When it comes to veggie burgers, black beans tend to get all the love. And I get it! I love a good black bean burger. But I’ll let you in on a secret: other beans work just as well when it comes to making bean burgers. In fact, you can usually swap out the beans that a recipe calls for with just about any other variety of common beans! I created this recipe specifically with red kidney beans in mind (although you’re totally welcome to substitute chickpeas or black beans or cannellini beans). I really enjoy Tex-Mex spices with kidney beans, so that’s how I seasoned my burgers. They turned out scrumptious! And they also happen to be super easy to make. Just blend, shape, and grill!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Rolled oats. Kidney beans. The recipe calls for canned kidney beans, but feel free to soak and cook your own beans if you prefer. Try this method. You’ll need about 2 cups of cooked beans.Red onion. Yellow onion works as well if that’s what you have on hand.Garlic.Spices. We’re using ground cumin and chili powder.Hot sauce. Use a mild, vinegar-based hot sauce such as Cholula and your burgers will still be pretty mild. If you really can’t take the heat, leave it out and substitute a tablespoon or two of vinegar instead.Fresh cilantro. You can leave this out or use parsley instead if you’re not a fan.Salt & pepper.Olive oil. Feel free to substitute another high-heat oil, such as avocado, corn, or canola.Burger buns. Toppings. Get creative here! Try vegan mayo, ketchup, mustard, salsa, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, avocado, and/or sliced vegan cheese.
How They’re Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Place your oats into a food processor bowl and blend them up until they’re finely chopped. Almost a powder, but not quite.
Add the beans, chopped onion, minced garlic, spices, hot sauce, cilantro, salt and pepper to the food processor bowl and blend everything up. Don’t overblend the mixture — make sure it has some texture.Taste-test the mixture and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. This may mean more salt, pepper, hot sauce, or spices.
Tip: Really scrape the sides and bottom of your food processor bowl with a spatula. The ground oats have a tendency to get stuck in the corners.
Shape your bean mixture into patties and pan-fry them for a few minutes in an oiled skillet. Carefully flip them about halfway through. They should be lightly crisped and browned when they’re done.
Stuff the patties into buns and pile on your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Variation: Baked Kidney Bean Burgers
If you prefer to bake your burgers, simply place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 400°F. Give them 25 to 30 minutes of bake time, carefully flipping them halfway through.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover kidney bean burgers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
More Vegan Burger Recipes
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