Make your new favorite vegetarian bean burger with these Cuban Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers. They're ready in under 45 minutes, are perfectly spiced, and are a great source of plant-based protein.
And I'm back with another pantry staple recipe to keep your tummies and taste buds happy! These Cuban Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers are made almost entirely with pantry staples (the only other thing you need is an egg and some greens to top your burger!). Not only that, but they make enough for leftovers. Serve yours with a sandwich bun if you have them, but they also taste delicious on sandwich bread (see above and below!). You also can adjust the heat in this recipe by omitting or increasing the amount of cayenne pepper you use.
Chris and I made a big run to the grocery store and Costco last Saturday, planning on getting enough food to last us as far through a month as we possibly can.
We hit the stores early, piled our carts high (but still didn't get more than 2 of any one item, in case you're worrying ;)), and then completely overhauled our pantry and freezer when we got home, making room for the haul.
And of course, 6 days later, I'm running low on some of my snacks (funny how that happens!) and am reminded of the strategizing I will need to do to help my loot last as long as possible.
I started by making all of my fresh produce items first, focusing on making dishes that I could freeze a portion of to enjoy later -- recipes like Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup and Turkey Chili -- and now I'm starting to get into primarily pantry staple or freezer staple dishes.
That's where these homemade black bean burgers came in. With mainly sweet potatoes, black beans, dried spices, onions, garlic, and bread crumbs, they're flavorful and hearty, yet low on fuss and fresh ingredients.
Not only that, but the recipe makes 9-10 burgers, making plenty for leftovers and/or family mealtime.
In other words, some pretty good news for sore ears and our pantry-staple stocks. 😉
These Cuban Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers Are...
- Ready in under 45 minutes
- Full of plant-based protein
- High in fiber
- Vegetarian
- Spicy
- Sweet
- Meaty
- Made primarily with pantry staples
- Finished off with a lime mayonnaise sauce
Bring some Cuban flavors to your dinner table tonight with these vegetarian sweet potato & black bean burgers. They're hearty and filling, have just the right amount of spice, and make enough to feed a crowd.
How do you cook homemade bean burgers?
It depends on the recipe, but you can usually cook homemade bean burgers in the oven, on the stovetop, or on a grill.
For these sweet potato & black bean burgers, however, you will get the best results by baking them. Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, place the burgers on top, and bake the burgers according to the recipe directions.
How do you make black bean burgers stick together?
There are a few ways to help black burgers bind together. Eggs, flax, breadcrumbs, and baked sweet potatoes are a few common options.
In this recipe, we'll be utilizing bake sweet potatoes, eggs, and breadcrumbs to bind the homemade burgers together and to absorb some of the moisture from the spice blend we'll mix into the burgers.
Are black bean burgers good for you?
Yes, black bean burgers are generally good for you! Black beans are full of fiber, protein, potassium, and iron on their own, so if you don't have any processed ingredients in the burgers, they should still be healthy.
Other Cuban-inspired recipes you might like:
Other healthy & easy dinner recipes you might like:
- Jamaican Jerk Turkey Burgers
- Vegan Hashbrowned Sweet Potato Burgers
- Healthy Macaroni and Cheese
- Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
- Pressure Cooker Bean Soup
- Black Bean Enchiladas
- Basil Pesto Spaghetti Squash Pasta
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili
- Mom's Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Spicy Bourbon Glazed Salmon
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Cuban Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers
Get another good pantry staple recipe on the table tonight with this Cuban Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burger Recipe. Blend the spice mixture up first before mixing it in with the mashed beans and sweet potatoes.
Bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time by wrapping them in foil and baking for 425 degrees for 55-70 minutes.
If you don't have a food processor to blend the spices together you can blend them in a blender. Whatever is easier for you!
Use sandwich buns or sandwich bread to assemble the burgers. Due to quarantine, I don't have buns, so use whatever works for you. Either way, just don't skimp on the Cumin-Lime Mayonnaise Sauce!
Ingredients
- non-stick cooking spray
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried coriander
- pinch-⅛ ground red cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup white onion
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼ green pepper, seeded
- 2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jumbo egg
- 2.25 cups (or about 1.5 cans) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 small (or 2 cups) baked sweet potatoes, skin removed
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
Lime Mayonnaise Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ¼ teaspoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- large pinch salt
Sandwiches
- 9-10 toasted sandwich buns (or 18-20 pieces of toasted sandwich bread)
- 3-4 oz. Baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together all of the spices -- the cumin through brown sugar-- with a fork in a small dish.
- Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and spice blend to the bowl of a small food processor or blender and run for 15-45 seconds, or until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl or blender and add the vinegar, black pepper, and egg to the bowl or blender and pulse 4-5 times, or until the egg is completely blended into the mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the black beans with a pastry cutter or a fork, or until the beans are about 75% fully mashed.
- Add in the sweet potato and mash them into the beans under the potatoes are totally broken down. Pour in the panko bread crumbs and lightly mix them in with a rubber scraper until they're fully incorporated.
- Pour the spice and egg mixture into the mashed sweet potato mixture and stir the two together until it forms a thick burger-like consistency.
- Make the burgers by scooping out ½ cup burger mixture and shaping gently with your hands to make burger patties. Place them 1-2 inches apart on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the burgers for 30-32 minutes, or until the burgers are crisp and are starting to brown around the edges.
- While the burgers bake: combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, cumin, and pinch of salt in a small mixing bowl and whisk together until blended.
- Remove the burgers from the oven when done baking and assemble the burgers with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise sauce and ¼ cup baby spinach. Enjoy!
Notes
Make this dish gluten-free by substituting in rice panko breadcrumbs.
These burgers keep covered in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The lime mayonnaise sauce keeps covered for 7-10 days.
Reheat the burgers in the toaster oven on low for 2-4 minutes, or until the burgers are crisped up and heated through.
Nutrition Information
Yield
9Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 136Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 21mgSodium 261mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 6gSugar 3gProtein 7g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dieticians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Whitney says
These may be our favorite meal yet! So yummy but still so healthy! And lots of leftovers!
Mae's Menu says
Yey! I'm so glad to hear that you liked them! Nothing like something that's both yummy and healthy!