This easy vegan recipe is my all time favorite way to prepare black bean and sweet potato veggie burgers! With green onions, garlic, cilantro, and plenty of spices, these plant-based and fiber-rich patties are full of flavor. Make them for dinner with your favorite toppings or as part of meal prep!
Out of all the veggie patties I’ve attempted to create, these are by far the easiest and best ones! They don’t require using a food processor, are baked instead of fried, and don’t fall apart (thanks to breadcrumbs). The most time-consuming part is cooking the sweet potato, which you can do in advance or in the microwave to save time!
Needless to say, I’m thrilled to share this delicious way to use the mighty sweet potato. In fact, this was one of my very first Veg World recipes way back in 2013. I’ve updated the recipe since then, but it continues to be a reader favorite!
So if you’re looking for your next tried and true vegan patty recipe, these black bean and sweet potato veggie burgers are for you! They’re delicious nestled in a hamburger bun or on top of a salad or grain bowl. I highly recommend keeping some in your freezer for an easy lunch or dinner on busy days.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cooked sweet potato: You can roast or microwave the sweet potato.
- Black beans: Use a standard can of black beans or about 1 and ¾ cups of cooked black beans. Feel free to substitute kidney, pinto, or white beans if desired.
- Breadcrumbs: I use plain breadcrumbs (Panko or regular) to make black bean and sweet potato veggie burgers. Feel free to sub a seasoned version if desired, but you may want to cut back on the added spices if you do that. Gluten free breadcrumbs or ground rolled/old fashioned oats also work.
- Green onions (aka scallions): Swap in red or yellow onion if that’s what you have.
- Cilantro: Sub parsley if needed.
- Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic, but garlic powder or dried minced garlic (about 1 teaspoon of either) can be substituted.
- Cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt: If you want to mix up your spices, feel free! Use chili powder in place of cumin, for instance.
- Apple cider vinegar: Substitute lime or lemon juice if that’s what you have.
- Buns and toppings of choice: I love them with avocado, slaw, cheese, mustard, lettuce, tomato, and/or onion.
Instructions
The full recipe card for black bean and sweet potato veggie burgers is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.
Cook the sweet potato using your preferred method. You can bake a whole sweet potato, using a fork to poke holes in the skin before putting in the oven, for 45 to 60 minutes at 400 degrees F. Alternatively, you can cook one in the microwave or boil peeled chunks.
Add the flesh of the sweet potato to a large mixing bowl along with the black beans. Use a fork (such as a large silicone fork – one of my fav kitchen tools!) or a handheld potato masher to gently smash the beans into the potato. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.
Scoop out about ½ cup of the mixture and form it into a burger that’s about 3 to 4 inches wide and ½-inch thick. Repeat until you have 4 burgers.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through, until browned.
Grilling or Frying
Black bean and sweet potato veggie burgers, like most veggie burgers, do not hold up well when grilled. You could try cooking them on a grill mat to help prevent them from falling apart. If you do, report back! The burgers can be fried in a skillet with better results. Warm some olive oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Baking is still the best method in my opinion.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet until warmed through. You can also make the patties ahead of time without baking them and keep in the fridge on a covered plate for a few hours until you are ready to bake them.
To freeze the burgers, let them cool then transfer to a freezer-safe bag (like a Stasher bag) or airtight container. If using a bag, put the burgers in a single layer and lay it flat so they don’t stick together. If you need to stack them, place a piece of parchment or wax paper between the burgers. Reheat the burgers from frozen in the oven at 350 degrees F/177 degrees C for 8 to 10 minutes.
Serving
My favorite part about black bean and sweet potato veggie burgers is their versatility! Try them in one of these great ways:
- Eat them the traditional way slapped between a yummy whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo or mustard. Add some avocado if you want get fancy. I also love topping them with my Cabbage Carrot Slaw.
- Serve on top of a salad or grain bowl – the perfect lunch!
- Serve them with a fried egg on top for breakfast.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
If you’re hankering for more sweet potatoes, check out:
📖 Recipe
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato from about 1 medium sweet potato; cooled if possible
- 1 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed; or 1 and ¾ cup cooked black beans
- ½ cup breadcrumbs sub gluten free breadcrumbs or ground rolled oats if needed
- ½ cup sliced green onions from about 3 large green onions
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 hamburger buns if desired
- Toppings of choice lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, slaw, etc.
Instructions
- First, cook the sweet potato. You can do this in advance to save time. The total time for the recipe does not include the time it takes to cook the sweet potato, so keep that in mind. To bake the sweet potato, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Scrub and wash the sweet potato, and then poke several holes in it with a fork. Place the potato on a foil-lined baking sheet on the center rack of the oven, and cook for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. You can also make a Microwave Sweet Potato. It's helpful to let the sweet potato cool so that it holds the burgers together better. If you have the time, let it cool (this is another reason I recommend prepping in advance).
- Change the oven temperature to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel, scoop out, and measure the sweet potato flesh. Add it to a large mixing bowl with the black beans. Use the back of a fork or a potato masher to gently mash the beans into the potato.
- Add the breadcrumbs, green onions, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until well-combined.
- Scoop out ½ cup of the mixture. It's helpful to use a ½ cup measuring cup if you have one. Use your hands to form into a burger about 3 to 4 inches wide and ½-inch thick. Place on the lined baking sheet and repeat until you have 4 burgers.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve on a bun if desired and with your toppings of choice.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Nutrition: The calculated nutrition facts include the buns but not the toppings. Nutrition will vary based on how you serve the burgers.
- Alternative cooking methods: You can cook the burgers in a skillet with some oil for 3 to 5 minutes on each side over medium heat. I do not recommend grilling them as they would not hold up well.
- Storage: Keep burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet until warmed through.
- Freezing and reheating: To freeze, let the burgers cool and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag, place in a single layer, and lay flat in the freezer. If you need to stack the burgers in a container, separate them with a piece of parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F/177 degrees C for 8 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2013. It was updated with new photos and slight modifications to the recipe in June 2024.
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