A scrumptious, grill-worthy and nourishing vegan Bean and Oats Burger that is packed with all the goodness you can imagine from oats, two kinds of beans, and carrots. There are no added oils in this veggie burger patty and it's hefty and sturdy enough for your Memorial Day grill. Also a gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
Some of your favorite veggie burgers on this blog, and mine, have long been these vegan bean and oats burgers. It's easy to see why. They are full of flavor and yet they are utterly healthy with carrots, oats and red beans and pinto beans. A veggie burger simply does not get any better than this.
This is a really easy burger to make and it's full of texture from the beans and oats, which makes it wonderful to bite into. It easily makes it to the griddle and back, and is sturdy enough to throw on a grill.
What you'll love about these bean and oats burgers
- They're delicious.
- They are made with beans and oats and carrots--all foods that are good for you.
- They're sturdy enough for the grill.
- They are free of any added fats or nuts, so they're great if you're looking for a waist-friendly option.
- They are tried and tested, over and over, by dozens of Holy Cow! readers, so you don't have to take my word for it.
Featured comment:
I just made your Oat and Bean burgers and I am delighted with them!!! They are so delicious on a sesame bun with spicy brown mustard, ketchup and dill pickles. Thank you!!!
Karla S.
Ingredients
- Onion
- Garlic
- Quick-Cooking Oats (or rolled oats, run through a food processor to break them down a bit, are fine)
- Pinto beans
- Red beans
- Carrots
- Ground cumin
- Cayenne
- Tomato ketchup
- Dijon mustard of whole-grain mustard
- Tamari (optional if soy-free)
- Salt, as needed
- Cooking spray for coating the pan or grill
Tips and steps for making these veggie burgers
- Mash the beans: Place the beans in a bowl and mash them together. You should mash them well so the burgers hold together, but it's okay if a few beans remain whole, as they will add more texture.
- Cook the veggies: You will need to cook the carrots, onions and garlic first before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. This helps get rid of any moisture that could make your burgers fall apart when you cook them, and it also gives you an opportunity to cook the veggies with the spices, helping them marry together. This is not a long-drawn process--it takes just about five minutes.
- Prep the oats: Quick-cooking oats, which are usually cut into smaller pieces than rolled oats, are great in this recipe. I don't usually have quick oats on hand so I just use rolled oats and run them through the food processor to break them down further.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients: Mix in the onion-carrot mixture, oats and seasonings and mix it all together really well.
- Form the patties: I get eight hefty burger patties from this recipe. You can make them thicker, as I did this time, or shape them thinner as you see in the photo below from the last time I shared this recipe.
- Cook the burgers: I recommend cooking these burgers on a skillet first, with a bit of cooking spray, before you throw them on the grill. That will also take care of any worries about the burgers sticking to the grill.
- Serve the burgers: These burgers are great with this whole wheat burger buns. Serve them layered with hummus, like this eggplant hummus, greens, and a vegan coleslaw.
FAQs
You can use either. I have made this burger with both and it doesn't make a difference and you really can't beat canned beans for convenience. For the burgers you see in the photos this time I used canned pinto and red beans. The 14-oz cans yielded just over a cup of beans each after they were drained.
If starting with dry beans, use half a cup of red beans and a half a cup of pinto beans, soak them overnight, then cook them in enough water until really tender.
Yes and yes. If you want to make these with only pinto beans or only kidney beans that is fine. You can also use other kinds of beans--black beans would be great here.
You can store them in the refrigerator, after cooking them, for about a week. For longer storage I'd separate the burgers with parchment and store in the freezer in freezer-safe containers. To reheat, throw on a hot griddle or grill coated with cooking spray.
More veggie burger recipes:
- Spicy Vegan Black Bean Burgers
- Black Bean and Black Rice Burger
- Quinoa and Bean Burger
- Beet Burger with Chipotle Cashew Hummus
- Sprouted Mung Bean Burger with Mint Cilantro Chutney
Vegan Bean and Oats Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 large onion (finely minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 medium carrot (grated)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (use more or less based on your preference)
- 14 oz pinto beans
- 14 oz red kidney beans
- 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats (I ran regular rolled oats in the food processor for a minute)
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or whole grain mustard)
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce. Leave out if soy-free and use more salt)
- Salt to taste
- Cooking spray
For serving
- Whole wheat burger buns
- Baby spinach or other greens
- coleslaw
Instructions
- Heat a skillet and saute the onion and garlic with a tiny bit of salt (no oil) for a few minutes until translucent but not brown.
- Add the carrots, cayenne, and cumin and cook a couple minutes or until carrot is tender. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Mash the beans in a large bowl. Add the carrot mixture, mustard, ketchup, tamari and oats.
- Mix well, then shape the mixture into eight patties. You can make more, smaller patties, or fewer, larger ones. For the grill shape the patties thicker.
- Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet and coat with cooking spray. Cook patties over medium heat for four to five minutes on each side, or until golden brown. I like mine a little charred for extra flavor or you can char them on the grill.
Kara
This is my first time making a homemade bean burger and it turned out awesome! For the finishing touches, I put grilled onions on my burger so that with ketchup and mustard, it really didnt taste too much different than a meat based burger! Consistency is obviously softer and not as formed but also not as heavy as meat is which I love. Definitely a saved future recipe. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Meg
Can you use gluten free steel cut oats? Is there a way to substitute?
Matthew
I made this recipe for dinner tonight, but used black beans. Best black bean burger recipe I've ever tried! It was perfect.
Vaishali
Awesome, so happy you loved it!
Jeramy Boocks
Good post. I certainly appreciate this website. Keep it up!
Andrew
Can I air fry the patties?
Vaishali
Hi, you certainly can. I haven't done it myself so don't have exact times but I would estimate about 8 minutes on either side at about 375 degrees F/190 degrees C.
Meri Schroeder
Made these as the recipe reads, and they were delicious! Super easy to make. I love that there's no real added oil except the cooking spray.
Thank you for the healthy and tasty recipe!!
Vaishali
So happy you made it Meri!
Sonya
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I'm going to try these tonight and already know they will be delicious 😋 think I'll switch up the spices a bit for a little smokey flavor, I absolutely love healthy vegan foods.
Vaishali
Awesome!
Tera
Thank you so much for this recipe! So much flavour and a little kick too. My first successful vegan burger recipe yet! Others were always so dry.
My young daughter loved eating the mix right out of the bowl. Can’t wait to check out more of your recipes!
Vaishali
Hi Tera, so happy to hear you and your daughter enjoyed the burger recipe! This is our favorite veggie burger too, and my son Jay loves it.
Kathy
Health reason have suggested vegan is necessary...I hope these are as tasty as everyone says!
Cheryl
I made them exactly as written and they were fantastic.
Vaishali
So awesome to hear--thanks for letting me know!
Anonymous
Please provide the option of NO pictures. Many of us do not want to print or save the beautiful photos, just the instructions.
Thanks!
Vaishali
Hi, when you click on print recipe you should see two checkboxes at the top--"Recipe image" and "instruction images". Uncheck both of those and it'll print without any photos!
M
Wish I could post a pic! I made these and I adore them! I actually used black beans because that’s what I had, and I loved the depth of flavor I achieved! Awesome recipe!
Vaishali
So happy you loved them, M! These are my favorite burger patties.
Debi
What a pleasant surprise. I used only mashed pintos, soy sauce and omitted carrot. Each used their own choice of condiments. No complaints whatsoever! Will make again!
Vaishali
So great to hear!
Ami
Hi. I tried making it today. Oven baked. Came out yummy with salad sandwiches.
Vaishali
So great to hear, Ami!
Dani
All I have in my kitchen currently are precooked lentils in my freezer. Can I use lentils instead of both the beans???
Vaishali
Yes!
Dara
Can you sub steel cut oats for the quick cooking oats? Thank you.
David
Do I need to soak and cook canned beans first? Or can I just miss this step?
Vaishali
No need to soak cooked or canned beans. Drain them before using!
Vaishali
That won't work as steel cut oats have a much longer cook time.
Karen
I am wondering if you can sub canned beans, thoroughly rinsed? Looking forward to trying these! Thanks.
Sara
Yes I did ? it can actually make things go quicker and be done faster with canned beans rinsed ?
Lisa
Whats the ratio with canned beans - is it still half a cup.
Lilly
I think 1/2 cup dry beans makes about 1.5 cups beans once cooked so I would say 1 - 1.5 cups of each bean but I haven't tried it yet; about to tonight
Robin
I'm eating this burger now. It's really good. Thank you.
Vaishali
So happy to hear!
Zissel Black
They came out amazing!!!
We all loved them. Great surprise.
Anonymous
Are you supposed to blend the rolled oats ?
Vaishali
If you use rolled oats run them through a food processor or blender to break them up. You don't have to do this if you use instant or quick cooking oats.
Elaine
My spouse won't do anything that seems like ketchup because of an aversion to vinegar. What can I sub. I have liquid smoke, tomato?
Poppy
With the chili powder, cumin, mustard and tamari you're not going to know there is ketchup in the recipe. But you can just leave it out, add some tomato paste and a pinch of sugar.
Vaishali
Tomato paste is fine!
David
If adding some TVP, about how much would you add?
Vaishali
I would add about a fourth of a cup of TVP soaked in hot water for at least an hour.
Evolvingtastes
I had saved this recipe a long time ago, but didn’t get to try it until now. It turned out beautifully! Thanks Vaishali. ?
Vaishali
So happy you liked it!
Mike
I just made the Vegan Bean and Oats Burgers and they were fantastic! I highly recommend them to everyone. From this recipe, I know you have great taste, so I will be checking our your other recipes for sure.
Karla S.
I just made your Oat and Bean burgers and I am delighted with them!!! They are so delicious on a sesame bun with spicy brown mustard, ketchup and dill pickles. Thank you!!!
I am new to the Vegan lifestyle and don't ever want to go back to eating meat (although it can be challenging when one is surrounded by disapproving meat-eaters). The "oats" were what made me want to try this recipe. I was getting a little weary of seeing so many recipes with sweet potatoes/yams, even though I really like them. Now I know where to look for my future recipes. Thanks again for the awesome burger recipe!
Maria
I just made these for the Memorial Day weekend, and boy, are they good! We are going to love grilling these. Thank YOU!
Dawn
I am so glad I found this site. I have been making these burgers for a few weeks now and they are totally awesome! My husband gives them 2 thumbs up. The only modification I made is I only use pinto beans. The portions are spot on. They make good size burgers. I form them into patties and put each one on wax paper and stack them and put them in the freezer. What a lifesaver when I am too tired to cook something during the week. I recommend this recipe highly. Thank you so much!
Emma
Very tasty! Made these over the weekend and they came out very well. Good flavour but they do fall apart pretty easily on a bun. Was expecting that though as most veggie burgers do the same.
Emma
Do you think these would freeze ok?
Vaishali
Yes!
Elisa
Hello Vaishali,
Hope you are having a nice weekend.
This recipe sounds great and I would like to try it. I was wondering though, could these be made on a cuisinart Belgian waffle and pancake maker without using oil?
Is oil important to the final flavour or texture of the burger?
Sylvie V.
Hello,
I'm French, i sometimes come on your blog for a visit ! I tried this recipe for breakfast, i only replaced pinto beans by cheakpeas and added one egg.
It was delicious!
Thanks for your good ideas!
Sylvie
mixermaid
I have now made these many times and they are the best veggie burgers I have ever tried. I use a mix of black beans and pinto beans. I have also substituted the seasoning and just used 100% Cajun - yummy.. My husband (a heavy meat eater also loves them). I make double recipe and freeze them and they fry up perfectly in a light coating of oil.
trf144Tom Farrell
Vaishali
I mad these today but substituted one can of red beans and added about a teaspoon of garlic. When working with the batter I used about a half cup of whole wheat flour and cooked up ten small sliders! They are delicious! Tom Farrell
Pratik
Added cheakpeas with oats andd beans. It was great twist. Very nice and tasty recipe. Try it you won't be disappointed. Thank you for recipe
Smriti
Dear Vishali Honawar--Namaste! I am looking forward to trying your recipe. Looks really yummy! I love that the mix makes 8 burgers, but I would need to freeze the uncooked burgers. Can I do this? Or should I cook all and freeze the ones we can't eat? Bless you! Smriti D.
Nina
Wow! These are great! I make all kinds of bean burgers, but my go to is a black bean...Not anymore!! My family loves this burger! And, easy to make! Thank you!!!
Manimala
These Burgers came out perfect,i cannot thank you enough!
mixermaid
I have made these twice now. Both times I blitzed 1 can Red Kidney Beans and 1 can Black Beans in a processor first along with the liquid ingredients, then added sauted veg and blitzed some more. Then simply folded in separately blitzed rolled oats. The mix made 7 x 4oz burgers. They are wonderful and even my meat eating husband loved them. They will be a regular in my home and I have another batch freezing at the moment. I did try baking them in the oven to avoid fat / oil but they were a little dry. Pan frying is best in a little exra virgin olive oil. Love them.
Steve Gaydos
I just tried your burger recipe. it was great. I ran out of burger buns but I formed the mixture into the shape of a hotdog. it turned out good. I can't wait to try that on the grill.
Vaishali Honawar
Steve, good idea to shape it into a hot dog-- I am going to try doing that with some burger recipes, being a huge hot dog fan! 🙂
Anonymous
Vaishali, My wife tried this and said it was good. I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner. I hope you like it.
Robbin
Thank you so much for this recipe!! You saved me so much money and so healthy too!!I first made these exactly as directed, but I also thought a chewy texture would be nice, so I substituted oats with 1 cup PRECOOKED, COLD steel cut oats and 1full cup quick oats, or enough to make the mixture stiff enough to make patties. A nice smoky barbeque sauce is yummy with these too. We now have these weekly. ...even my picky son loves them! Blessings to you!!
Denielle
Thank you for the recipe - these were delicious and very easy to make. I find that it made about 8 good size burgers and I put several of them in the freezer until we are ready to cook them. This is a very economical recipe as well as yummy!
Ge
I am going on a camping trip soon and I am looking for burgers I could make ahead (maybe the night before or a few days before and freeze?) and that keep their shape when they are cooked on a grill on an open fire. Would this work with this recipe or should these be cooked immediately?
Thank you.
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Ge, You can make these ahead-- be sure to cook them on the griddle and then freeze them separated by wax paper. When you're ready to cook, slap them on the grill. They will hold their shape.
linda
Just made these bean and oat burgers....lassie....you are wonderful. X
Halla Einarsdottir
Wonderful - just made these !
Sarah
This is my official go to veggie burger recipe 🙂
It ticks all the boxes;
Quick and easy
Cheap to make (all the ingredients are always n my cupboard too)
Great texture
DELICIOUS!!
It's even a winner with my meat eating friends and family.
Thanks for this awe some recipe!!
Jeanne
I’m cooking this right now. I didn’t have ketchup so I used sriracha. I also used black cumin because I love very spicy food. They smell good. Will write back when I’m done.
Anonymous
Does it matter if the oatmeal is cooked or not?
Vaishali Honawar
Don't cook the oats. They should be raw.
Viviana Lahrs
HI, question: Do you cook the oats or not before adding? thanks!
Vaishali Honawar
No, the oats are not cooked.