Black Bean Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
These Black Bean Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers are made with whole-food ingredients and packed with flavor. Vegan, gluten-free, freezer-friendly, and perfect for easy weeknight dinners!
I’ve been making these black bean sweet potato veggie burgers for years, and I finally decided to update this post with new photos and tips! It’s one of those recipes I always come back to. They’re hearty, packed with plant-based flavor, and easy to make with whole-food ingredients that actually hold together (no crumbly veggie burgers here).
If you’ve made my Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos, Vegan Mexican Rice Casserole, or Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, you’ll know how much I love the combo of black beans + sweet potato, and it works so well in these veggie burgers.
Table of Contents
These veggie burgers are made with black beans, corn, sweet potato, and oats (so they’re completely gluten-free and vegan), freezer-friendly, and perfect for meal prep or easy weeknight dinners.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with simple, whole-food ingredients
- Packed with plant-based flavor
- Made in one bowl or a food processor
- Holds together without eggs (no crumbly burgers here!)
- Can be baked or pan-fried (or both — I’ll get to that later)
- Perfect for meal prep and freezer-friendly
- Naturally vegan + gluten-free
Dare I say that you’ll never go back to buying frozen veggie burgers after trying this recipe!
Ingredients Needed
Just a few simple, whole-food ingredients is all it takes to make homemade veggie burgers!
- Black Beans: I use canned black beans for ease.
- Sweet Potato: One medium sweet potato helps bind ingredients together. I cook it in the microwave to keep things simple, which I also sometimes do in these sweet potato & black bean tacos.
- Red Onion: For flavor.
- Red Bell Pepper: Orange or yellow bell pepper will work too, but I think red bell pepper tastes the best.
- Garlic: I only use 2 cloves since I’m quite sensitive to garlic, but feel free to use 3-4 cloves if you’re a garlic lover.
- Corn: Fresh, canned, or frozen will work.
- Tamari: Adds a savory, umami flavor. You can substitute soy sauce if that’s what you have on hand.
- Rolled Oats: Act as a gluten-free binder that holds the burgers together.
- Seasonings: A blend of salt, cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, black pepper, and chili powder (don’t worry, they aren’t spicy).
This is just a recipe overview! Scroll down to the recipe card to get the full recipe with measurements.
How to Make Black Bean Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
- Step 1: Add the mashed sweet potato, mashed black beans, diced red onion, diced red bell pepper, minced garlic, corn, tamari, rolled oats, and seasonings to a large bowl or food processor.
- Step 2: Mix until fully combined, either with a spatula or in a food processor. The mixture should be thick and hold together easily.
- Step 3: Scoop out about ½ cup of the mixture and shape into patties about 3–4 inches wide and ½-inch thick. You should get about 6 veggie burgers.
- Step 4: Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 400 for 30 minutes, until lightly browned, flipping halfway through if desired.
Pan-fry option: If you prefer a crispier exterior, you can pan-fry them. Once the burgers done baking, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan-fry for 6–7 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
Serving Suggestions
These black bean sweet potato veggie burgers are super versatile!
- As a classic burger on your bun of choice (hamburger bun, sourdough, whole wheat bread) with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and ketchup. I love adding guacamole and a drizzle of my cheesy dairy-free queso.
- On a salad or grain bowl for a nourishing plant-based lunch.
- For a lighter option skip the bun and serve the burger in a lettuce wrap or alongside roasted sweet potatoes and veggies.
Pair these homemade veggies burgers with one of these sides:
Megan’s Tips
- Cook the sweet potato in the microwave. Quick, easy, and efficient! It only takes about 6-7 minutes to cook a sweet potato in the microwave.
- Don’t over-process the mixture. Whether you’re using a bowl or food processor, keep a slightly chunky texture. This helps the burgers hold together better.
- If the mixture feels too wet or too dry: Add a tablespoon or two of oats if it’s too wet, or a splash of water or tamari if it feels dry. It should hold together easily when pressed.
- Bake first, then pan-fry. Baking helps the burgers bake properly and set, while a quick pan-fry gives them that golden, crispy exterior. This is my favorite way to cook them!
- Double the batch. They freeze beautifully, and I think future-you will be very happy to have veggie burgers ready to go!
Storing & Freezing
These veggie burgers are perfect for meal prep and store really well!
- To store in the fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
- To freeze: Place cooked (or uncooked) veggie burgers in a freezer-safe bag or container (if stacking, place sheets of parchment paper between them to prevent sticking). Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Reheat refrigerated or frozen burgers in an oiled skillet over medium heat until warmed through (my preferred method), or in the oven at 375°F until heated through. If you froze uncooked veggie burgers, cook them in the oven according to the instructions.
FAQs
Yes! I love freezing these black bean sweet potato burgers for an easy meal straight from the freezer. You can freeze them either cooked or uncooked. They’ll last up to 3 months.
If you want to grill the veggie burgers, bake them in the oven first to give them structure, as they are quite delicate and will crumble on the grill if not baked first.
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
If you loved these homemade veggie burgers, try these recipes next!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ★★★★★ star rating below. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Black Bean Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
Equipment
Ingredients
Veggie Burgers
- 1 medium sweet potato
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup corn, fresh, canned, or frozen
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, or tamari or soy sauce
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cajun
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup rolled oats
To serve
- hamburger buns
- avocado or guacamole
- vegan cheese sauce
- lettuce
- tomato
- red onion
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato: Pierce the sweet potato with a fork and microwave for about 6-7 minutes, until fork-tender. Let it cool slightly, then remove the flesh from the sweet potato and mash until smooth.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prep the veggies: Finely dice the red onion and red bell pepper. Mince the garlic. If you’re using a food processor, you can chop everything directly in there.
- Mash the black beans: Add the black beans to a large bowl (or the food processor) and mash (or pulse) until mostly broken down but still a little chunky (texture is key here).
- Mix everything together: Add the mashed sweet potato, diced veggies, corn, tamari, rolled oats, and seasonings. Mix until fully combined, either with a wooden spoon or in the food processor. The mixture should be thick and hold together easily.
- Form the patties: Scoop out about ½ cup of the mixture and shape into patties about 3–4 inches wide and ½-inch thick. You should get about 6 veggie burgers.
- Bake the veggie burgers: Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned, flipping halfway through if desired.
- Pan-fry option: If you prefer a crispier exterior, you can definitely pan-fry these too! Once the burgers done baking, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan-fry for 6–7 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
Notes
- Cook the sweet potato in the microwave. Quick, easy, and efficient! It only takes about 6-7 minutes to cook a sweet potato in the microwave.
- Don’t over-process the mixture. Whether you’re using a bowl or food processor, keep a slightly chunky texture. This helps the burgers hold together better.
- If the mixture feels too wet or too dry: Add a tablespoon or two of oats if it’s too wet, or a splash of water or tamari if it feels dry. It should hold together easily when pressed.
- Bake first, then pan-fry. Baking helps the burgers bake properly and set, while a quick pan-fry gives them that golden, crispy exterior. This is my favorite way to cook them!
- Double the batch. They freeze beautifully, and I think future-you will be very happy to have veggie burgers ready to go!
- To store in the fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
- To freeze: Place cooked (or uncooked) veggie burgers in a freezer-safe bag or container (if stacking, place sheets of parchment paper between them to prevent sticking). Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Reheat refrigerated or frozen burgers in an oiled skillet over medium heat until warmed through (my preferred method), or in the oven at 375°F until heated through. If you froze uncooked veggie burgers, cook them in the oven according to the instructions.
So flavorful & comes together so easily!
This will be on repeat in my house 😋
So glad you enjoyed these veggie burgers, sweet friend! Thanks for sharing your review and star rating here, it means a bunch 💛 I can’t wait to see what you make next!
These really are the best veggie burgers! I love black beans and sweet potato together. So easy to throw together and especially love having them in the freezer for dinner in a pinch.
These look so good! Can’t wait to try them! What kind of sauce did you use on top of them?
Thanks Michelle! In the photos I was using a store-bought vegan queso, but if you’re looking to make your own sauce, my veggie cheese sauce is a great option! I hope you love them!
They look delicious. Are these Black Bean & Sweet Potato Veggie Burger freezer friendly?
Thank you
Yes they are! You can either pre-cook the burgers, freeze them and reheat in the oven, or, freeze the uncooked patties, then allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking them according to the recipe. Enjoy!