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Cajun Spiced Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers

Spicy vegan burgers made with black beans, sweet potatoes, spinach and oats, with no egg or dairy. Droolworthy and healthy burgers.

Cajun Spiced Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burgers

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CAJUN SPICED BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS



I made these burgers today and I'm super pleased with them. 

They are super easy black bean and sweet potato burgers spiced with Cajun spices.

Don't worry if you don't have Cajun spices, I'll share how you can make your own with some simple spices you probably already have or are easy to buy at your local supermarket.

You are going to love these burgers. 

So much flavour!


Sweet potato burgers mixture

EASY VEGAN BURGERS



These are the most simple burgers to make.

The only thing that needs to be pre-cooked is the sweet potato and you can prepare that ahead.

There's no frying onions and garlic, then cooking the other ingredients.

The spinach needs to be wilted and apart from that everything is just thrown into a bowl to be mashed together.

Super easy!


WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS



You only need a few simple ingredients to make these tasty bean burgers.

  1. SWEET POTATO
  2. BLACK BEANS
  3. SPINACH
  4. PORRIDGE OATS (also known as rolled oats)
  5. CAJUN SPICE (see below how to make your own from simple spices)
  6. FLAXSEEDS (also known as linseeds) - OPTIONAL
  7. GARLIC
  8. SALT AND PEPPER



sweet potato

SWEET POTATO



The sweet potato is the only ingredient that needs to be cooked ahead of making these burgers, but you can do that the night before if you like or even a couple of days ahead.

If you know you're making the burgers the next day, throw a sweet potato in the oven along with your dinner, or pop it in the microwave to cook, then once it's cool, pop it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Simples!

The flavour the sweet potato brings to these burgers is well worth the effort and they are so good for you.

You can read more about the benefits of sweet potatoes in this BBC Good Food article The Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes.


BLACK BEANS



I use tinned black beans to make these burgers.

I always have a selection of tinned black beans, kidney beans, green lentils, cannellini beans and chickpeas in my store cupboard. 

I add them to so many dishes.

They are such good quality, so why not?

Of course, you may soak and cook beans from dried and that's ok too, just go for it.

If you can't get hold of black beans, there are a few pulses that make a good substitution.

The key quality of black beans are they are soft and creamy, which is what you want in these burgers.

The three pulses that can be used instead have those same qualities are kidney beans, cannellini beans or chickpeas.

Feel free to use a tin of these instead.


spinach in a colander

FRESH SPINACH



For a pop of colour, flavour and a nutrient boost, these burgers also contain spinach.

I used fresh spinach, but you could pop some frozen spinach in some hot water to defrost or in a bowl in the fridge overnight, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can and pat dry with kitchen paper.

If you are using fresh spinach, I have a tip for wilting them.

There's not need to get a pot out to boil it or steam it.

Just pop it in a colander, give it a good rinse then pour hot water over it to wilt it.

If you have tap that has really hot water just run that over the spinach, if not boil some water in the kettle and pour that over.

The spinach will wilt before your eyes.

The last thing to do is to pour cold water over the spinach, so you don't burn your hands when you squeeze out the excess liquid.

Give it a good squeeze then dry on kitchen paper.

There, that's it.



porridge oats

OATS



I use porridge oats to give texture and to help bind these burgers.

You may know them as rolled oats.

If you don't have porridge or rolled oats you could use oatmeal, that would be fine in this recipe.

Don't use jumbo oats as they are too big and the texture isn't right.

If you don't have any oats, you could use breadcrumbs.



CAJUN SPICES




I used Cajun spices in these burgers for flavour, but I kept the spice quite mild.

Feel free to add more if you like for a spicy kick!

I bought a Cajun spice blend from the supermarket, but don't worry if you don't have that or can't find it, I'm about to share the main spices in it so you can make your own Cajun spice blend.

I keep old spice jars to mix new spice blends. I just add a new label and then I can use them to flavour lots of dishes.

The main spices in a Cajun spice blend are chilli powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, ground coriander and thyme.

You could even reduce this to chilli powder, cumin and oregano and you would have a flavourful mixture.


Cajun Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers

SERVING BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS



I usually serve these on burger buns (toasted inside) with mustard, salad and mayo.

On the day I took the photos I served them on a toasted poppy seed roll, spread with wholegrain mustard, topped with a bed of salad leaves, then the burger and finished off with a few slices of lemon-dipped avocado. 

Oh boy, that was good!

Of course, you could serve them in rolls with your favourite toppings.

If you're watching your weight or trying to cut down on bread products, you could wrap your burgers in iceberg lettuce.

Still pile those toppings on though.

Oh, you are going to love these!

They are one of my best burger recipes, in fact, one of the best burgers we have ever had.



STORING BLACK BEAN AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS



These burgers (pre-cooked) can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

They also freeze well.

Freeze them between layers of freezer-friendly baking paper or non-stick baking parchment and in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Leave them in the fridge overnight to defrost before cooking.


MORE EASY VEGAN BURGERS TO TRY



Here are a few more easy vegan burgers for you to try and I've included my tasty homemade chipotle ketchup recipe, which is rather fabulous!





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Spicy vegan burgers made with black beans, sweet potatoes, spinach and oats, with no egg or dairy. Droolworthy and healthy burgers.

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vegan burgers, veggie burgers, vegetarian burgers, bean burgers, sweet potato burgers, easy bean burgers, easy sweet potato burgers
dinner
American, vegan
Yield: 4
Author: Jacqueline Meldrum
Cajun Spiced Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers

Cajun Spiced Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers

Spicy vegan burgers made with black beans, sweet potatoes, spinach and oats, with no egg or dairy. Droolworthy and healthy burgers.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Ingredients

  • 200g (1 medium) sweet potato, baked or cooked in the microwave
  • 400g (14 oz) tin black beans (250g or 1  1/2 cups drained), see notes for alternative
  • 100g (3  1/3 cups) fresh spinach
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 45 g (1/2 cup) porridge oats
  • 2 tsp cajun spice, you can use more for a spicy burger (see notes for alternative)
  • 2 tsp flaxseeds, crushed or whizzed to powder (optional)
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Rinse the beans and add them to a mixing bowl. Mash them with a fork or potato masher, but leave half of the beans whole for a bit of texture.
  2. Scoop the flesh out of the baked potato with a spoon and add to the bowl.
  3. Rinse your spinach in a colander then pour a kettleful of boiling water over it to wilt it. Rinse with cold water to refresh, then squeeze as much water out as you can. Chop and add to the bowl.
  4. Next add the seeds, oats, spices, garlic, season with salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
  5. Shape your mixture into 4 hearty balls, then flatten out into burger shapes.
  6. Pop the burgers on a plate until you are ready to use them. 
  7. You can bake or fry them in a little oil. I fry my burgers in a little cold-pressed rapeseed oil, for a few minutes on each side until brown and crisp.
  8. Enjoy!

Notes:

If you don't have cajun spice you could make a mixture of chilli powder, cumin and oregano to use in these burgers.

Add more spice than I suggested for a spicy burger. I made these quite mild, just extra flavour.

Black beans can be substituted with kidney beans, cannellini beans or chickpeas, which all have the same creamy texture.

The flaxseeds are optional. They are also known as linseeds and are usually cheaper to buy as linseeds.

These burgers (pre-cooking) can be kept in the fridge for a few days, but they will also freeze well. Layer them between sheets of greaseproof paper in a tupperware tub or in a freezer bag and pop them in the freezer. Leave them in the fridge overnight to defrost them before cooking.

Calories per burger (if you make 4 burgers) = 332 calories

Nutrition Facts

Calories

332.44

Fat (grams)

7.70

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.96

Carbs (grams)

47.47

Fiber (grams)

11.33

Net carbs

36.14

Sugar (grams)

3.72

Protein (grams)

19.86

Sodium (milligrams)

1371.10

Cholesterol (grams)

31.30
Created using The Recipes Generator

59 comments

  1. I love the combination of black beans and sweet potatoes, though I've never combined them in a burger. What a great idea! Looks and sounds delicious.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Andrea. Some of my best combinations come from a root about in the fridge and cupboards :)

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  2. I love a good veggie burger Jac, and these look amazing. Great photos too!

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    1. Thanks Helen, they are exceptional! I wasn't that happy with the final burger shots, but at least I got good light.

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  3. OMG these look sensational!!!

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    1. My husband gave these 10/10 and said they were the best burgers he has ever tasted! He doesn't enthuse much usually!

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  4. Yummy! Do you remember where you bought the tinned black beans from? I've been looking for them, but have only found dried ones.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I had trouble finding them too, but found them in a big Tesco in the world food section.

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  5. They look great! I love veggie burgers but never get around to making them just for me but as of Friday me and the boyfriend are moving in, will test them out on him - he is commited carnivore but always says he is open to trying new things ;-)

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    1. Brilliant Anne, what a nice time for you. I am sure he will like them. Graham is raving about them. If he likes spice, add another spoonful.

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  6. Yum, yum yum!! I love Cajun and sweet potato dishes and this looks wonderful. I'm lucky in that I've been able to find black beans lately, so happy as they're great in so many things.

    Nice addition of seeds as well.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Emma. It took me a while to track black beans done, but I'm glad I did. They are pretty special.

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  7. Oh wow, I wish you'd posted this last week when I'd roasted a whole bag of sweet potatoes that were on their last legs and as only my daughter and I eat them the rest went in the fridge where I'm afraid they languished. But now I know what to do in future, thanks for a lovely recipe:-) Thanks too for entering Credit Crunch Munch:-)

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    Replies
    1. That is easy done Camilla. I do hope you try this recipe.

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  8. These sound phenomenal, Jacqueline! Gotta try. (And I seem to be constitutionally unable to stick to a meal plan myself. . . must. keep. trying. !) :D

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Ricki, in a way it is hard work to figure out your meals, but then if is so much easier during the week.

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  9. Looks great and it is lovely to have time (I often go through so many ideas for what will be for dinner before I make it which is why I am not sure about meal planning).

    interested the you have both flax seeds and linseeds in the recipe - in Australia flax seeds are called linseeds (though "flax seeds"is becoming more popular).

    These burgers would be great with a bit of nutritional yeast flakes and some lemon juice for a slight cheesy taste.

    I had some fancy salt mix that I used all the time instead of salt in recipes - was a great way to add flavour without having to use lots of spices - the Season-All mix sounds like it might be this sort of mix

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, that shows how much I know. I bought the flax seeds and brown linseeds in the same health shop and didn't realise they were the same, although one is slightly ground. So funny! I did think about adding nutritional yeast, but wanted to keep the flavours pure this time. I have been using it to make Graham cheese sauce though.

      Delete
  10. OMG these burgers look delicious!!!
    Have a nice day

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  11. These look delicious and very hearty, I will definitely try them.Adding sweet potato must have given them a natural sweetness.Such a mouth watering click.

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  12. I don't usually like black beans but may give these a try - I do love a spicy bean burger & these look delicious! xx

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    Replies
    1. You could always try this with kidney beans, but I think it is better with black beans.

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  13. I love the idea of using sweet potato and spinach to bind it all together. Genius! I'll have to give that a burl at home this weekend.

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  14. Replies
    1. It was good with the avocado Tandy & would an even better contrast if the burger was really spicy!

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  15. I have made black bean burgers in the past and love it...have not made it with sweet potatoes, and spinach included in the mix; yumm! ...and oh, yes, always, always use (d) Cajus Spice to liven up the flavors! Will try your recipe for sure...thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. See the cajun spices are new to me Elisabeth. I don't know why, but I never buy mixes. I am won over now though.

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  16. Love all the ingredients in this burger...it looks flavorful and super delicious.

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  17. Looks so good! I do something a bit similar with cooked quinoa, but you are keeping it a bit Scottish (and more storecupboardy) with the porridge oats. I'm sure they freeze well too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been meaning to make burgers with quinoa, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I really must. Might have to ask for tips.

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  18. I used this recipe last night and they really are delicious! Thanks for the recipe!

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    1. I am so glad you liked them Roisin. We'll be having them again soon too :)

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  19. I always thought flax seed and linseed were the same thing??

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  20. I always thought flax seed and linseed were the same thing??

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    Replies
    1. You are so right, I didn't realise, not helped by the different colours. Should change the recipe now.

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  21. I don't see where to add the oats and should they be cooked in any way first? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Whoops! You are so right. Well spotted, I have added them into the recipe. No don't cook them, just add them in plain at the same time as the seeds.

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    2. Thanks! We had these tonight with low-carb wraps instead of buns and topped with whole grain mustard. They were absolutely delicious and can't wait to have them again! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

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    3. Having them on wraps sounds wonderful. I shall have to try that. I'm so glad you enjoyed them :)

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  22. I made a version of these today, switching sweet potato for butternut squash and cajun spice for chipotle paste - they were excellent, and held together better than any other veggie burger I've tried. Thanks for the recipe!

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    Replies
    1. What a great variation and yes they do hold their shape well. Potato is an excellent binder for veggie burgers. I'm glad you loved them as much as we do.

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  23. Hello! I'm a student at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, VT, USA. I found your recipe through Yummly.com and we made it for lunch today. It fed over 200 people and was a huge hit! Your burgers got many compliments and I wanted to thank you. I'm new to your blog, but I just started following you on Bloglovin. I can't wait to go through your other posts!

    ~Elizabeth

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    Replies
    1. Comments like this mean the world to me. It is just so wonderful to know people are trying my recipes and enjoying them. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know, you have made my day x

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  24. I made these burgers after seeing them in Vegetarian Living magazine and they are fantastic. None of the difficulties of some veggie burgers (e.g. falling apart or sticking to the pan) and so tasty.

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    Replies
    1. I am so glad you liked them, they are favourites in this house and yes, sweet potatoes make a great binder. You have had more luck than me finding a Vegetarian Living this month. I have tried in about 7 supermarkets only to find an empty shelf. Just ordered a copy online. Thanks for taking the time to comment, it's always lovely to hear how people get on with my recipes.

      Delete
  25. These were delicious. The best veggie burger recipe i have tried. I know that these will become a regular fixture in my household. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Whoop! Whoop! We think so, but it is lovely to hear that you feel the same. Thanks for taking the time to stop by. You made my day!

      Delete
  26. Love this recipe! We make a double batch almost every week to have throughout the week. So yummy, versatile, and easy. Good in corn tortillas, on buns, or alone with a side salad. Yummm. THANK YOU so much for posting this healthy, easy recipe! Portland Fresanero sauce in mayo and Irish Cheddar cheese are the perfect compliments.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for taking the time to stop by Barb. I am so glad you enjoy the burgers. We love them too. Some nice serving suggestions there.

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  27. Really nice post, keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Tommy, I could recommend places to eat, but no idea about a good bakery as I don't get over to Glasgow very often. I think these were just from a supermarket bakery if I remember correctly.

    ReplyDelete

I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x