Tasty, healthy and gluten-free easy vegan bean burgers made with quinoa, cannellini beans and sun dried tomatoes. These burgers really pack in the flavour!

I love burgers. There’s something about putting a vegan patty between two bits of bread with a tonne of toppings, sauces and various other condiments that feels very decadent. And don’t get me started on all the possible sides for burgers. But when you love burgers as much as me, you need ones that are a little healthier than their fast food counterparts. And these easy vegan bean burgers are the absolute ticket.

There’s a few more steps involved than simply opening a pre-made burger pack. But, if you’re like me and aren’t impressed with the price of them (I’m looking at you in particular Beyond) and well, UPF factor involved with bought burgers then these homemade burgers are exactly what you need.

Bought burgers do have their place – and have saved me having just the salad or a bowl of chips in many a restaurant when the only vegan option is a Beyond or Impossible Burger. And having tried the vegan Burger King out of sheer curiosity (and actually quite enjoyed it), well, it’s always nice to have options isn’t it?

Vegan burger ingredients

Cooked quinoa – high in protein and fibre as well as being gluten free.

Cannellini beans – also high in protein and fibre with a great natural flavour, making them the perfect base for these bean burgers.

Sun dried tomatoes – one of my favourite ingredients for adding flavour, also contain vitamin C and iron.

Aromatics – onions, garlic and fresh herbs. I’ve used red onion because I prefer their slightly sweeter. For the herbs I’ve used basil but you can swap that out for other soft herbs like chives, parsley, sage, coriander or dill. Or a mix! I also sometimes add tablespoon of vegan pesto.

Mustard – my personal preference is wholegrain mustard but use English if you like a little more fire! Dijon would also work.

Spice – speaking of fire, feel free to swap the smoked paprika for cayenne or a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Flour – you can use pretty much any flour for these vegan bean burgers. White, wholemeal or gluten free flour all work. If you want to use gluten free, pea flours are lovely in these burgers.

How to make these easy bean burgers

Start by frying the onion and garlic in a drizzle of oil until just softened and starting to turn translucent. This is an extra step but it deepens the flavour of the onion and garlic.

Tip into a food processor along with the remaining burger ingredients and pulse until everything is well mixed together.

At this point you have a few options. You can chill the mix ready to cook later. Or you can shape the mix into burger patties and chill – keep them separated by pieces of parchment paper. Or you can shape and cook the burgers immediately.

Heat another drizzle of oil in a large frying pan and sizzle for 8-10 minutes each side until they’re crisp and golden.

You can also bake them in a preheated oven on a lined baking tray for 30-35 minutes.

Serving your vegan bean burgers

How you serve your burgers is up to you! I love a seeded bun spread with vegan mayonnaise and top the burgers with sliced onion, fresh tomato and crisp lettuce.

You can also make smaller burgers and use them in pitta bread pockets with lots of salady bits.

These vegan bean burgers are also really nice sitting on top of crisp potato waffles with a side of spiced baked beans.

Looking for even more easy vegan weeknight meals? Try these:

Braised Red Cabbage Pasta – one of my winter favourites, so tasty!

Spicy Hash Brown Bake – another winter warmer, a great family meal.

Teriyaki Noodles and Broccoli – all cooked in one pan in around 20 minutes.

Spring Vegetable Orzo Pasta – another one pan meal, deliciously fresh and bright flavours.

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