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Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo {gf+v}

119 Comments Dinner, Gluten Free, Sandwiches, Vegan

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9981

This burger has become my new best friend!  Not just because of the fact that it is so darn good, but also because we have been spending a lot of time together lately.

I’ve been wanting to make a veggie burger for a long time now, but I was convinced that it would be really complicated to make and I would have to go through a lot of trial and error over it either being too dry or too wet.  Because of that, I put it off for a while, a really long while.  This veggie burger has been on my to-do list for a few months now and I can finally cross it off!

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9977

To make things less intimidating for myself, I decided I was going to start out really simple with just some sweet potatoes, black beans, and brown rice.  I would mix them up and then check the consistency of the mixture and decide how much bread crumbs and/or other binder ingredients I would need.  I was trying really hard not to have to use eggs in these so that they could also be vegan.

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9908

I roasted the sweet potatoes, cooked the brown rice, and added them into the food processor with the black beans and a few herbs and spices.  I gave it a whir, as Ina would say, and to my amazement when I tried to form the mixture into a patty it worked perfectly!  It wasn’t crumbly, it wasn’t too soft, and it stuck together in a patty shape perfectly.  I guess sometimes less is more!

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9912Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9914

When I said before that I have been spending a lot of time with these burgers lately, it is because I made them three times in one week.  I not only wanted to make sure I was giving you a delicious, fool proof veggie burger recipe, but I also couldn’t get enough of them.  And, my husband loved them too, which is always a big plus when it comes to the food I cook on this blog.   As you can see below, you will get 6 nice sized burgers out of this recipe.  Not all my burgers were equal sizes, but you can easily make 6 that are all equal sizes and they will be the perfect size to fit on a bun.  I just wanted to make a few huge ones and a few tiny ones!

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9917

I have experimented in all different ways with these burgers and each time they are equally amazing, if not better than the first time.  I have added cheese to the mixture, I have grilled them (Yes, these veggie burgers are grill-able!), I have crumbled them up and added them to taco salad, and I have also eaten them raw, without heating them at all, and you can do that too because they don’t have any egg in them.  Feel free to put your own spin on them if you would like, this version that I am sharing with you today was my absolute favorite and the smoked paprika really took them to another level, as did the curry cilantro mayo!

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9940

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Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo {gf+v}

★★★★★ 4.9 from 11 reviews
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Entree, Sandwich, Gluten Free, Vegan
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 3 cups roasted sweet potatoes, see recipe below
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • Olive oil, for cooking
  • 6 hamburger buns, gluten free or regular
  • Burger toppings of your choice: lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, etc…
  • Jalapeno, to taste. I used pickled jalapenos

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

  • 3 cups diced sweet potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Curry Cilantro Mayo:

  • 1 cup veganaise or mayonnaise
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Make the mayo: add all of the mayo ingredients to a medium sized bowl and stir until combined. Set aside.
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a large sheet pan, place the diced sweet potatoes, olive oil, and all the spices. Toss until sweet potatoes are coated and place into the pre-heated oven. Roast for about 25 minutes, flipping once, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender. Let cool for a few minutes.
  3. Place all of the veggie burger ingredients into a food processor and process for about 3 – 5 seconds until everything is mixed together but still has some texture to it. Form patties (you should get about 6 of them depending on the size you make) and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.*
  4. Heat a large pan over medium heat and coat the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil. Place burgers in the hot pan and cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once, until burgers are heated through.
  5. If grilling the burgers, grill over medium heat and rub a little bit of olive oil on the grill to ensure that the burgers don’t stick.
  6. Top veggie burgers with curry cilantro mayo and enjoy on a bun with toppings of your choice!

Notes

*This step is especially important if you are grilling the burgers, you want them to be as firm as possible before you put them on the grill.

 

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9982

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9997

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9979

Smokey Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Brown Rice Veggie Burgers with Curry Cilantro Mayo-9968

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Comments

    • Thank you Danielle!! You definitely should give them a try, I was amazed at how easy they were to make! I bet they would go really well with your crispy potato wedges 🙂

      Reply

    • Thanks! I completely agree, sweet potatoes are the best! Especially when they are in veggie burgers 🙂

      Reply

    • Thank you so much, Leah! The curry mayo definitely makes it so much better! I’ve been putting it on everything lately!

      Reply

    • Thank you, Katie! They are two of my favorite foods too!! You will really love this veggie burger 🙂

      Reply

    • Thank you so much, Ami! The curry cilantro mayo is totally addicting! I’ve been slathering it on everything!

      Reply

    • Thanks Bri! I love them too! I’m so glad these worked out well too, I will definitely be making more soon 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Jess! The reason I put making these off for so long was because I was scared it was going to be hard to get a good consistency, but I think the roasted sweet potato really helped hold them together! I want to make veggie burgers all the time now!

      Reply

    • Thanks Annie! I do eat real burgers sometimes, but I think I prefer veggie burgers too! They have so much flavor and you can really make them anyway that you want! I love that they are simple too, just a few ingredients and some spices, but they are so good!

      Reply

  10. O.K. I have to be honest. I have never eaten a veggie burger before. My doctor recently told me that I have high LDL cholesterol and I do need to make some changes. After seeing your pictures I’m ready to dive into that burger!

    Reply

    • You definitely need to try a veggie burger! My meat loving husband loved these burgers and didn’t miss the meat at all! This is a great first veggie burger for you to try! I hope you enjoy it 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Medha! You should try these! I bet you would love them! I also love anything and everything with cilantro 🙂

      Reply

  12. Veggies burgers are the best. I love all your ingredients. That curry cilantro mayo sounds so amazing! I too will make some recipes over and over just to be sure it is a really good recipe. Thankfully, my husband doesn’t mind trying the same things several times. If he says something is really good more than twice during a meal I know I’ve got something good. 😀

    Reply

    • Thank you Cindy! I’ve been making this curry cilantro mayo almost everyday this week and putting it on everything! It is nice when a recipe turns out perfectly the first time, but this one was so good that I couldn’t stop making it! I’m the same way, if the husband gives it his approval I know it is a good dish because he is pretty picky 🙂

      Reply

  13. Izzy! These are perfection! I love sweet potato in anything. At the beginning of the week, I buy pounds of them because a day without some roasted sweet potato for me, is a crappy day! Love all of the flavours going on in here. And they look like they hold together so well, which is always hard to do with a good veggie burger. Totally trying this one, girl!

    Oh and smoked paprika and curry mayo. STOP IT. Be still my heart. You are amazing in the kitchen, in case you didn’t already know. I want to stop by for a burger sometime! I will just be the friend who invites herself over, if that’s okay 🙂 LOVE these. And your photos are droolworthy. *drool*

    PS. Hi Cheeto! What a cutie 😉

    Reply

    • Al!! Thank you so much!! I’m so glad you are excited about these! I agree, I could eat roasted sweet potatoes everyday and I think I need to start that tradition right now! I was so nervous to make veggie burgers because I was scared they would be dry and fall apart, but I really think that roasting the sweet potatoes helped a lot because they are soft on the inside, but kinda crispy on the outside.

      I was totally thinking about you when I used the smoked paprika!! Honestly, I had never tried it before but after seeing you use it in your hummus, I was inspired and intrigued by it! Sadly, mine didn’t come in an awesome container like yours did though. And, now I’m going to be putting it in everything, you might just see some smoked paprika popsicles in the next few days, haha! You are always invited to stop by for a burger and some cheeto lovin! I was just thinking how great it would be if we could throw a dinner party together! Someday!

      Reply

  16. Oooo I need to try these! Good veggie burger recipes can be hard to come by! I hate it when they are dry or just bland! Love love love that you used smoked paprika – I’m obsessed with it!

    Reply

    • Hi Ashley! These ones are neither dry nor bland and I think you would love them!! This is the first time I’ve used smoked paprika and I am completely obsessed with it too now! Don’t be surprised if all my recipes from now on have smoked paprika in them 🙂

      Reply

  17. Okay, I have SO got to hop on the veggie burger bandwagon. Izzy, these burgers look totally amazing! I love anything sweet potato so these are right up my alley! And that cilantro mayo? Um, YUM! Hand me a spoon! These would be so perfect for the 4th! 😉 Pinned.

    Reply

    • There is tons of room on the veggie burger bandwagon and you must get on! I do eat meat burgers also, but there is something about veggie burgers that is just so good! And, since you love sweet potatoes you will most def love these! Also, you will want to put this cilantro mayo on all the things! Thanks for pinning 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Arpita! Thank you so much! You will love the curried cilantro mayo! I hope you love these if you try them 🙂

      Reply

  19. I have made a lot of veggie burgers and I have to say these are the best I’ve ever had hands down!!! Even my husband, who is not vegan, said I could go vegan eating these burgers. Thanks so much for the recipe, I will be making them often and sharing.

    Reply

    • Hi Cynthia! Thank you so much for commenting! You just made my day 🙂 I’m so glad you and your husband loved them! My husband is a huge meat eater and he loved these too! I’m currently working on a very similar roasted beet burger that I hope to share soon!

      Reply

  20. Hands down ( or actually hands up to hold this bad boy), this is the best veggie burger I have ever eaten.
    I have tried so many black bean burgers, veggie burgers, quiona burgers, chickpea burgers, etc. & this burger is by far the BEST!
    My husband too is a meat burger connousour & he loves & asks for this burger.
    I have officially printed this recipe for making this as our family OFFICIAL burger.
    Thanks so much for sharing this recipe…
    PS. The smoked paprika rocks this burger!! YUM YUM

    Reply

    • Hi Lori!! Your comment just made my day, maybe even my week or month!! I’m so glad you and your husband loved this burger!! My husband is a huge meat eater too and I was able to get him to eat them two nights in a row! I think it is the smoked paprika that really makes it! That is awesome that you are making it your official family burger! That makes me so happy! Thank you so much for letting me know how they turned out 🙂

      Reply

  21. I just made these tonight and they were awesome! Thanks for the recipe. I’m looking forward to trying more of the recipes on your blog!

    Reply

    • Hi Rachel! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know you enjoyed them 🙂 That made my day!!

      Reply

  22. I’m sitting here at work with my mouth totally watering! You ue everything I am in love with cilantro. onions, garlic, cumin seasonings lime flavor flavor, flavor! AMAZING you out did yourself on every recipe! I’m trying two this weekend bravo! Who said you can’t eat healthy and it actually is good! 🙂 Thanks for all the recipes!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much, Gynger!! These burgers are one of my favorite things that I’ve made, they are all my favorite flavors too! I’m so glad you like my recipes!! Your comment just made my day! I hope you enjoy them 🙂

      Reply

      • Aww I’m so happy it made you smile ( I meant every word) people complain all the time that its impossible to eat healthy and it actually taste GOOD lol. I just want to prove that wrong! I had my first BB burger about 1 month ago and im hooked! lol def trying this one! Thanks!! 🙂

        ★★★★★

        Reply

        • People who think that healthy food can’t taste good must just not know how to cook it well, haha! Veggie burgers are the best and I’m totally hooked on them too 🙂

          Reply

  23. Ya know, my girlfriend and I just tried out first veggie sandwich today, and I am so surprised as to how filling and delicious they are… I have been craving a veggie burger and after reading this post, I definitely am going to try and make this one!

    The burger looks absolutely delicious and I wouldn’t mind serving this up to me and my girlfriend =D

    Reply

    • Hi Kevin! They really can be filling! My husband is a huge meat eater, but he loves all the veggie burgers that I make. I hope you guys like this one 🙂

      Reply

  24. Do you know how long they will stay good for prior to grilling them? I do all of my batch cooking on the weekends, and I figured these would dry out with reheating. If they’ll stay good for a while uncooked then I can just grill two up each evening.

    Reply

    • Hi Tory! When I made these, I only cooked a few for me to eat and then I put other uncooked ones in containers and refrigerated them for about 3-4 days until I wanted to eat more of them. The raw ones held up really well in the refrigerator until I was ready to cook them! I also ended up eating a few of them without heating them at all because I was lazy and they were good that way too!

      Reply

      • Hi. I’m totally excited about trying this burger. My son comes for dinner often, and doesn’t eat meat, so I’m always looking for different recipes that I think we both would like. This one does it for me. I’m wondering if anyone has tried freezing these? Just curious as to how they hold up in the freezer, if anyone has any info? Thanks!

        Reply

        • Hi Jamie! I haven’t tried feezing them myself yet because I always eat them all up and don’t usually have leftovers! But, I would recommend freezing them for up to a month and thawing them completely before cooking them. I hope that helps!

          Reply

  25. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and the photos. I just made it, and it was delicious. I calculated the nutritional information per serving (six total from one batch): 142 calories; 26.5 grams carbs; 4.8 grams carbs; 3.5 grams protein; 4.9 grams fiber; sodium 37 mg; potassium 185.6 mg; calcium 2.9 %; vitamin C 1.2%. Sending friends your way to see the recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Hi Marie! I’m so glad you made these burgers and that you loved them! Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know! I also really appreciate the nutritional information, that is awesome that you figured it out!

      Reply

  27. Great burgers! The only thing I wish I would have done was wait until all ingredients were completely cool, then mash by hand (not in processor, since they came out a bit too soft/mushy even thought I only pulsed 10-15 seconds). But the ingredients I followed exactly and the taste was fantastic!

    Reply

    • Thank you, Lori!! Yeah, they do get a bit mushy if they are pulsed too long, I love the idea of mashing them by hand instead! I will have to try that next time! Thank you for the feedback 🙂

      Reply

    • These were delicious but mine came out too mushy too. I will do as you suggested and mash by hand next time. Thanks for the tip.Serves with chipotle mayo that I made by just mixing in a chipolte pepper with mayo. Delicious!

      Reply

      • I’m sorry to hear they came out mushy, they definitely aren’t as firm as store-bought veggie burgers but hopefully it will help to mash by hand!

        Reply

  28. Best veggie burgers ever! Made these tonight. So awesome. The husband doesn’t like cilantro, so I subbed with half a jalapeno and a handful of green onions. Also threw in a splash of lime juice, as the pepper made it a little bit spicy.

    Other than that, delicious!! Would definitely recommend to even the most hardcore of carnivores. Perfection!

    Reply

    • That’s awesome, Shannon! I’m so glad you made them and liked them! My husband hates cilantro too, so I always try to throw it in when I’m cooking something I want to keep all to myself 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment!

      Reply

  29. this looks stunning, as well as as the other recipes I’ve seen on your website… Anyway are you vegan? I’m a little bit confused with the vegan burger and then mayo. have a nice day!

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Thanks Christalyn! I don’t eat a lot of dairy, but I’m not strickly vegan. My recipes are all vegetarian though. This particular recipe is vegan because I used veganise rather then regular mayonnaise, but just called it mayo in the title because I thought that would be easier!

      Reply

      • Omg! I tried this tonight looking for a nice veggie burger recipe and this did NOT disappoint. My family loved it. I like how you don’t need to use eggs to bind it and I’m a HUGE fan of sweet potatoes. It adds a subtle sweetness and creamy texture. Thank you so much for putting this recipe up and testing it. I have found a ‘go to’ recipe. The curry lemon sauce added the perfect touch. I used Dutch Crunch Rolls. I don’t have a food processor, so I used refried black beans that were already mashed up and ready to go and just stirred everything with a wooden spoon. It was tempting to put it in the blender, but after reading online about how that’s a no-no, I just whirled it by hand. I was able to make 8 patties (some were a little smaller than the other) and cooked on top of the stove first, then put in the oven for about 8 minutes on 300 degrees. My mom gave it a 96/100 rating (I always ask her for ratings after I make something). Thank you Dear!

        ★★★★★

        Reply

        • Hi Angela! Yah! I’m so glad you and your family loved these veggie burgers! They were the first veggie burger recipe I tested out and they are still my favorites! That is great to know you can make them using refried beans without a food processor! Your comment just made my day! 🙂

          Reply

  30. Love the flavours of this burger, however mine were not firm. Definitely not firm enough to grill. I was too lazy to make the mayo so i just scooped a dollop of mayo and mixed in some curry powder. Was tastey with the burger!

    Reply

    • Hi Melissa, they definitely firm up the more you let them sit, but at first they might be a little softer. Glad you enjoyed them anyways!

      Reply

  31. These are amazing! I have made them many times and they always turn out great! Have you tried freezing them before? I would like to try making up a big batch and freezing a bunch!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Hi Ashton! It’s so nice to hear that you like these veggie burgers! I’ve only frozen them once, but it worked really well! I would just put some parchment paper or something similar in between them so that they don’t freeze together. And then make sure to thaw completely before you heat them up. 🙂

      Reply

  33. Hey there Izzy,

    I just found this recipe through Yummly. I have made only one batch so far and they did not disappoint.
    Thanks much!
    -Daniel

    Reply

  34. Wow! Looks amazeballs! Any particular sides that would taste good with these?

    Oh, I am excited to eat these burgers!

    Reply

  37. Hello!! Thanks for the recipe, just one quick question do you think it will work out if I swap the rice for quinoa?

    Reply

  38. I make these burgers an embarrassing amount. Like all the time. They freeze perfectly and are a definite crowd pleaser -vegan friendly, gluten free and even my meat loving family and friends will choose one of these guys over a “regular” burger! My only recommendation would be to (at least) double the recipe!!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for your wonderful comment!! I’m so glad to hear you enjoy these burgers so much! They’re a favorite around here too! 🙂

      Reply

  39. I made these once, baked them and then froze them. This morning I packed my daughter a taco bowl for her lunch. Her friend asked what she was eating, so she just said “try it” and it met high approval from a skeptical and picky eater.

    Reply

  40. I googled my ingredients thinking I could do a vege burger and these came up! These parties are absolutely delicious!! I double the recipe and freeze them. Soooo good! Now firmly on the dinner rotation. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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