Meaty Vegan Black Bean & Tempeh Burger Recipe

Ahh, the charming simplicity of a burger! I can’t say that burgers were the one type of food that I’ve missed the most since going vegan. After all, vegan burger recipes are never in short supply on the internet. The variety is so large that you can pick from simple recipes to some rather complicated ones that’ll send you searching for exotic ingredients at your local ethnic markets.

I’ve tried lots of homemade burger recipes, and while some of them turned out better than others, the one thing that I almost always found lacking was texture. As a former meat eater, I was used to biting into a firmer, chewier burger. Most veggie versions couldn’t deliver that, and while I have no intention to harm any cows for a burger’s sake again, I thought that it would be nice to find a burger with a texture similar to meat.

Lo and behold – the Black Bean & Tempeh Burger!

Okay, I know that it’s hard to impress any vegan person with a black bean burger these days… but hear me out: this burger gets its chewy, absolutely not mushy texture from a combination of black beans, brown rice, and shredded tempeh! This isn’t one of those black bean patties that require you pulsing the burger mixture in a food processor, and then waiting in vain until the patties firm up during cooking!

And while I was so focused on achieving the right texture, I didn’t even notice that these burgers even look like they’re made of meat!

No animals were harmed in the production of these burger patties 🙂

I didn’t have any fancy burger buns at home when I made these, so I settled with some whole wheat toast. That turned out to be a good idea: the patties were so filling (especially with a side of herbed roasted potatoes) that big buns might have been too much.

Kiss-the-cook bonus: my husband said that I should stop my soul searching for a perfect veggie burger and use this recipe as my go-to burger recipe from now on 🙂

To complete the sandwich, I used the classic burger toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and avocado. They worked very well with these patties, but if you’re feeling adventurous, you can experiment with any other toppings!

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Yield: 4 patties

Black Bean & Tempeh Burger Recipe

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This black bean and tempeh burger recipe makes a fairly simple veggie burger from easy to find ingredients without the need for special equipment. Vegan, vegetarian-friendly, meatless.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 oz tempeh, grated (use a box grater)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice, warm
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup zucchini or squash, grated (also use a box grater, not food processor)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 heaping Tbsp tomato paste

Seasonings and Spices:

• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp mild chili powder
• Dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a heated large frying pan, sautee onions, garlic and squash/zucchini for 5 min, adding 1-2 Tbsp of water to prevent sticking. Mix in the rinsed black beans and all of the seasonings except salt. Let the beans get warm, about 2 min, then take the pan off the heat.
2. Put one half of the bean-zucchini mixture into a small bowl and roughly mash with a potato masher. It doesn't have to get completely mashed, just broken down a little. Avoid using a food processor as it might overdo the mashing.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked brown rice, grated tempeh, bean mixture (both mashed and unmashed parts), tomato paste, sprinkle with salt to taste. Mix until well combined, taste and add more salt or any of the seasonings if needed. Let stand for at least 5 min before you form the mixture into patties.
4. Heat the same frying pan you were using earlier to cook the bean-zucchini mixture (if it got dirty, wipe it with a paper towel or quickly rinse). Form your burger mixture into 4-6 patties (I made 4 large ones). Lightly spray the pan with cooking spray and add your patties. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 min per side, or until the patties get browned to your liking.
5. These patties might be good for grilling instead of pan-frying, but I haven't tried that. If you decide to grill them, I suggest that you put raw patties on a piece of aluminum foil first to prevent them from sticking to your grill, and then finish grilling over open fire once they harden on the surface.

Recommended Products

This recipe contains affiliate links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through affiliate links on my blog, I receive a very small commission that helps me run this blog, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

• 
  Anolon 2-Piece Hard Anodized Skillet Set, 10" & 12"
• 
  Premium Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Non-Slip Bottoms, Set of 4

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 patty
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 241Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 9gSugar: 4gProtein: 15g

Please note that the provided nutritional information data is approximate.

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Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Eventually she embraced veganism as a way to be kinder to fellow living beings and the environment. Alina hopes that this blog helps its readers on their path to becoming vegan and making this world a better place.

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