Mashed Kidney Bean and Oat Burger Patties

This weeknight-friendly, scrumptious kidney bean burger is bound to become a family favourite! Less than 10 minutes of prep, these chorizo-spiced vegan bean and oat patties are soft and flavourful and delicious served in a bun, a grain bowl or salad.

I straight up refuse to spend 90 minutes making a veggie burger from scratch. There, I said it! 

I may cook for a living, but if I am going to make a burger to feed my family, I am not looking for a weekend project! The recipe needs to be a dump-blend-cook kind of deal. No cooking down mushrooms, or whipping up a batch of rice BEFORE I even get to the burger making. 

Something I can make on a Tuesday, even if I’m tired…because entrepreneurship/parenthood is a heady cocktail of exhaustion sometimes.

So I love using beans as the base for a soft, flavourful burger, like my beet + black bean burgers or my Buffalo white bean and cauliflower patties.

This dietitian wants to show people that plant-based recipes are every bit as simple – and delicious – as standard fare. Which is why these vegan kidney bean and oat burgers are as easy as can be: just a quick blitz in the food processor, shape and cook! 

In less than 20 minutes, you have homemade, protein-rich and high fibre burgers that are absolutely packed with flavour. They’re a veggie burger even veggie burger skeptics will love, if my kids are any indication! 

I have to admit that since my kids still eat some meat, they tend to prefer meat-style veggie burgers to my homemade bean varieties…but they absolutely LOVE these ones.

Which is a huge freaking relief because my kids actually do complain about my recipes. With them by my side, I’ll never have to worry about getting an ego, ha! So there you go, these kidney bean burgers are so good, even my kids will eat them. High praise!

Love an umami-packed veggie burger? You also need to try the Umami Burgers from Good For Your Gut cookbook!!

Raid your pantry to make these kidney bean burgers!

I LOVE these burgers because they’re entirely made from pantry staples so there is zero chopping and it’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand so you can whip up a last minute meal.

Don’t let the ingredient list fool you: it’s mostly spices! 4 core pantry ingredients + a handful of basic spices so they’re packed with flavour. And I highly recommend you serve these with my to-die-for spicy vegan mayo. It’s SO crave able.

• Kidney beans: I use no-salt-added beans; be sure to drain them very well as excess liquid will make these burgers mushy. 
• Oats: oats provide structure and texture and help to bind the burgers together. Use regular or gluten free rolled oats.
• Dates: the secret ingredient! Helps with moisture, binding and well, a bit of sweetness that really makes the flavours pop.
• Garlic: be generous with the garlic…measure with your heart ha! I use 4 medium to large cloves because like I said, more is more. And they don’t come off as too garlickly…just flavour enhanced.
• Oil + Salt: I tried making these without oat but they just aren’t as delicious. You could probably swap in mashed avocado or guac for flavour-enhancing fat without oil if you prefer. And never skip the salt! If you’re used to no-salt cooking, cut it in half. You can always add more later.
• Spices: Cumin and oregano for earthy richness and chorizo-like flavour. Paprika for a full-bodied flavour. Garlic and onion powder for umami to entice the skeptics.

How to make these yummy vegan bean burgers

Like I said, I love a simple dump-blend-cook type of veggie burger! So in less than 10 minutes of prep, you’ll have these babies blended, formed and ready to pop into a pan.

Step One: add 1 can of beans to the food processor, along with the dates, garlic, oil, salt, and spices. Process until it looks like a thick hummus with some visible bean. 

Step Two: Add the remaining can of beans and the oats and pulse, just 4-5 times, until the beans and oats are chopped up a bit but NOT pureed. It should look like a thick, chunky dough. You might need to scrape the processor once. 

Step Three: Portion out ⅓ cup of the dough, form into a ½ inch (1 cm) thick patty and repeat with the remaining dough.

Step Four: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Turn heat down slightly and then add burgers, in batches if necessary. Cook 4-5 minutes a side, turning heat down to medium low as needed so they don’t burn before the time is up and then flip and cook 4-5 minutes on the remaining side. You want to cook the interior of the kidney bean burger thoroughly so they aren’t mushy.

FAQ: How to keep bean burgers from getting too mushy

The key to keeping bean burgers from falling apart is to have a moisture-absorbing ingredient like bread crumbs or oats. I like oats because they add more texture. 

You also want to take care that A) you drain beans really well so they don’t add too much extra moisture (you can pat dry with a paper towel if worried!) and B) that you don’t over process them. That is why we blend the first can of beans with the flavourings and then simply pulse the second can with the oats. 

Everyone has a preference when it comes to veggie burgers and mine is that I like them softer. I don’t want them dry and crumbly and I don’t love burgers with visible chunks of rice or veggies. However, burgers that are so soft they fall apart or turn into straight mush when you bite them are not fun!

Kidney Bean Burger Tips, Tricks and Substitutions

• Don’t be tempted to just throw in the oats and 2nd can of beans in the first step! That will overblend the dough and the burgers won’t turn out.
• And if you did overblend, save it by adding another ½ cup of oats, stir in by hand and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before making patties.
• Watch the heat: you want these burgers to cook low and slow so the inside cooks before the crust gets too dark. Ovens and pans vary so if they are browning fast, turn heat down to medium-low.
• Want the burgers even firmer? Make the patties ahead of time, and refrigerate them so the oats will bind the dough more. Place kidney bean burger patties on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to a day in advance.
• Yes, you can freeze these burgers! Just freeze in between parchment so they don’t stick together. Cook from frozen on medium low until warmed through.
• Don’t skip the spicy vegan mayo! It takes just a few minutes to stir up and makes these burgers super crave-able.

More vegan burgers and wraps

• Healthy Buffalo Cauliflower Veggie Burger
• Healthy Vegan Black Bean Breakfast Burrito
• Meet the (no meat) burger of your dreams: Beet Walnut Burger
• Five Creative and Flavourful Burger Toppings to Up Your Summer BBQ Game

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