Hubba, hubba, now that’s what I call a veggie burger glam shot! Served with rippled sweet potato chips and a dill pickle, what else could you want in life?!
Today I’m so excited to share one of my favourite recipes straight from my new cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day! The countdown to the release is onnnnn…this Saturday September 3rd in Canada (including Indigo, Costco, and more!), and Tuesday September 6th in the US. I honestly can’t believe it’s almost here, and I can’t thank you enough for all your support and excitement.
Don’t forget, if you order online or pick up a copy in-store before September 13th, 2016, you can snag my OSG Every Day Bonus Recipe Bundle which has 7 brand-new recipes (not found in the book or blog), and 4 preview recipes from the book. So much recipe goodness going down!
I’m also hosting a fun Insta giveaway for a signed copy of both Oh She Glows Every Day and The Oh She Glows Cookbook! One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of both cookbooks, mailed straight to their doorstep as a special gift from me. Please see my Instagram post for all the deets.
Okay, now let me talk about these veggie burgers for a hot second. They are my newest veggie burger addiction. I tested a ton of them for this second book (you know I take my veggie burgers seriously) and these are the ones that everyone—kids, husbands, veggie-burger skeptics—loved. I hope you’ll gobble them up, too!
Oh Em Gee Veggie Burgers
Yield
12 patties
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Packed with sweet potato (or butternut squash—your choice!), black beans, barbecue sauce, garlic, and an array of flavorful spices, this veggie burger bakes up perfectly and holds together well. I’ll admit these burgers are a bit involved to prepare, but I think the work is worth it, because this recipe makes a big batch, enough for 12 patties, which you can freeze for later. To save time, I recommend roasting the sweet potato, toasting the walnuts, and making the 9-Spice Mix in advance. Also, be sure to chop all the ingredients very finely and evenly, as this will help the patties hold together. I always recommend that you read the entire recipe before you begin, but this is especially true here since there are quite a few steps. This recipe is from Oh She Glows Every Day. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 1 1/4 pounds (565 g) sweet potato or butternut squash (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (100 g) walnuts, finely chopped, or 1/2 cup (75 g) hulled sunflower or pepita seeds
- 2/3 cup (95 g) finely chopped onion
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) minced garlic (6 or 7 large cloves)
- Two (14-ounce/398 mL) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (14 to 21 g) 9-Spice Mix (p. 258, Oh She Glows Every Day) or this one, to taste
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup (8 g) lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) Easy Barbecue Sauce (p. 255), or store-bought
- 1 cup (70 g) spelt bread crumbs or breadcrumbs of your choice
- 2 tablespoons (17 g) gluten-free oat flour
Topping suggestions:
- Homemade Vegan Mayo (p. 269) or this one, or store-bought
- Easy Barbecue Sauce (p. 255), or store-bought
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced red onion
- Sliced tomato
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an extra-large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the sweet potato and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 4 cups. Spread the cubes over the baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip and roast for 15 to 20 minutes more, until fork-tender.
- In a large skillet, toast the chopped walnuts over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Transfer the walnuts to an extra-large bowl (trust me when I say extra-large as there is a lot of dough to mix).
- In the skillet, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, stir to combine, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Transfer to the bowl with the walnuts.
- In a food processor, pulse the beans until you have a mixture of bean paste, chopped beans, and fully intact beans. Be careful not to overprocess them, as you still want a bit of texture. Transfer the beans to the bowl. (You can also mash by hand if necessary.)
- Measure out 2 lightly packed cups of the roasted sweet potato and transfer to the large bowl. With a fork, mash the potato into the other ingredients in the bowl until the potato is almost smooth.
- Add the 9-Spice Mix, salt, parsley, barbecue sauce, bread crumbs, and oat flour to the bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. You can knead the dough together with your hands if that’s easier, or just keep stirring (it’s a great arm workout!). Taste and adjust the seasonings, if desired.
- Scoop a heaping 1/3 cup of the dough and shape it into a round, uniform patty, packing it tightly as you rotate the patty in your hands. Place the patty on the lined baking sheet. Repeat to make 11 or 12 patties total, setting them at least an inch apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 375°F (190°C), gently flip with a spatula, and bake for 10 to 20 minutes more, until firm and lightly golden. Cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before serving (this helps them firm up). Serve the patty in a bun along with your desired toppings. We love the combo of vegan mayo, BBQ sauce, avocado, lettuce, and tomato!
- Let any leftover patties cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also wrap the patties individually in aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag with the air sucked out, and freeze for 3 to 4 weeks. Thaw completely on the counter or in the fridge before reheating in a greased skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side.
Tip:
- Tip You will need 2 cups of roasted sweet potato (or butternut squash) for this burger recipe. Any leftover roasted potato or squash can be served alongside the burgers, so feel free to make extra.
- Make it gluten-free Use gluten-free bread crumbs instead of spelt bread crumbs.
- Make it nut-free Use hulled sunflower seeds or pepita seeds instead of walnuts.
- Make it kid-friendly Shape small patties and serve them on slider buns. They are the perfect size for precious hands! You may also consider reducing the spice mix slightly depending on how much your kids enjoy spice.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
A couple quick notes:
This recipe hasn’t been posted to the Oh She Glows Recipe App yet since I have to shoot a new photo for it, but it will be coming soon!
Also, just a heads up that there won’t be a Friday FAQ post going up this week. Unfortunately, my little one is quite sick so I don’t think I’ll be able to get to it. Thanks for your understanding.
I’d like to wish you a wonderful, safe, and delicious Labour Day weekend! (Did I really just type Labour Day weekend? I can’t even.)
Photography credit (top photo): Ashley McLaughlin; all other photos: Angela Liddon
Oh em gee, so excited to try these burgers! We’ve recently tried to live a more plant-based lifestyle at home and on the blog and have been looking for the perfect veggie burger Can’t wait to get our hands on these!
I hope you love them once you get a chance to give them a try!
Hi Angela,
Is is possible that there is an error in the quantity of garlic and 9 spice mix recommended for the oh em gee burgers in your new cookbook? I’m enjoying your recipes so much, but am starting this one now and wondering if the garlic and 9 spice mix quantities should be teaspoons not tablespoons? Many thanks!
Hi Janice, Thanks for your question, and sorry I’m getting back to you so very late on this. The quantities in tablespoons is correct, I promise! I hope you enjoy the burgers!
I made these last night. They where so good! I am having one this morning for breakfast as well. I like using your recipe for the cilantro avocado sauce on them as well.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the burgers, Kristie!
I just ate two of these (just the patties) with a whole avocado on top and bbq sauce and it was the best lunch I’ve had in a long time.
Hi there! I’d like to try this recipe, but I have a family member who hates the flavor of barbecue sauce. Do you have any suggestions on what to substitute for it? Thanks!
Hi Kristin, I haven’t tried this before, but maybe ketchup? Or half BBQ sauce and half ketchup to mute the BBQ flavours a bit? Please let us know if you try anything out!
Angela, I made these last night for the Super Bowl and the guys all LOVED them! What a fantastic recipe. I recently gave up beef and have been looking for a hearty, flavorful burger. This is certainly one that I will share with others.
I wanted to also ask if you would be interested in supporting my non-profit, Hold the Beef campaign. The proceeds go to The Climate Reality Project and the hope is to gain attention to the cattle industry’s impact on climate change. I would love your help and support!
http://hold-the-beef.myshopify.com
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! Burgers are some of my favourite things, especially on a nice summer day. ?
I hope you enjoy them! :)
I made these last week and they were so good!!! I loved the taste of the walnuts the most.
So pleased to hear you enjoyed the burgers, Tori!
Hi!! I just found your website and am loving it so far! I plan to purchase your cookbook tomorrow :) Do you use gluten free buns for these burgers? Or do you eat yours it without the bun? Just trying to figure out GF options! Thanks!
Sincerely,
New to Veganism
hank you Ashlee! I hope you love the book. :) I don’t eat a lot of bread, but when I do I buy vegan/gluten-free buns or spelt buns (I love spelt!). Sadly I don’t know the brand off heart. What I’ve been doing lately is using raw flax wraps with veggie burgers. I find them in the fridge or freezer section of my grocery store. You can also try using collard leaves or lettuce for a grain-free wrap. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the great suggestions!! I will try them! I was excited to try spelt, but was sad to find out it wasn’t GF! :(
Can black beans be replaced with something other? Which bean replacement would be the best alternative. You may have answered this already somewhere…..
Hey Joanne, Happy to help! I do think you could use another type of bean here–kidney or cannellini beans come to mind as good options (although I have yet to try this out myself yet!). Please let us know how it goes if you experiment. :)
Just made this tonight. DELICIOUS! My soon to be 6 year old devoured hers. Thank so you much for this yummy recipe Angela. xo
I love your cook book
You’re too sweet! Seeing comment brought a huge smile to my face. Thank you!
I love these. They are by far my favorite veggie burger, and I’ve tried a lot of recipes. The flavor and texture is spot on. I love making mine with pepitas. They recipe does have multiple steps but it’s not too much and definitely worth the effort. It makes a huge batch so I freeze leftovers. The are great in your lunch with mixed greens. I just break it up into smaller pieces. Love the cookbook as well!
Well, I don’t care for this recipe at all! I made lots of other recipes such perfect chicken salad sandwich,super power chia bread effortless vegan overnight oats crunchy seed and oat flatbread just to mention few and loved them all.I find this recipe very labor intense , tiddies and at the end not tasting well
This recipe is delish! I made it with fresh basil because I had no parsley on hand. The omnivore teenagers loved them and they are a tough crowd. :)
I bet the basil was a lovely touch, Dana!
These burgers are delicious!!!!! I had Boston lettuce wraps instead of the gluten free buns, ia alot of prep but worth it. My freezer is full
I’m happy to hear they were a hit, Bonnie!
I recently turned vegan and your blog has been my go to for recipes. I am going to try this tomorrow got all the ingredients very excited to taste it. I don’t mind that it is a lot of preparation the end result definitely looks worth it. Keep up the great work :)
I hope you enjoyed them, Anja!
Thanks so much for another great recipe! You have made my vegan life-choice possible.
Did you know that these burgers are good cold? I needed a quick, cold lunch today, and thought, well, I don’t have time to heat the burger, I’ll try it cold. Super Yum! I think I might even like it better than warm.
I LOVE THESE BURGERS! I swap cilantro for parsley and it is such a nice complement to the black bean and BBQ sauce profile. I have been vegan for over two years now and these are the best burgers I have ever made by far. I cannot wait to cook these up on the BBQ now that summertime is rolling around! They also freeze GREAT and make a great party.sharing dish when formed into bite sized balls vs pattys :)
Thanks for the glowing review, Kaydee! I’m so happy to hear you love the recipe. Happy BBQ season, to you!
Like the name suggests, these are really OMG burgers. So good. It seems like with every recipe I try, I’m still surprised by how well everything turns out. Then I taste it, and there’s a silent ‘oh Angela, you did it again’.
Aw, I’m so pleased to hear this recipe was a hit, Alice!
We are starting to embrace a less meat filled lifestyle and I made these for lunch today- the name doesn’t exaggerate. These are boyfriend approved and easily one of the best veggie burgers I’ve had.
Your cookbook is inspiring and so far, it’s been foolproof for us! Thank you!
I’m so happy these were a hit, Nicole! Thanks so much for the warm words about the cookbook. I hope you enjoy the next recipe you try just as much!
Just started our plant-based journey – what a great way to start! Delicious and fun to make. I made a half batch, but next time will make it all. My husband loved these too!
That’s great that the husband liked them!!! :) I think I’m going to give These a try!
These were so good! Just wondering if anyone has tried grilling them?
The recipe calls for 4 cups of sweet potato (or squash) in the directions, but the TIPS at the end says 2 cups cooked. Can you please clarify which is correct? (I’ve had these before but this is my first time cooking them — delicious. Julia
Hi Julia, Thanks for your question! Both measurements are correct, really. While you’ll begin by roasting approximately 4 cups of sweet potato, once it’s cooked you’ll be measuring out 2 lightly packed cups (in step 6). This is because there’s a bit of “shrinkage” that occurs when sweet potato cooks, so 4 cups raw translates to just over 2 cups cooked. You’ll likely end up with a bit of extra roasted potato, which I love to serve alongside the burgers. Hope this helps clarify!
My Oh Em Gee burgers fell apart. Crumbled. They were really hard to pack together so I am thinking something wasn’t mashed enough or something was too dry? What did I do wrong?
Hey Sydney, Oh I’m so sorry to hear that! My guess is that the burgers weren’t mashed enough like you suggested, and the patties also have to be tightly packed together when you shape them. I hope those crumbles were still tasty…I would suggest throwing them onto a salad…delish!
I loOove your new healthy cooking videos!
These are AMAZING! A new family fav.
I’m so happy to hear that Vanessa!
OH. EM. GEE.
It’s the first day of Summer in Australia—definitely burger weather. I made these tonight on a whim, and they were fantastic. Husband and 4 year seal of approval.
I was expecting these to be a little dry or crumbly, but they were PERFECTION. So full of flavour; tender with just the right amount of texture and chew—and utterly delicious. Hubby and I both agree they’re better than any meat burger we’d ever had at home (him: ‘they’re not just good “for a veggie burger.” They’re REALLY good.’)
My only complaint? They definitely didn’t make 12. I mean, I was lucky to get 10 by the time we all finished tasting the ‘dough’! ?
Thank you for a seriously terrific recipe!
haha Sarah, I’m the same way with eating the dough. It’s just too good, right?
I’m so happy you love these so much! Thanks so much for letting me know. :) HAPPY SUMMER!
TOOOO good! I’ve already recommended it to three of my friends. You’re a kitchen Wizard! thank you ?
Wow, thank you Sarah! I’m honoured :)
This is a great burger. They are super-easy to make, which I love, and held together perfectly! Even the last burger I formed held together like the rest of them – something that doesn’t always happen for me (for some reason, the last ones with other recipes seems to be all the dry bits left in the mixing bowl). I actually didn’t use the oat flour – I used beans I made at home, which seem to me to be a bit drier than canned beans, so maybe that is why. I also used the bread crumb “recipe” from your first cookbook for the first time (those also came out perfectly! I had been skeptical – sorry). I left some chunks of sweet potato, which were cool to bite into in the burger! I had a hard time putting anything on the burger because I just wanted to taste the burger and nothing else – seriously good. The recipe is also easily halved – that batch was perfect, too. And your freezing and reheating instructions worked out really well. I’m making my way through your second cookbook, which I got for Christmas – my goal is to make everything by year’s end. I don’t think this is going to be difficult. Thank you, Angela!
Hey Laura, Oh that’s such a great goal to make all the recipes by year end. Love it. :) And thanks for the awesome veggie burger feedback!
I really need to be able to freeze these burgers either before or after they are cooked. There is only my husband and I to eat them tonight. What do you suggest? Cannot wait to try them.
Hey there, I like to cook them as directed, cool the burgers, and then tightly wrap before freezing. Then I will thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter, and skillet fry the burgers in oil to reheat.
I just had to go back and find your post on these – I make this recipe from your cookbook at least once a month, so that I always have some burger patties in the freezer in case of a last minute meal. We actually love popping these in some pita bread with whatever random sauces and veggies we have flying around in the fridge.
Truely, one of my all time fave recipes of yours, or anybody else for that matter.
Hey Kathrin, Aww thank you so much! I’m so happy you love them as much as we do. They’re my fave veg. burgers to date :) I hear you on adding all kinds of random sauces and toppings too! The more the better, right?
We LOVE these burgers. They are my go to Veggie burger recipe. Once they are cooked in the oven and firm up, can you grill them on the BBQ to give them that BBQ flavour?
Hey Tracy, I’m so happy to hear that! :)
yes you can parbake them and then finish on the grill. I would bake for about 20 mins in the oven and then 5-8 on the grill maybe? It’s been a while since I’ve done it so I can’t exactly remember the times.
Hi Angela – first and foremost I absolutely love your cookbook!!! And the Oh Em Gee burgers are to die for. The best veggie burger I have ever had!! Just a quick question – I want to make a double batch of these so I can freeze some of the patties after they are made. Any tips for making a double batch (is it just simply doubling up on ingredients) or freezing them? Thank you!!
Hey Gillian, thank you so much! The Oh Em Gee Veggie Burgers are a hit around here too. You can certainly double up on this recipe…I wouldn’t blame you. ;) And the burgers freeze beautifully! I prefer to freeze the patties once cooked and cooled. Once the cooked burgers have cooled completely, I wrap each burger individually and then place them all in a large freezer-safe zip bag. I press out as much air as I can, zip it up, and freeze for up to 4 weeks. You can thaw individual burgers in the fridge or on the counter and then reheat in a skillet. If I know I’ll be freezing the burgers, sometimes I’ll cook them a few minutes less just to ensure they don’t dry out during the freezing/reheating process. Enjoy!
Can I make a batch and freeze them for later use?
Hey Vic, yes absolutely! :)
Oh em gee! I’ve tried so many black bean burger recipes and this is by far the best! My meat eating niece, nephew, brother-in-law, and boyfriend all loved them. Definitely going to make a bunch and freeze them! Thank you, Angela.
best side veggie : Kale chips with roasted sesame seed.
I’ve made these 3 times now, FOR A REASON – they are OUTSTANDINGLY DELICIOUS!! The flavour, the texture…..everything about them is so wonderful. They are worth the effort!
These are the best veggie burgers I’ve ever made. I used butternut squash. My husband loved them, too! I’m so happy that the recipe yields 12 burgers because I can’t wait to eat one tomorrow for lunch!
Just wondering if I can omit the spice mix. My partner and I are sensitive to black pepper and pretty much anything spicy. Seems like they’d still be flavorful, though.