Smoky Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

These 'meaty' and smoky vegan black bean quinoa burgers are flavorful and contain kale for added nutrition. Accompaniments of crunchy shaved cucumbers, spicy arugula and the sweet tangy flavour of maple dijon sauce make this a perfect summer patio meal.

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More than a standard black bean burger

This recipe is more than just your standard vegan black bean burger. It’s loaded with kale, quinoa, black beans, herbs and spices. It’s so flavorful and makes a healthy lunch or dinner with family or friends.

Why you will love this recipe

This is a true garden variety burger here. I never like to waste food, especially when it's food grown from our hard work. So, I've added as many fresh vegetables as possible into these meaty vegan black bean quinoa burgers.

This recipe is also topped with a tangy homemade maple dijon sauce, but this is optional. Feel free to dress your burger however you want.

This recipe is:

• Vegan
• Healthy and satisfying
• High in fiber
• Easy to prepare
• Able to be made ahead
• Loaded with greens
• Flavourful and smoky
• Great for summer or anytime of year

Vegan Maple Dijon Sauce

The sweet and tangy maple dijon sauce is a great condiment for this recipe. It is easily made from a base of cashews (no soaking required) which pairs perfectly with the smoky flavours of the burger.

Again, the maple Dijon sauce is optional, but highly recommended. Feel free to top your burger however you like!

What you will need

To make these smoky vegan black bean quinoa burgers, you will need:

• cooked black beans
• cooked quinoa
• yellow or white onion
• kale leaves
• garlic 
• sea salt and pepper
• ground cumin
• ground coriander
• mustard powder
• smoked paprika
• spelt flour or whole wheat flour

For the maple Dijon sauce, you will need:

• raw cashews
• filtered water
• dijon mustard
• maple syrup
• fresh lemon juice
• sea salt

To assemble the burgers you will need:

• Ciabatta buns
• arugula
• English cucumber
• tomato
• any other topping of choice

How to make this recipe

There are a few components to this recipe including making the maple dijon sauce. The first step in making this recipe is the blend all the sauce ingredients together and pop them in the fridge for at least an hour to thicken slightly.

Next, the burger patties are made by sauteing the onion, garlic, and kale until softened and cooked. The black beans, quinoa, and cooked onions and kale are added to a food processor along with the spices and pulsed until the mixture starts to come together.

The add the mixture to a bowl and sprinkle on the flour, stirring it together until there are no flour streaks remaining. Divide the mixture into 4 parts, roll each part into a ball between your hands and flatten into a circle. Then place the patties on a dish and refrigerate for an hour to allow the ingredients to bind.

Cook the burgers 5-6 minutes a side or until golden brown, then assemble.

Tips to make this recipe perfect

• Use a high powered blender for the maple dijon sauce-this will yield a much smoother consistency.
• Pulse the burger ingredients just until they start coming together-you don't need to puree it and a few larger pieces are ok.
• Make sure to incorporate the flour evenly-this is what helps bind the burger patties together.
• If the burger mixture seems too wet add an additional 1-2 more tablespoons of flour. The mixture should be moist, but not sticky.
• Use a large spatula to flip the burgers- they should hold together, but use caution when flipping them to avoid cracking or breaking.
• Let the patties rest in the fridge- this will help the ingredients moisten and bind well before frying.

Storage

The burger patties should be stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. They can be reheat in the frying pan for a few minutes on each side.

Make ahead options

There are a few make ahead options if you are short on time.

• The maple dijon sauce can be made up to a day in advance to save on time. It should be kept covered in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
• The burger patties can be shaped and stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 hours before frying.

If you made this recipe, I would love to hear form you. Leave me a comment below or feel free to share with me on Instagram @the_simple_green or Facebook @thesimplegreen.

More recipes like this

If enjoy these smoky vegan black bean quinoa burgers, be sure to check out these favorites:

Vegan Parsley Walnut Pesto

Dairy-Free Magic Shell Ice Cream Bars

Smoky Chickpea 'Tuna' Salad Sandwiches

Vegan Green Goddess Sandwich

5 from 7 votes

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Smoky Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Bugers

A hearty and flavourful vegan black bean quinoa burger loaded with greens and smoky flavor. Topped with crunchy shaved cucumbers, spicy arugula and the sweet tangy flavour of homemade maple dijon sauce make this a perfect summer patio meal. Makes 4 - 4" patties.

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword black bean burger, black bean quinoa burger, maple dijon sauce, vegan black bean burger

Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4 burgers

Calories 415 kcal

Author Heidi Richter

Ingredients

For the Maple Dijon Sauce:

• ½ cup raw cashews
• ⅓ cup filtered water
• 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch sea salt

For the Black Bean Quinoa Burgers:

• 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for frying
• ½ medium yellow onion chopped
• 1 cup chopped kale tightly packed
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 pinch fresh ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 tablespoon spelt flour or whole wheat flour

To assemble

• 4 ciabatta buns or sesame buns
• 2 cups arugula
• ½ large English cucumber
• 1 large tomato
• any other topping of choice

Instructions

Prepare the Maple Dijon Sauce:

1. In a blender, add all the ingredients and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate covered for approx 1 hour to allow the sauce to thicken. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Make the burgers:

1. To a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil, then add the diced onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirringly frequently until the onions are translucent and (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped kale and cook, stirring frequently, until the kale is softened and cooked down. Remove from heat.

2. To a food processor, add the cooked black beans, cooked quinoa, cooked onion/ kale mixture, salt and spices. Pulse a few times until the mixture starts to come together and there are still some large pieces remaining.

3. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and mix in the spelt flour until distributed evenly. Note: if the mixture seems too wet, add an additional 1-2 more tablespoons of spelt flour. The mixture should be moist, but not sticky.

4. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and roll each into a ball between your hands, then flatten into a 4" circle about ½” high. Place the patties on a dish and refrigerate for an hour to allow the ingredients to bind.

5. After the hour has elapsed, preheat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Cook the burgers 5-6 minutes a side or until golden brown. Remove from heat and assemble your burger with the toppings and a few tablespoons of maple Dijon sauce.

Recipe Notes

The burger patties can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the frying pan for a few minutes on each side.

Nutrition Facts

Smoky Vegan Black Bean Quinoa Bugers

Amount Per Serving

Calories 415 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Sodium 823mg36%

Potassium 701mg20%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 2649IU53%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 97mg10%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.