Hearty, and delicious with a bit of a kick, Black Bean Walnut Burgers with Saucy Sweet Onions are mixed in a food processor, rested in the refrigerator then grilled or pan fried. Like my BBQ Chickpea Burgers, these burgers are make ahead ready, freezer friendly, grillable and easy to pull together.
Top with saucy sweet onions, guacamole and pickled peppers to take this burger over the top! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe Review: “Just made this today and LOVE it ! My husband and I are not vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat so this is now our go to burger!” ~ Jeanne
My Best Black Bean Walnut Burger Recipe
Easy to pull together since they’re mixed in a food processor and perfect for meal prep, these hearty vegan black bean veggie burgers are full of whole food ingredients and with ones you can pronounce. Homemade veggie burgers are the ultimate comfort food.
This recipe has a similar flavor profile to my vegetarian Classic Black Bean Veggie Burgers, but of course, this Black Bean Walnut Burger recipe is egg free and vegan relying on different binders for firmness and texture. If you compare the two, I’d love to hear your take!
How They’re Egg Free
Some veggie burger recipes utilize eggs to hold the burgers together. However, since these burgers are egg free and vegan, I use naturally sticky ingredients to hold this vegan black bean veggie burger together while also providing texture and flavor. Ingredients like:
- Black Beans – sticky by nature, black beans provide bulk and structure.
- Short Grain Brown Rice – starchy and texture rich, short grain is a must in this recipe because they aid in binding. I do not recommend subbing with long grain brown rice because it’s not quite as sticky as short grain.
- Tomato Paste – a umami ingredient – it adds flavor and is another ingredient to aid in binding.
- Rolled Oats – adds bulk and aids in binding as well as moisture management, since they soak up excess moisture.
At a Glance: How to Make Black Bean Walnut Burgers
While the ingredient list appears long, these walnut burgers are simple to pull together and with pantry staples. The food processor does most of the work!
- First, dry toast the walnuts in a pan.
- Second, sauté the onions that’ll be used in the patties.
- Third, toss the ingredients are in a food processor, then mix those ingredients with some of the whole ingredients. Use your hands to mix/mash them all together.
- Fourth, shape, chill then cook the patties in a skillet or grill.
If you love veggie burgers, try my Vegan BBQ Chickpea Burgers!
How to Store Your Veggie Burgers
Refrigerator: After cooking the burgers, store them in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezer: The patties can either be frozen raw or after cooking for the ultimate convenience. For frozen patties, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and either reheat in a warm oven or cook/grill as directed.
About those Saucy Sweet Onions
These onions are totally mouthwatering. A must make if time permits! The recipe calls for bourbon, however the onions can be made boozy or not, subbing veggie broth if needed.
Bourbon plays off the sweet of the onions and the tangy subtle bite of balsamic vinegar without being overpowering. And it’s fabulous in the BBQish caramelized onions; a natural fit.
Serving Suggestions
This burger holds up well to any condiments you can throw at it. Try some variations to see what makes your toes curl!
- As the Recipe Goes: Mayo or a quick aioli (mayo mixed with minced garlic and lemon juice) with mashed avocado, saucy sweet onions and sweet/spicy pickled peppers is classic for this burger.
- Go Old School: Simply dress with mayo and/or mustard and top with lettuce, pickle and tomato.
- BBQ Sauce: Slather with a bit of mayo or mustard, add Swiss cheese just before pulling off the grill or pan and drizzle a bit of homemade Smoky Bourbon BBQ Sauce over the top for some amazing BBQ burgers!
Traci’s Tips
- Brown Rice: These vegan black bean burgers call for short grain brown rice. I do not recommend subbing this ingredient as it’s sticky and texture rich making it an important component to the success of these burgers. I cook extra when making other recipes then freeze the leftovers for a future batch of these burgers.
- Chill the Veggie Patties: Resting the patties in the fridge does take a bit of pre planning, but is essential to hydrate the oats and help hold the burgers together. It also marries the flavors. Don’t skip it!
- Grillable: The burger patties are grillable. Handle with care for delicious results!
Boring but important! Take a look at the recipe notes if you’re new to making egg-free veggie burgers.
Black Bean Walnut Burgers with Saucy Sweet Onions
Ingredients
For the Patties:
- 1/2 C (60g) Walnuts, shelled
- 1/2 C (50g) Rolled Oats, not quick cook or instant
- 2 Tbs Tomato Paste
- 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce*
- 1 tsp Adobo Sauce, 2 for extra spicy, gluten free if needed
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 3/4 tsp Garlic Salt
- 2 tsp Yellow Mustard
- 1 tsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, regular or gluten free (Tamari may be used instead)
- 1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke, gluten free if needed
- 2 1/3 C (420g) Cooked Black Beans, drained & rinsed (2 cans or homemade), divided
- 1/2 C (100g) Cooked Short Grain Brown Rice, divided (be sure to use short grain, it makes a difference – not instant)
- 1 tsp Vegetable Oil, coconut or olive oil + more for cooking the patties
- 1 C (100g) Yellow Onion, diced
For the Saucy Sweet Onions:
- 3 Tbs Vegetable Oil, I like coconut or olive
- 3 (745g) Large Sweet Onions like Walla Walla or Vidalia, sliced into thin 1/2 moons
- 1/3 C (75g) Bourbon*, or sub veggie broth
- 1 1/2 Tbs Maple Syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
Optional, but Suggested Toppings:
- Mashed Avocado, with a pinch of salt
- Pickled Sweet & Spicy Peppers
- Mayo
- Pickled Banana Peppers
Instructions
For the Patties:
- In a nonstick pan, dry-toast the walnuts on medium heat, tossing and flipping them for about four minutes. Remove from heat and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the oats, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, sea and garlic salt, mustard, worchestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Process until pasty. A few chunks are fine. Add 1/2 the black beans, and 1/2 the rice. Pulse until the mixture comes together, scraping down as needed. Set aside.
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan on medium. When shimmering, add the diced onion and cook on medium for about three minutes. A bit of charring is okay. Remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 of the black beans and rice to the mixing bowl. Into the large mixing bowl, add the processed bean/spice mixture. Using your hands, mix thoroughly squeezing and pushing the mixture together.
- Use a 1/2 cup (130g) scoop (this yields 6 patties – the last patty is slightly smaller) or 1/3 cup (82g) scoop (this yields 8 patties) to portion the patties. Roll them into a ball. Using the back of a metal measuring cup, press each ball into a patty using gentle pressure about 1/4"- 1/2" (.6 – 1.2 cm) thick.
- Place the patties flat on a parchment lined sheet pan in refrigerator for at least one hour. To Freeze (optional): slide the pan in the freezer for one hour then stack the patties between pieces of parchment paper and into a freezer bag for longer storage. Now is a good time to get the boozy onions going (see below).
- Preheat the oven to 200F (95C) and line a sheet-pan with parchment paper. Place the pan in the oven. This will keep the patties warm after they’re cooked.
To Cook:
- In the Skillet: Add two to three Tbs of coconut oil to a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Heat until shimmering. Add three patties. Be sure to give them plenty of room. Cook for 3 1/2 – 4 minutes on each side, being careful when flipping the patty. Slide the patty on the parchment lined sheet pan in the oven. Sprinkle with sea salt. Finish cooking the remaining patties adding more oil as needed.OROn the Gas Grill: Clean grill and oil with vegetable oil (like canola or olive oil). Heat gas grill on highest setting. Brush both sides of the veggie burger with oil and gently transfer to the grilling grates or a grill pan (use a grill pan if the grates of your grill are thin). Cook for about four to five minutes on each side, taking care when flipping the burgers. Adjust heat as needed so that the burgers don't burn.
- To keep warm, transfer the patties to the preheated oven.
For the Onions
- In a large pan, add the coconut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium-low for about 35-40 minutes, to caramelize them, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary so they don't burn. When done they'll be golden and very soft.
- Turn off heat, remove from heat (we do not want alcohol near an open flame) and stir in the bourbon (or veggie broth), maple syrup, vinegar and mustard. Stir. Bring to a simmer on medium low for about two minutes, to simmer off the liquids. Remove from heat and put a lid on the pan until ready to serve.
To Store:
- After cooking the burgers, store them in the fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three weeks. When freezing the patties, freeze first on a parchment lined sheet pan. Once frozen, stack patties between parchment squares and place in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat at 400F (200C) for about 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
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We don’t have short grain rice. Can I use brown, long grain or brown basmati instead? I’d like to avoid buying ingredients we would never otherwise use
Hi Laura… understand. If you have access to a store that has bulk bins, short grain brown rice can be purchased for the exact amount needed. I employ short grain BR here because it’s sticky and helps hold these eggless burgers together. You can use long grain, but the burgers won’t hold together as well.
Only had instant oatmeal. Wish author had explained why this is not to be used. Burger turned out fine. Can’t handle more than a bit of heat, so I put half a chipotle pepper plus the sauce. Burger is tasty and holds together when grilled but a bit dry. Not sure how to remedy that.
Hi Sarah! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! As far as ingredients go, I try to be clear on what I use in the recipe as some recipes don’t work well with substitutions. Thank you for your note on instant oatmeal, as this will help others considering the recipe. I’ve not experienced a dry burger. Maybe reduce the amount of time on the grill or you could add an egg, although I’ve not tried it in this recipe.
Outstanding!! The amazing thing beside the flavor is how much they look like meat. I’m not a vegan. I eat meat and the flavor is unexpected. No, doesn’t taste like beef but the worcheshire really adds a lot. I cooked them as you would crab cake appetizers. Served with a tangy sauce. I didn’t have a few ingredients but made them anyway. Delicious!! I did add a wee bit of flour to make them come together. Don’t send me to ‘not following the recipe and commenting’ jail. Must make these. And they will make a great burger too.
Hiii Donna! I lol! SO happy to hear your enthusiasm for the burgers. I love that they were unexpected! :D
As noted in so many comments – these burgers are delicious and the onions do take them to another level. I have made them a few times and now make them a bit smaller. Not slider small but in between. Then I have two with all the fixings which are just as good as the burgers. They are a bit crispy with the right amount of mushy-ness.
Hi Carolyn! Oh my gosh, those onions are so special on these burgers. With that crispy exterior and a bit of mush – it’s a good balance of texture. Thank you for your note!
These are the best tasting vegee burger ever! Carmelizing the onions in bourbon takes it to a whole new level of delectablle tastiness.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the burgers, Penny! Thank you so much for your note and giving the recipe a go!
These are the very best black bean burgers I’ve ever made. Absolutely delicious with the saucy onions. Even got 5 stars from my hubby who really prefers meat and potatoes…Ha. I had to cook up a batch of brown rice to have in the freezer just so I can make these whenever I’ve got a craving. Thanks for another great recipe.
Hi Marilyn! SO happy to hear you and your hubs are enjoying the burgers (a triumph!!). No doubt that brown rice in the freezer is so convenient for burger cravings! Thank you for your note!
I made these last night and they were delicious! I left out the pepper and adobo because my husband can’t do anything spicy, but I used smoked paprika instead. They were incredibly tasty. My one question is about the black beans. The recipe says to use 2 1/3 cups, then in parenthesis it says 2 cans, but that would be 4 cups. I used only one can and it seemed the perfect amount. I cooked them in a skillet on the stove and it was easy. I didn’t get to try the onions because I didn’t start early enough, but I will definitely try them at some point.
Hi Maryanne! Thank you for your note. So happy to hear you enjoyed the burgers! I just remeasured drained and rinsed black beans from cans, and the two cans I measured came out to just over 2 1/3 C, so I’m happy to hear your one can worked! With the juice, it would be closer to 4 Cups. Thank you for your tip on the smoked paprika!
Well these were fantastic. I am usually disappointed with homemade veggie burgers mostly due to the mushy texture, but these had a great texture. I grilled them in a grilling basket over charcoal and they were easy to turn. I did unveganize them by adding some cheese on top. Delicious. Don’t skip those onions either. I topped my burger with smashed avocado as well. This recipe is a keeper.
Hiiii Suzanne! SO happy to hear you enjoyed the burgers and yes to cheese on top! Thank you for sharing your notes on grilling them and a must make on the onions :D I agree!
I’m usually disappointed with most veggie burger recipes but this one wins the prize for me. A few steps so it took me awhile but definitely worth it.
Carmalized onions are my new best best condiment. Thanks for sharing
Hi Virginia! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Aren’t the onions so nice? I’m thrilled to hear this one wins the prize! Hooray!!
Thank you Mare! Such tasty burgers and that they’re grillable, even better!