Grill up this hefty and delicious quinoa bean veggie burger with spinach, carrots, sage, garlic and cumin for your summer cookout. The burger patty is vegan, gluten-free and nut-free and you can easily 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!)
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- 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.
Recipe FAQs
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
Recipe card
Quinoa Bean Burger
Ingredients
- 3 cups canned or 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 avocado oil or any neutral 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.
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.
Nutrition Information
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Vaishali Honawar says
Double the quantity for canned.
Anonymous says
I don't have time to do dried beans - how much kidney beans would you use if they're straight from the can?
Anonymous says
A friend made these this past weekend and they were divine! SO tasty!
Anonymous says
Just made these this afternoon. YUM! I added shredded Detroit beets, too. Definitely turned everything pink, but I am excited. Also, added smoked paprika and some smokey spice blends. Can't wait to server them to my hub later with baby arugula and basil hummus.
Thanks for the recipe!
Anonymous says
Ok.. you have to hear this! I LOVE burgers but have not found a decent burger patty out in the market. Everything is so bleah. Only Trader Joe's masala burger patty seemed ok but even then I was not comfortable using frozen food so often (My husband comes home from work super hungry and frozen patties are a blessing!! ) I found this recipe of yours and because I got so excited, without even trying it out I shared the link with a friend. She was excited because her 3 yr old sun was having a play date with an American friend in 2 days time and this would be ideal for the kids. She made it and apparently it was such a hit with the kids that my friend's 8 yr old daughter requested her mom to make the same patty in a hot dog shape that she could take to friends at school. Now isn't that cool? 😀 My motto - if an 8 yr old and a 3 yr old love it, go for it! 😀 So am going to make a huge batch this weekend to put in the freezer. Am travelling for a few months and this should be a lifesaver for my husband's "I am super hungry, feed me NOW" evenings. Thank you for the recipe!
Vaishali Honawar says
What a lovely story, and how sweet that the kids loved it! Shaping it like a hot dog sounds super fun. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this story.
Ana says
OMG THESE ARE DELICIOUS AND JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!!! YUMMMMMMMM!!!!! I have a love of all foods delicious and have many friends who are vegan so with a BBQ coming up I wanted things to be able to serve for EVERYONE and THIS IS IT!!! I am having a slider bar (mini burgers) and this will be the PERFECT vegan choice. I have to say I made them last night at 9pm and have eaten 3 massive burgers just on a plate with nothing else today one for breakfast, one for lunch and one for dinner with some fruit as a snack in between and am STILL FULL! (I made 8 massive patties from this recipe in my burger press) this will definitely be a HIT and OMG DO THEY SMELL AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!!! I put a few in the freezer prior to cooking and I think it will work just fine! THANK YOU THANK YOU for such an amazing vegan treat!
Vaishali Honawar says
Ana, so happy you liked them. I too ended up eating these all day and they were gone in just hours. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words and for the feedback.
Anonymous says
Can I use black beans instead of kidney beans?
thank you
Vaishali Honawar says
Yes, black beans would be wonderful in this. Use the same amount as the kidney beans.
Akta says
Hi Vaishali, the 1 cup kidney beans and 1 cup quinoa...is that the dry (uncooked) measurement or the cooked measurement? Sorry, for the silly question...:)
Vaishali Honawar says
Hi Akta, both are dried. 1 cup dried beans and 1 cup dry quinoa. And feel free to ask questions-- I don't think there are any silly ones. 🙂
Akta says
Thank you so much!! I can't wait to make these...just soaked the beans...store bought veg burgers are disgusting and way to expensive 🙂
Brodie Hearnden says
Hi Vaishali, I will definitely be tyring this out, I cooked some kindney beans a while ago and they have been sitting in my freezer waiting for them to be used. The time has come =)
Vaishali Honawar says
Brodie, hope you try 'em!
Mel says
That is such a gorgeous looking burger! We haven't had an outdoor grill for a few years and recipes like this really make me miss it.
Vaishali Honawar says
Thanks, Mel.
Kumudha says
Burger looks so yum! I'm so lazy, I have not tried to make burgers at home.
global vegan fare
Vaishali Honawar says
Hi Kumudha, if you like veggie burgers, it's definitely worth making them at home because the storebought ones are really not up to the mark.
divya says
Looks sooooooooooo inviting !
Vaishali Honawar says
Thanks!
Ellen says
These look great! Will definitely make some!
Vaishali Honawar says
Thanks.
Sangita Kalarickal says
This sounds delish! I simply MUST make them! Thank you!
Vaishali Honawar says
Thanks, Skay.
Pavani N says
What a hearty and delicious looking burger. I've never tried with quinoa, will try this soon.
Vaishali Honawar says
Hi Pavani, quinoa is great in veggie burgers, and it adds a lot of protein. Hope you try it!
Manasi says
What a great burger! I have bookmarked this.
I must check what Nayonaise is - never heard of it, but would like to try it 🙂 (there is no way I will eat mayo!)
Vaishali Honawar says
Hi Manasi,the Nayo is really quite good, and you can find it at most supermarkets like Whole Foods now.
mary says
Veganaise is even better. It is creamy, rich and not too much of a vinegar taste. Way better than Mayo.