A hearty, delicious and nutritious veggie quinoa bean burger for your next cookout!
Grill up this quinoa bean veggie burger with spinach, carrots, sage, garlic and cumin, then sit back and enjoy the applause. I slather on a dollop of vegan mayo mixed with sriracha and a spoonful of mint chutney for extra spice and top it with my homemade sauerkraut. I then serve it with a classic vegan potato salad on the side. The burger patty is vegan, gluten-free and nut-free and you can skip the tamari to make it soy-free.
This quinoa bean burger is so full of flavor and you'll love just how hearty and nourishing it is. And it's sturdy enough to stand up to the grill.
I experiment a lot with making all kinds of plant based burgers because Jay loves burgers. Instead of always relying on the store bought kind, which is more often than not heavily processed, I try and cook up delicious and healthy veggie burgers at home with bean and grain combinations, like this bean and oats burger, black bean burger and sprouted mung bean burger.
This quinoa bean burger is truly a hearty burger you can sink your teeth into. And it's packed with great-for-you veggies like carrots and kale or spinach (take your pick!)
Why you will love this quinoa bean burger
- It is one of the most flavorful veggie burgers you will make and eat. There are a ton of veggie burgers in the supermarket, but many are disappointingly bland and most are heavily processed. This quinoa bean burger tastes fresh and delicious because it is made with only good-for-you ingredients.
- Spices like cumin, coriander and garam masala add a dash of vivid, vibrant, vigorous flavor. The spices and sage add amazing smokiness. There's also so much great texture with the chewy quinoa and beans.
- All of the ingredients here are great for you. How could you go wrong with quinoa, beans, carrots, kale and healthy spices?
- It is so easy to make. There really isn't much to this recipe. You will need to cook the veggies first to cook out the moisture but that takes less than 10 minutes. All you do after that is mix the ingredients in a bowl, form the patties, and fry them.
- You can pan-fry, bake or air-fry the burger patties. I usually pan-fry these, but I've baked and air-fried them and they turn out great every way.
- They are incredible served with whole wheat burger buns.. I used storebought buns this time because I didn't have my homemade whole wheat burger buns on hand, but if you can, make the buns and use them to cradle these burger patties. They are amazing together.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked pinto beans or kidney beans. This is about 1 cup dry, if you are cooking from scratch. Canned beans work fine but using homemade beans can help give a better texture to your burger. This is because canned beans can often be mushy. With homemade beans cook them until they are very tender but not falling apart.
- 3 cups cooked quinoa. 1 cup of dried quinoa will make three cups.
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil + oil or cooking spray to roast the burgers.
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 large carrot or 2 small carrots.
- 1 cup kale or spinach. I prefer kale but sometimes, when spinach is all I have, I use that. Both work great.
- 1 medium onion
- 4 leaves of fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp cayenne (or paprika for less heat. You can also use smoked paprika for more smoky flavor, but if you do cut down to ½ teaspoon.)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp garam masala
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
How to make quinoa bean burgers
- Place the quinoa and beans in a large bowl. Mash them together so most of the beans are smushed but some remain whole so you have some texture in the burger. You can also do this in a food processor but make sure you don't overprocess the beans.
- In a seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet heat the oil. Add the garlic, saute for 30 seconds, then add the carrots and kale or spinach. Saute for a couple of minutes, then add in the remaining ingredients: onion, sage, tomato paste, cayenne or paprika, ground cumin and coriander, tamari, ground black pepper, garam masala and chickpea flour. Mix everything well and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is aromatic and there is no visible moisture.
- Add the veggie mixture to the bowl with the beans and quinoa. Add dijon mustard. Check salt and add more if needed. Mix everything together.
- Form 14 four-inch patties with the mixture.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray or coat with oil.
- Place the burgers in the skillet without crowding them. Cook on either side until golden-brown spots appear.
Serving suggestions
- For a spicy burger, serve with vegan mayo mixed with a dash of hot sauce or horseradish, lettuce or spinach greens, onion and tomato rings, and pickled jalapeno peppers. We love layering in some sauerkraut.
- Spread some mint chutney on the burger buns before adding the patties and other toppings of your choice.
- Brush the veggie burgers with bbq sauce before grilling and once again before serving.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the burger patties in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freeze: Flash freeze the burger patties by placing them on a baking sheet and freezing them completely. Then place the burgers in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat frozen burgers in a skillet or in the air fryer or oven until warmed through.
- Grill: Place the frozen burgers on the grate and grill until char marks appear.
Frequently asked questions
To air-fry the quinoa bean burger patties, set the air fryer to 375 degrees and air fry the burger patties for 15 minutes. Spray the burger patties with cooking spray or oil before placing them in the air fryer basked and make sure you don't crowd the basket -- leave a little room between the patties.
To bake the burgers, place them on an oiled or parchment lined baking sheet with at least an inch between the patties. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Yes, these are extremely healthy burgers with six grams of healthy protein and six grams of fiber in each burger patty for just 126 calories. The quinoa and beans combine to form a whole protein that's also heart-healthy. You also get a good amount of vitamins A and C and other minerals from this burger patty. Serving these with whole wheat burger buns will increase the quantity of protein by another six grams and the fiber by four grams.
The burger patties are nut-free and gluten-free. The chickpea flour is a great binder and you don't need bread crumbs or panko breadcrumbs here. If you want to make the patties soy-free just skip the tamari or use an equal quantity of coconut aminos.
Absolutely. Just swap out the quinoa for the same quantity of rice.
Yes, most beans would be fine here and black beans would work just as well as pinto beans or kidney beans.
More veggie burger recipes you might like
- Chana Masala Veggie Burger
- Falafel Burger
- Curried Jackfruit Burger
- Beet Burger with Chipotle Cashew Hummus
- Black Bean and Black Rice Burger
- Moroccan Chickpea Burger
Quinoa Bean Burger
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked pinto beans (or kidney beans or black beans. Start with 1 cup dried beans if cooking from scratch to yield 3 cups cooked beans)
- 3 cups cooked quinoa (start with 1 cup dried quinoa to yield 3 cups cooked quinoa)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (plus more for cooking or baking burger patties. You can also use a cooking spray)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed through a garlic press or minced)
- 1 large carrot (or 2 small carrots, grated using the medium-sized holes on a box grater)
- 1 cup kale (or spinach, finely chopped. Kale is preferred for a better texture to the patties)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 4 leaves sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (or paprika for less heat)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ¼ cup chickpea flour (besan)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Place the quinoa and beans in a large bowl. Mash them together so most of the beans are smushed but some remain whole so you have some texture in the burger.
- In a seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet heat the oil. Add the garlic, saute for 30 seconds, then add the carrots and kale or spinach. Saute for a couple of minutes, then add in the remaining ingredients: onion, sage, tomato paste, cayenne or paprika, ground cumin and coriander, tamari, ground black pepper, garam masala and chickpea flour. Mix everything well and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is aromatic and there is no visible moisture.
- Add the veggie mixture to the bowl with the beans and quinoa. Add dijon mustard. Check salt and add more if needed. Mix everything together.
- Form 14 four-inch patties with the mixture.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray or coat with oil.
- Place the burgers in the skillet without crowding them. Cook on either side until golden-brown spots appear.
Recipe notes
- Nutrition information is for burger patties fried with calorie-free cooking spray.
- For a spicy burger, serve with vegan mayo mixed with a dash of hot sauce or horseradish, lettuce or spinach greens, onion and tomato rings, and pickled jalapeno peppers. We love layering in some sauerkraut. Or spread some mint chutney on the burger buns before adding the patties and other toppings of your choice.
- To air-fry the quinoa bean burger patties, set the air fryer to 375 degrees and air fry the burger patties for 15 minutes. Spray the burger patties with cooking spray or oil before placing them in the air fryer basked and make sure you don't crowd the basket -- leave a little room between the patties.
- To bake the burgers, place them on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet with at least an inch between the patties. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the burger patties in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freeze: Flash freeze the burger patties by placing them on a baking sheet and freezing them completely. Then place the burgers in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat frozen burgers in a skillet or in the air fryer or oven until warmed through.
- Grill: Place the frozen burgers on the grate and grill until char marks appear.
Dawn
Hi
These burgers are delish! However I can not keep them from falling apart after cooking. I followed directions explicitly &grilled them in a cast iron pan with a spray of oil.
crisp on outside ..mushy on inside and fall apart. Any advice?
Vaishali
Hi Dawn, make sure that the quinoa and beans are not too mushy and overcooked. Too much moisture in the ingredients could be the reason they fall apart. You can also add more chickpea flour -- double the quantity in the recipe.
Dorie
These are really good!! I made half into patties and copied Jill and made the other half into small nuggets. I'm going to take the small ones to my brother's cookout and serve with pita bread and a nice cool tzatziki sauce , since I put in the full teaspoon of cayenne.
Vaishali
So awesome you loved the burger patties, Dorie! I love the idea of making nuggets and serving them in pitas. Very creative.
Alma
What is the sodium content since I have to watch my sodium?
Vaishali
Hi Alma, you can add as much salt as you want or leave out salt altogether--there's so much flavor from the other ingredients. Or use a no-salt seasoning.
Kimm
Hi Vaishali ,
Love this recipe. I want to try making it but I want to use my instant pot to cook the Quinn and vegetables. Any advice?
Thank you so much 🙂
Kim
Vaishali
Hi Kimm, you can cook the quinoa in the Instant Pot--add 1 cup quinoa and 1 3/4 cups water and pressure cook for 4 minutes. You can saute the veggies on the saute function of the IP.
Joy
Hi there. Question: 1 cup dry quinoa makes more than a cup as does 1 cup dried beans. Do I use 1 cup cooked of both or the entire amount for both. I cooked beans the other day and wonder if I should just measure out a cup. I don't even know if I am making the question clear, but thanks for any clarification.
Vaishali
Use the entire amount of beans and quinoa after cooking!
Vaishali
Did you mash the beans? There should be enough moisture from that and the other ingredients to hold the patties together. If you still have trouble getting them to hold, add more moisture, water would be fine.
Lorraine
Just stumbled across your site and so far loving it...
Love Indian food too
Just would like to know would it be ok to use canned beans?
The texture may change
Thanks so much love your work
Vaishali
Canned beans are fine! Thanks for the kind words. 🙂
Soni Gupta
Hi vaishali, I stumbled on to your website and I love it. It's perfect for me. I'm vegetarian (no meat, fish eggs or gelatin), gluten free, and yeast free. I like to eat wholesome food and less processed food. I want to try these burgers but which mustard powder do you mean? The one from the American store, or do you mean ground up mustard seeds that we use in Indian food? Keep the recipes coming, thank you so much. Hope to hear from you soon.
Vaishali
Hi Soni, thanks for your kind words. Just use the Indian mustard seeds ground up-- that's what I do! 🙂
Jill
We loved this recipe. I made it with chickpeas instead of kidney beans because I had some made and used frozen spinach instead of kale and coconut amigos for my daughter who is allergic to soy. Came out great for us adults and then I made bite size chickpea nuggets for my 2 year old which satiated her need to dip everything in ketchup. We will definitely be making this recipe regularly now.
Vaishali Honawar
Jill, those sound like great substitutions. Chickpea nuggets sound like a great idea. So glad the adults and kids liked it! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
rocio
Any subs for quinoa or chickpea flour? It doesn't have to be a vegan sub.
Vaishali
You can use any bean flour, or even all-purpose flour.
Gemi
I'm not vegan but this looks really delicious. What can I substitute for tomatoe paste and kale? Can I use a fresh tomatoe?
Vaishali
Hi Gemi, you can use a tiny bit of ketchup instead of the tomato paste. Spinach would be a good substitute for kale.