Smoky black bean and sweet potato vegan burger recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (2024)

Our ultimate vegan burger is made with black beans and sweet potatoes. Just add a side serving of potato wedges

Tamsin Burnett-Hall

Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking

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Ingredients

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Step by step

1. Cook the sweet potatoes; pierce them with a fork and microwave on high, on a piece of kitchen paper, for 10-15 minutes until tender, turning half way. Split, scoop out the flesh, discard the skin; mash roughly and season. Or roughly chop, then steam them for about 15 minutes before mashing. Leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a nonstick frying pan; fry the onion and pepper for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the chipotle paste; cook for 1 minute more.
3. Mix the ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes, until it thickens and gels (this acts as an egg replacer – or use 1 medium egg if not vegan).
4. Crush the beans in a mixing bowl so that they are partly mashed, but there are still some whole beans showing. Add the quinoa, coriander, lime zest plus a good squeeze of lime juice. Mix in the sweet potato, the flax and the onion mixture; season well.
5. Shape into 4 burgers. The mixture will be sticky – using wet hands will help. Sprinkle half the polenta over one side of the burgers, then turn over and sprinkle with the rest. Chill on a tray; about 20 minutes in the freezer, or 45-60 minutes in the fridge.
6. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl; add a squeeze of lime juice.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Fry the burgers for 3 minutes on a medium heat, or until golden. Add another tablespoon of oil, flip the burgers and cook for another 3 minutes or until crisp and hot.
8. Meanwhile, toast the cut sides of the burger buns. Top the base of each bun with some slaw (recipe below), then add a burger, some avocado, a spoonful of sauce and cress or sprouted seeds, if you like. Finish with the bun lids.

   Tip

   How to make super slaw to serve:
   Whisk the juice of 1⁄2 lime, 1 tbsp agave syrup or maple syrup, and 1 tbsp rapeseed oil with seasoning in a bowl. Toss in 2 tbsp chopped coriander, 2 large carrots, grated, 1⁄4 red cabbage, shredded, 20g rocket (optional) and mix well.

   Change your burger flavour
   Go Mexican: switch the chipotle paste for 1⁄2 tsp each of ground cumin, smoked paprika and chilli powder; serve with dairy-free oat fraiche or soured cream mixed with lime juice.

   Make it Middle Eastern: use 1⁄2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon instead of chipotle paste, lemon in place of the lime; add harissa-swirled dairy-free yogurt.

   Head for the Med: leave out the chipotle paste and lime; swap basil for the coriander; add chopped sundried tomatoes and olives. Add vegan mayo mixed with vegan basil pesto.