Smoky with a little bit of sweet, this sweet potato black bean burger recipe is easy to throw together with minimal ingredients. Serve in buns with optional (but so good!) Sriracha mayo, lettuce, red onion and tomato slices.
If you have a sweet potato, a can of black beans and some simple pantry staples, then you can make these burgers. I love how budget friendly and simple this recipe is, plus they taste amazing! If you can, I highly recommend making some simple Sriracha vegan mayo. The creamy, spicy sauce pairs perfectly with the sweet and smoky burgers.
I think you will love these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers. They’re:
Very mildly smoky and spiced
Subtly sweet and savory
Filling and satisfying
Crispy on the outside, tender inside
& just 9 ingredients!
How to make them
Start by roasting a medium sweet potato in the oven until fork tender. I like to speed things up by cutting the sweet potato in half lengthwise, then place orange flesh side down and bake for about 30 minutes.
Once the flesh is cool enough to handle, scoop out the cooked sweet potato flesh and add to a large bowl. Mash, then add the black beans and mash a bit more, leaving some beans whole.
Now, to the same bowl, add the diced red onion, oats, spices and salt. Mix well with a large spoon. Add more salt to taste.
Shape into patties with your hands, using about 1/2 cup for each one. Place burgers on a greased pan (or use parchment paper).
Bake for 15 minutes, flip gently and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven.
Sriracha mayo
For the optional Sriracha mayo, simply stir together 1/2 cup of vegan mayo (store bought or homemade), with 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce and a tiny pinch of garlic powder.
To serve
Serve sweet potato black bean burgers with Sriracha mayo (or regular mayo), lettuce, tomato slices, red onions, and/or avocado slices. Enjoy!
Gluten free
To ensure these burgers are gluten free, use gluten free certified oats, and gluten free buns.
If you liked this recipe, make sure to check out The Best Veggie Burger Recipe as well.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger
Ingredients
Sweet potato black bean patties
- 1 medium sweet potato, cooked
- (1)15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup chopped small red onion
- 1/2 cup rolled oats or quick oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
Sriracha mayo, optional
- 1/2 cup Vegan Mayo
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
- tiny pinch garlic powder
For serving
- 6 burger buns
- lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, avocado slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Cut the sweet potato in half lengthwise and place facedown on the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until fork tender and cooked through. Remove from oven. Lower the oven to 375 degrees.
- When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and add the flesh to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher, add the black beans and slightly mash the beans into the sweet potatoes, leaving some beans whole.
- To the bowl with the sweet potatoes and black beans, add the diced red onion, oats, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir well with a large spoon until combined. Taste, add more salt if desired.
- Prepare a baking sheet for the burgers by either lightly greasing with oil or using parchment paper. You can use the same pan you cooked the sweet potato on.
- Fill a 1/2 cup measuring cup, then form into a burger shape, about 1 inch thick. You can make them thinner or thicker as you prefer. Place burgers on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flip carefully and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven.
- Optional Sriracha mayo: In a small bowl, stir together the vegan mayo (homemade or store bought), Sriracha and a tiny pinch of garlic powder.
- Serve in buns with optional Sriracha mayo (or regular vegan mayo), lettuce, tomato slices, red onion and/or avocado slices.
Notes
- Store leftover patties in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze them. Reheat either in the microwave or the stovetop until warm.
- If you don't like onions or have picky kids, you can omit the red onions.
- Gluten Free: To ensure these are gluten free, use gluten free certified oats and a gluten free bun.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first posted July 2017 and has been updated with an easier recipe process and ingredients, and new photos.
Thank you! Since my CSA farm share includes a lot of sweet potatoes fall-early spring, I’ve been on a mission to find a sweet potato recipe I actually like. I’ve tried so many recipes from friends who swear I’ll like theirs, but they are invariably too sweet even when meant to be savory. But this is perfect! It’s easy, nutritious, is made with items I always have on hand, and it’s so good that I went back for a second patty when I tried it! The only change I made was to the spice selection and amount. This is a perfect recipe to make in a large batch and freeze for ready meals when I get in half a dozen or so sweet potatoes from the farm at once.
Initially, I thought that these burgers were not going to firm up however, I baked them for 20 minutes on each side and that seemed to do the trick. I upped the seasoning just a bit and also slightly carmelized a regular yellow onion (didn’t have a purple one on hand) before adding to the sweet potato and bean mixture. I’d say that these burgers are quite good and I’ll definitely make them again!
I just bought an air fryer can theses be cooked in it, and how long?
Hi Robyn. I’ve never cooked these in an air fryer but it should work just fine! I would say bae for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning them halfway through for even cooking. Enjoy!