This sweet potato black bean burger is loaded with Southwestern ingredients and a great healthy alternative to a beef burger. Perfect for grilling, baking or pan-frying, it a versatile meal option. Serve with your favorite toppings for a delicious and nutritious burger everyone will love!

Ok these burgers have changed my life. I love making a batch and then reheating when I want one!
- Jean
I'm all aboard the veggie burger bandwagon - from quinoa veggie burgers to carrot burgers to green chili veggie burgers.
So I admitted before I've become hooked on veggie burgers. While they can take a little bit of time to make, they always make 8-10 patties, which means 4-5 dinners.
While these veggie burgers are easy to make, you do need to give yourself some time to prepare them as you have to bake the sweet potatoes before combining all of the ingredients.
The spices add a smoky flavor that can pass for being on the grill, which is an added bonus. If you are going to skip out on toppings, the one I think is a must is the avocado. It just goes well with the flavors!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Nutrient rich - High in fiber, protein, and vitamins, these burgers are a nutritious alternative to traditional meat patties.
- Diet friendly - Naturally vegetarian and easily adaptable to vegan and gluten-free diets.
- Customizable - Adjust spices, add mix-ins like cheese or veggies, or experiment with different toppings to suit your taste.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes - Provides a creamy texture and natural sweetness. Roast for best results.
- Ready rice - Adds structure to the burger. Use your favorite brand.
- Red onion - Offers a sharp, slightly sweet flavor. Finely chop for even distribution.
- Cilantro - Brings a fresh, citrusy note that complements the spices.
- Garlic - Enhances the flavor.
- Egg - Binds the ingredients together for shaping the patties.
- Spices - The combination of spices brings that Southwestern/Mexican flavor.
- Old-fashioned oats - Acts as a binder and adds a hearty texture.
- Black beans - Adds protein, a hearty texture and earthy flavor.
- Buns - From bread thins to pretzel rolls, any sandwich bread will work.
- Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc… - Use whatever toppings you desire.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can change up the ingredients if need. Some substitutes include:
- Swap sweet potatoes with butternut squash or carrots (roasted and mashed) for a similar sweetness and texture.
- Replace ready rice with quinoa, cooked millet or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
- Substitute an egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 tablespoon water) for a vegan option.
- Use breadcrumbs, almond flour or cooked barley for binding instead of oats.
- Try kidney beans, pinto beans or chickpeas for a slightly different flavor and texture as opposed to black beans.
How to Make a Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve sweet potatoes lengthwise, place cut side down on a sheet pan, and roast 35–40 minutes until soft. Scoop out flesh into a large bowl.
Step 2: Add rice, onion, cilantro, garlic, egg, spices and mash until smooth.
Step 3: Grind oats in a food processor until coarse.
Step 4: Add black beans and oats to the mixture, mixing until it holds together (some beans may mash).
Step 5: Scoop ½ cup portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, flatten into 8 patties.
Step 6: Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, flip, and bake 20 minutes more.
Chill the Mixture
Chill the burger mixture for 15–30 minutes before forming patties. This helps them hold their shape.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can use any egg substitute like flax or chia eggs, or 1 tablespoon of vegan mayo. If using flaxseed or chia seeds, stir 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal or chia seeds in 2 ½ tablespoon water and let sit for 5 minutes before using. (This replaces 1 egg)
I personally don’t eat vegan so don’t make a ton of vegan meals but these will taste just as good with the substitutes. There are also plenty of options for vegan cheese as well these days.
Steaming or microwaving sweet potatoes can work in a pinch, but roasting enhances the flavor and sweetness.
These patties are softer than traditional burgers, so grilling is tricky but can be done. If you’d like to try, freeze them briefly (15–20 minutes) before grilling and use a grill mat or foil.
Popular options include avocado, tomato, lettuce, pickled onions, sriracha mayo or your favorite cheese.
Cooked patties can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, layer patties with parchment paper between them to prevent sticking.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Pulse oats in a food processor briefly. You want a coarse texture, not a fine flour, for the best binding.
- Use a ½-cup measuring cup for evenly sized patties. Flatten slightly for even cooking.
- Bake the patties before freezing or cooking the rest of the way, which helps the burgers tay together.
Other Recommended Veggie Burgers
If you’ve tried this sweet potato black bean burger or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potatoes
- 1 cup ready rice
- ¾ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 (15.5 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
- vegetable oil
- buns, toasted
- toppings (cheese, avocado, lettuce, ketchup etc...)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and place cut side down on sheet pan. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until you can easy squeeze the sweet potato so it would fall out of skin. Once cooked, remove skin and place in large mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl with the sweet potatoes, add the ready rice, onion, cilantro, garlic, egg, cumin, paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and mash until sweet potatoes are completely mashed.
- Grind the oats in a food processor until broken up but not turned into flour. Add the black beans and oats to the sweet potato mixture and mix until the mixture holds together. Chill the mixture for 20 minutes.
- Use ½ cup measuring cup and scoop out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press down to desired thickness. It should give you 8 patties. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 400°F before flipping and baking another 20 minutes. This should give you enough consistency to be able to freeze or cook the rest of the way to eat now.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat with enough oil to cover bottom of skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. If using cheese add after flipping. Add toppings of your choice and serve immediately.
Notes
- Pulse oats in a food processor briefly. You want a coarse texture, not a fine flour, for the best binding.
- Chill the burger mixture for 15–30 minutes before forming patties. This helps them hold their shape.
- Use a ½-cup measuring cup for evenly sized patties. Flatten slightly for even cooking.
- Bake the patties before freezing or cooking the rest of the way, which helps the burgers tay together.
Jean says
Ok these burgers have changed my life. I love making a batch and then reheating when I want one!
Ryan says
Glad you liked them!