veggie burgers using different recipes, including yours, and they fall apart when I try to flip them in the pan. Is there anyone who has some tips on this besides trying to pack the patties as tight as possible?
The best I can say is to use a large, thin spatula that the entire patty can fit on. If you flip them and they break off at all, they can easily be reshaped with the spatula. Make sure you only flip them one time, otherwise you’re going to have issues so time it well. Good luck!
Thanks for all of the veggie and snacking tips! To clarify, I’m not opposed to healthy snacking at all, but 9 times out of 10, I “graze” in the afternoon, and not on healthy things! Usually I end up full by the time dinner rolls around. So I think if I’m a little more satisfied after lunch one healthy snack during the afternoon should work :)
I love veggie burgers with black beans in them! And those fries look delicious too!
MMmm, just made these burgers for dinner tonight! Even my meat eating husband enjoyed them :)
Any substitutions for mushrooms? The family doesn’t like them at all. I was thinking just more beans & rice?
Hi Michele, You can actually just omit the mushrooms if you’d like.
I made these tonight and they turned into more of a black bean hash. Do you have any tips for getting the patties to stay together?
Hi Barbara, I just really worked and packed them tight when I was shaping them, and then made sure the bottoms were really crisp before flipping them. Hope that helps!
I made them again and this time put the beans and rice in a food processor and then added some bread crumbs later. They stayed together so much better!
I would also like to cut back on eating so much meat. The burgers look VERY delicious and I’d love to try them one day. Adding quinoa instead of brown rice is a great idea as well.
http://pantrychef.wordpress.com
I have a few recipes using quinoa and really like using it instead of rice. It has so much great protein!
I have been searching for a good vegetarian burger recipe that my husband will like. I try to make at least one vegetarian meal a week for us (he is a dedicated omnivore, so cutting meat out entirely would be difficult if not impossible) so I will definitely be trying this recipe in the near future.
As far as filling lunches…why do you need to fill up? There is nothing wrong with healthy snacking, and, in fact, it is widely considered to be more healthy to eat many small meals throughout the day, as opposed to two or three big meals. Here are some healthy snack options:
-Low- or no-fat yogurt or cottage cheese with fresh fruit
-A smoothie made out of yogurt, frozen fruit, a handful of raw oatmeal, and a splash of milk (this is one of my favorite breakfasts, actually)
-A small bowl of oatmeal or cold cereal
-A salad, a handful of raw vegetables, or a piece of fruit
-A hard boiled egg
-A piece of whole grain toast, maybe topped with some peanut butter and jelly
-Some string cheese
-Some curry-roasted chickpeas
-A handful of tortilla chips with salsa
Portioning is key, of course. Eating the whole bag of chips and the entire jar of salsa probably isn’t all that healthy, but salsa, especially if you make your own or buy homemade from a local, is all vegetables and loaded with vitamins and nutrients. Eating a few tablespoons with a single serving of a semi-healthy tortilla chip is a great snack.
YUM! What a healthy looking meal… and I just love sweet potato fries!
– Brittany
I love that you now have veggie recipes! I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 7 years now and it’s always great finding recipes that don’t just involve pasta and cheeses. I look forward to making these recipes in addition to the yummy cookies/cakes that I’ve tried :)
Wow, this recipe looks so good. I’ve got all the ingredients at home, so I wil be making this!
It’s ok to be hungry after lunch. In fact it’s totally normal. Yes it’s important to have a solid lunch, but it’ just as important to have good snacks to reach for. I’ve recently been turned on to the whole Green Monster Movement and I think a basic one would make a great snack – so long a you don’t load it with protein and other powders.
These look amazing! I tried making some black bean burgers a while ago, but failed miserably. I’m bookmarking this recipe to try ASAP.
these look amazing! i love a good veggie burger!
Here are a few of my favorite meatless meals:
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/12/baked-southwestern-egg-rolls.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/05/black-beans-and-coconut-lime-rice.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/07/chickpea-pasta-with-spinach-sun-dried.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/05/grilled-fattoush.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/05/skillet-lasagna.html
Ooo! You seem to have read my mind! I’ve been dreaming of bean burgers ever since I saw them on Mad Hungry… Now if only I could snap my fingers and get served some burgers! :P