Smoky BBQ Black Bean Burger
User Reviews
4.9
170 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
1 hr
-
Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
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Servings
4 (burgers)
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Calories
369 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Vegan
Smoky BBQ Black Bean Burger
Report
The Smoky BBQ Black Bean Burger combines quinoa, black beans, pecans, sweet potato, and mushrooms with smoky spices and BBQ sauce to create a plant-based burger that's hearty and textured. Toasting the beans and nuts before mixing enhances their flavor and texture, while cooking the sweet potatoes adds sweetness and softness. The mushrooms contribute umami, balanced by chili powder and cumin. This burger is suited for those looking for a meat alternative that has depth and a slight smoky tang.
Description
This burger recipe brings together cooked quinoa, black beans, and pecans toasted to deepen flavors and reduce moisture. Sweet potatoes are cooked separately until browned and tender, adding a natural sweetness and soft texture. Sautéed mushrooms with optional coconut aminos add umami complexity. The mixture is seasoned with chili powder, cumin, salt, and BBQ sauce, creating a smoky, mildly spicy flavor profile. The burgers can be cooked in a skillet until golden and are suitable for serving on hamburger buns or lettuce wraps with fresh vegetables.
The recipe involves multiple steps including toasting ingredients to avoid a mushy texture and combining them for a balanced burger that holds well while offering a variety of textures from crunch to softness. Pecans add richness, while the sweet potato and quinoa provide structure.
Optional serving considerations include hamburger buns (gluten-free or vegan options) and fresh veggies like tomato, onion, or pickles. This burger offers a flavorful alternative for plant-based diets or for those reducing meat intake.
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Ingredients
BURGERS
- 1 cup quinoa divided // see notes for cooking instructions, cooked and cooled
- 1 ounce black beans rinsed and dried, canned
- 2/3 cup pecans raw
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil plus more for cooking burgers // or water, or avocado oil
- 1 heaping cup sweet potato cut into 1/4-inch rounds, sliced and peeled
- 2 heaping cups cremini mushroom thinly sliced or button mushroom
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste, sea salt
- 2 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3 Tbsp BBQ sauce I like Annie’s organic original BBQ sauce // plus more for glazing, vegan-friendly
FOR SERVING (optional)
- hamburger buns and gluten-free if needed, vegan-friendly or lettuce wraps
- veggies of choice (i.e. onion, cabbage, tomato, pickles)
Instructions
- If you haven’t yet, cook quinoa and set aside to cool (see notes for instructions).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and spread rinsed, dried black beans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake beans for 6 minutes. Then add pecans to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes more. The nuts should be fragrant and golden brown (be careful not to burn), and the beans should appear dry and cracked open (this way, they do not become mushy in the burger mix). Set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- In the meantime, heat a medium to large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and the sweet potato. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning heat down if the potatoes are browning too quickly. Once browned on the underside, flip and cook for 3-4 minutes more or until tender and golden brown. Remove from the pan.
- To the still-hot pan, add the sliced mushrooms and coconut aminos (optional - sub a little salt otherwise) and cook on medium/medium-high for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until they’re browned, fragrant, and cooked down to half their size. Set aside.
- To a food processor, add beans and pecans and blitz/pulse into a loose meal (some texture is good - you don’t want a powder).
- Next, add cooked sweet potato, mushrooms, half the quinoa, sea salt, chili powder, cumin, and BBQ sauce and pulse a few times to combine (again, some texture is good here - you're not going for a purée).
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the rest of the quinoa. Then taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cumin for smokiness, chili powder for heat, BBQ sauce for sweetness / depth of flavor, or salt for saltiness.
- If the mixture appears too wet, add more quinoa. If it looks too dry, add more BBQ sauce (or a little coconut aminos) to moisten.
- Divide the mixture into four even balls and form into patties with your hands or by lining a 1/2 cup measuring cup with plastic wrap, packing the mixture inside, then lifting the plastic wrap out - mash slightly into more of a disc. Refrigerate burgers for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, heat the cast-iron or metal pan from earlier over medium heat. Once hot, add a bit more oil (or water) and the burgers. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Then carefully flip and cook for 4-5 minutes on the other side. Then turn off heat, glaze/brush with a bit more BBQ sauce, and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake at 375 F (190C) for 10-15 minutes more. The burgers should appear browned.
- Serve as is or with toppings. We enjoyed ours on buns with butter lettuce, shredded red pepper, shredded cabbage, pickles, radish, and more BBQ sauce. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Notes
- To prepare quinoa, toast it briefly before simmering in water to enhance its nutty flavor and prevent mushiness.
- Cooking and cooling quinoa before combining with other ingredients ensures proper texture in the burger.
- Toast black beans and pecans in the oven to reduce moisture and add crunch, preventing a mushy burger consistency.
- Use gluten-free or vegan hamburger buns or lettuce wraps as needed for dietary preferences.
- Nutrition information applies per burger and excludes optional ingredients added for serving.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1burger
Calories
369
(18%)
Carbohydrates
42.1g
(14%)
Protein
11.1g
(22%)
Fat
18.8g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
4.2g
(21%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5.1g
(30%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8.2g
(41%)
Trans Fat
0g
(0%)
Cholesterol
0mg
(0%)
Sodium
823mg
(34%)
Potassium
713mg
(15%)
Fiber
11.9g
(48%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
857IU
(17%)
Vitamin C
3.6mg
(4%)
Calcium
94mg
(9%)
Iron
4.3mg
(24%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4(burgers)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 369 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1burger | |
| Calories | 369 | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 42.1g | 14% |
| Protein | 11.1g | 22% |
| Fat | 18.8g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 4.2g | 21% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.1g | 30% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8.2g | 41% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 823mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 713mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 11.9g | 48% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 857IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 3.6mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 94mg | 9% |
| Iron | 4.3mg | 24% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
170 reviews
Excellent
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