Veggie burgers you’ll want to make again and again! Filling but not too dense, crispy but not crumbly, and with all the smokiness and yumminess with none of the meat.
Chipotle Quinoa Burgers
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Omgosh!! I just made the mixture and froze them. I could have just sat down and eaten the mixture with a spoon. Sooo good! I really like the texture the quinoa gives it.
Chris
Let me just intro this by saying: I love this recipe.
I love all our recipes, but this is one that just fits perfectly into my real life, again, and again, and again.
Veggie burgers can be hit or miss, I know. I’m not a fan of bean-heavy burgers, so please hear me right off the bat: I am not going to over-bean you with this quinoa burger.
Instead, I’m going to give you a stupidly easy burger that is heavy and solid but not too dense (seriously, pinky promise, the beans are under control!), crispy but not crumbly, and nicely meaty-looking… with all of the smoky good flavor, all of the yumminess, and none of the meat.
How These Quinoa Burgers Come Together
We are working with primarily three things:
- Quinoa – the star
- Black beans – just enough to help it hold
- Savory, smoky chipotle flavor – the thing that keeps you coming back for more.
Once you add something crunchy / binding (like panko or oats), and something wet / binding (egg or flax egg), and a few pinches of spices, you are certifiably in chipotle quinoa burger business.
These quinoa burgs can be made in minutes with just five-ish ingredients, and honestly, considering the minimal effort plus the excellent, versatile, and healthyish results, it’s a real weeknight unicorn.
All The Toppings, Of Course
Toppings – I mean, toppings are your business. They are pretty much limitless and you can be as wild and free as you want here.
But my favorite toppings, personally, are smashed avocado, spicy mayo, thick slices of tomato, crunchy lettuce, and a crown of pickled red onion.
Pop it on a brioche bun and you have juicy, saucy, crispy quinoa burger perfection. Yay meatless!
Check Out Our Video For How To Make Chipotle Quinoa Burgers:
Other Veggie Burgers We Love:
- Spicy Tofu Burgers (trust me on the one – YUM)
- Spicy Cauliflower Burgers (similar to these beauties but with cauli and MAGIC GREEN SAUCE)
- The Ultimate Wild Rice Burgers (some cozy texture-perfect goodness)
Common Questions About These Quinoa Burgers
Can you freeze these burgers?
Yes, the burgers can be frozen after cooking. If reheating from frozen, here are three different methods:
OVEN: 350 degrees for 15 minutes
MICROWAVE: 1.5 minutes
STOVETOP: 6-7 minutes, flip halfway through (you may need to add a bit of water to the pan and cover to heat them all the way through).
Can you make these burgers gluten-free?
Yes! Oats work well as a panko substitute.
Can you make these burgers vegan?
Yes, the flax egg worked well as a regular egg substitute.
Chipotle Quinoa Burgers
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Chipotle Quinoa Burgers – veggie burgers you’ll want to make again and again! Filling but not too dense, crispy but not crumbly, and with all the smokiness and yumminess with none of the meat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- one 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1–2 individual chipotle peppers (not the whole can)
- 1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Quinoa: Cook quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool.
- Mix: Place black beans, quinoa, chipotles, and spices, in a food processor. Pulse just a few times, enough to make the mixture sticky and well-mixed but not completely pureed. Ideally there will be some chunks of black beans still intact.
- Add egg and panko: Transfer mixture to a bowl. Using a spoon or your hands, mix with egg and panko. Form into 4 thick burgers.
- Fry burgers: Heat a generous swish of olive oil over medium high heat (nonstick pan works best here). Add burgers to the pan and fry for a few minutes on each side, flipping carefully to keep them intact, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Serve: Serve on buns with spicy mayo, avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion (pickled if you want!), whatever suits your fancy!
Equipment
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Notes
Freezer Meal Version
- Pulse in a food processor:
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1/2 cup uncooked)
1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1–2 individual chipotle peppers
1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs - Form and freeze: Form into 4 large patties and freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen solid, store in a bag or container.
- Baking Instructions: 350 degrees for 35 minutes
- Sautéing Instructions: Add oil and cook medium high for 10 minutes (flip halfway through)
- Final step: Serve on buns with spicy mayo, avocado, lettuce, tomato, pickled onions, and whatever else you like.
- Check out our full freezer meal posts with all recipes and instructions here!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: quinoa burgers, chipotle burgers, vegetarian burgers, healthy burger
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of magical black bean recipes. Check it out!
Filed Under: All Recipes Dairy-Free Dinner Fall Healthy Legume Main Dishes Quinoa Recipes Sandwiches Stovetop Vegetarian
September 10, 2020
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
Did you make a recipe? Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram so we can find you!
Am also big fan of burger…and this burger looks soo yummy, colorful & more delicious with more easy to make Lindsay….can’t wait to bite it….Thanks for sharing…!
Enjoy, Santosh!
Hi, this looks amazing! I’m planning to make this soon. What is the weight of 1 can of black beans used here?
Hi Ling, they must have missed your comment. Below Eman states it’s a can of 15 ounces.
Did you use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?
Yep!
What would be a good substitute for the panko bread crumbs? Need it to be gluten free.
I’ve used Appel Foods – Nut Crumbs successful in many vegan/veggie burgers. They sell it at Whole Foods.
You could buy gluten-free breadcrumbs or oats could work well!
Looks awesome! Do you think I could sneak some veggies in there? finely diced onions and peppers maybe?
We’re guessing that’d work!
Have you tried this without egg, using a different binder? Perhaps, Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or a flax egg? I’d love to veganize it! Thanks!
Flax egg worked well for us!
would it be okay to barbecue these?
We’re not sure actually. We haven’t tested this out on a grill to know if they’d hold up okay. We’d love to hear if you try it out though!
Hi, where I live we have several size of can (black bean). To get the right texture, Would it be possible to be more specific? Thank you.
Love, love, love your recipes!
Hi, Danielle! We use 15-ounce cans of black beans for all of our recipes. Hope this helps!
My husband does not care for any heat…..is it possible to create the chipotle flavor with little to no heat?
I have a similar husband problem! I haven’t tried this specific recipe but in others I have had luck substituting a little garlic powder and smoked paprika for chipotle peppers. You get the smokiness without the heat:)
I’m just not a fan of these kinds of “wet” burgers on the inside. Still, I just made your burgers and I’m sorry to say that they were far too “moist” for my liking. The flavour is great, though, you’re right, they aren’t “beany” tasting. However, I’m also not a fan of waste, so I crumbled them up, re-fried them and they will make a great taco filling or a tostado topper. Hence my rating of four stars.
Hi, I can’t find Chipotle peppers. What can be a good substitute!?
Anything smoky! Smoked paprika or a smoked salt!
This burger looks so scrumptious, am not vegan but I too would love to taste it. Am sure I will wow my vegan friends. Thanks for sharing!
Mouth watering pic. looks so delicious. want to try. Thank you for posting
This is delicious!
I’ve been making something similar to this! In place of breadcrumbs, I use a mix of flax powder and almond mill/flour and add some nutritional yeast for extra yummy flavor!
Have a great weekend!
Soooo good! I made these tonight and they’re incredible. I read some comments about it being too “wet” in the middle and I found that to be my problem too. I added more Panko and after frying them, I put them in the airfyer at 360 for 3-5 mins. Perfectly crisped!
Thanks for posting this tip – I also popped mine in the air fryer after they cooked in the pan and the middles were perfectly cooked this way, plus you can have some yummy broiled cheese on top!!
We make these burgers at least a few times a month as a great meatless option!
Sooo good! I used black quinoa so mine turned out darker. We also added some cheddar cheese on top 😋
These are the best bean burgers I’ve ever eaten. I used half the chipotle amount and it was just mildly spicy. I loved the crunchy texture, and they held together very well! It makes a generously-sized burger!
Glad you enjoyed it, Colette!
These were absolutely delicious! Such simple ingredients with a great depth of flavor. I did not find them to be “wet“ at all. Much rather have a little moisture in a burger versus being bone dry. Also, mine held together very well upon flipping— let them cool down a bit before serving and they tend to hold together better.
I’m in lockdown in Melbourne, Australia and so sick of trying to come up with healthy meal ideas whilst homeschooling two small kids…I made these for lunch yesterday and they were fantastic! Held together perfectly, crisped up really nicely in the pan and great texture. Definite winner – and my 7 year old son gobbled half of mine up as well!
So glad to hear it!
I’m happy to be a new GoPro camera owner soon so i can start discussing food blogging and Lindsay’s food blogs on my YouTube channel in the near future. Your blogs are too amazing to keep quiet aout. 🙂
Delicious!!!! Will definitely make again🍔
I made these last night, and they were delicious and so easy! Probably the best veggie burger I’ve ever made! They were super filling, so next time I’m going to make them a little smaller (and then I’ll get more, so it’s a win-win!)
Omgosh!! I just made the mixture and froze them. I could have just sat down and eaten the mixture with a spoon. Sooo good! I really like the texture the quinoa gives it.
Glad you liked it, Chris!
Big fan of this one!! Only issue was the burger was a little crumbly, which made it hard to flip in the pan and for eating w/o a mess. Otherwise super yummy flavors. Did a brioche bun, tomato, lettuce, sriracha mayo, and some guac.
Glad you enjoyed it, Haylee!
keep sharing and continue doing more useful blogs
Hello Lindsay & everyone on the team. I want to make the Chipotle Quinoa Burgers but have searched everywhere in the UK for the chipotle peppers but with no luck. Is there a substitute I can use. I know I can order them on Amazon but am reluctant to do this for food products. Love, love your recipes & can’t wait to try this one, I have all the other ingredients ready to go except one of the main ones !!! Thank you for your help in advance. Estelle.
Perhaps you have them in a can? Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce?
wow burger, that’s my favorite food thank you for sharing the recipe now I can try to make it