I was searching for a homemade grillable ‘burger’ recipe for Summer cookouts. I searched high and low. I modified and modified. I searched again. I combined techniques and flavor profiles for what I think is THE best and easiest vegan burger that holds together beautifully on the grill or fire!

I like to make a double batch to prep for camping or a party and store them, well wrapped, in the freezer. This makes life easier when you have guests or are feeling lazy for a weeknight dinner! Throw it on the grill or fire frozen and voila!

Full Recipe Video

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, drained rinsed and dried
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 c. + 1/3 c. Panko bread crumbs
• 1 c. Cooked brown rice
• 3 tbsp vegan BBQ sauce
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp EVOO

Directions:

1. Toast 1 cup of the panko bread crumbs in a frying pan on medium heat for just a couple minutes. Put them aside.
2. Add EVOO to that same pan and sauté your chopped onions.
3. Cook your brown rice if you haven’t already. I just used the minute rice in a bag and it worked just fine, but you can use any brown rice recipe you prefer. The fluffier the better though, I will say.
4. Place the toasted panko, sugar and all your spices in a food processor and pulse a few times until the panko is more powdery.
5. Mash your beans with a fork, leaving a few whole beans seen, but not many.
6. Put your beans, rice, onions, bread crumb/spice mixture, BBQ sauce and the last 1/3 cup of regular panko in a bowl and mix until combined well.
7. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit more BBQ sauce, if it’s too wet, add more bread crumbs.
8. Form into patties. I got 6-8 good size, bun fitting, patties out of the mixture. It honestly depends on your bun size and fitting them appropriately. Then you can grill them or fry them in a pan! I cooked these on the fire when I went camping and it was glorious, hence that dark crispy char)
9. I had mine with tomato, avocado and vegan mayo but you an top them with whatevs!
10. Enjoy!

This is also when we cooked them on the fire while camping 👇🏼