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Loaded with veggies and tons of flavor, this BBQ Kidney Bean Kale Burger recipe is so easy and holds up perfectly! They stay crispy on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside. They are baked, not fried, and need NO oil! Make a double batch and freeze leftovers for another night!
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It is warming up outside and we are heading towards BBQ season. Who’s excited for backyard parties and cookouts? If you think you can’t enjoy some delicious BBQ eats on a plant based diet, you are so wrong!
These Kidney Bean Kale Burgers are super easy to make and BAKED, not fried. That means you can throw them in the oven and go join the party while they cook.
I have a feeling they would work on the grill as well, although I have admittedly never tried that. You can, and should, enjoy these hearty burgers all year round.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a veggie burger that fell apart or smooshed out the sides of the bun the second you took a bite. Yeah, I hate that too! I’m happy to report that this BBQ Kale Burger holds together perfectly! Baking it keeps the outside nice and crispy and the inside moist and flavorful.
BBQ Tahini Sauce
This hearty handheld was inspired by my friend Sophia’s Barbecue Tahini Sauce over at Veggies Don’t Bite. This sauce is seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten! I make it all the time! And I pretty much eat the whole batch myself! It is THAT good! (Try using it as a dip for tortilla chips – might sound weird, but it’s so yummy!)
I used most of the ingredients in Sophia’s BBQ Tahini sauce to flavor these burgers and it worked out so well! And, of course, to serve these burgers, I slathered them in even more of her sauce. Mmmmmm.
Besides being super delicious, here are a few other reasons you should go make these now:
-There is NO oil in these burgers and you don’t need oil to cook them either!
-They are loaded with healthy veggies.
-They are quick and easy!
-They are gluten free if you use certified gluten free oats.
-You could easily make a double batch and feed a crowd.
-They can be made ahead and frozen until you need them.
Alright, now that we got that out of the way, wanna know how to make this veggie burger recipe?
More vegan burger recipes
Be sure to check out these Vegan Side Dishes that are perfect with BBQ!
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
BBQ Kidney Bean Kale Burger
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp flaxmeal
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 15 oz can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15 oz can white kidney beans (cannellini beans) (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1 tsp liquid smoke (I like the hickory flavor)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp oregano
- salt/pepper to taste
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs or cornmeal (use gluten free Panko if desired)
- ½ cup oats (use certified gluten free oats if desired)
For Serving:
- 8 burger buns (gluten free, if desired)
- BBQ Tahini Sauce (optional)
- pickles
- kale, spinach, or lettuce
- tomato slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flax meal and water and set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the kale, carrots, and garlic a few times to start to break them down, but don’t puree them!
- Add the beans, tahini, tomato paste, vinegar, molasses, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, and oregano to the veggies in the food processor and pulse until combined, but still a little chunky.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the panko (or cornmeal), oats, flax egg, and salt/pepper. Stir until fully incorporated. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- The mixture should come together easily and hold together well. (If it is too wet, add a tbsp more panko or oats. If it is too dry and crumbly, add another tbsp of tomato paste or tahini. Mix again.)
- Using your hands, divide mixture into 8 sections and form each one into a patty. Place the burger onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Bake the burgers for 35-40 minutes, flipping them over after 20 minutes. (After 20 minutes, the bottoms of the burgers should be nicely browned and they should flip easily, holding together well.) The burgers are done when they are nicely browned on both sides and crispy on the outside.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Denise, Abingdon VA
I just made these burgers. I think they are my new all time favorite. I used swiss chard instead of kale, and I dont like liquid smoke so I just left it out and put in a little cayenne pepper. Great recipe – prep time was a lot longer than 10 minutes but they were worth it – thanks
Jenn Sebestyen
Wonderful, Denise! So glad you enjoy them. Swiss chard sounds like a great idea, too! Thanks for your feedback!
Laura
Jenn, This is absolutely THE best burger I have ever tasted. It’s much better than any old beef burger. 🙁
Thank you so very much. It is wonderful.
Due to restraints in my pantry, and I cannot eat oats, I cooked dry red kidney beans, added in 1 cup millet flour, no carrots so I cooked a diced onion, sun seed butter for tahini, and I added chopped up sun dried tomatoes along with the tomato paste. You are the best cook in the whole wide world.
Jenn Sebestyen
Sounds like you are quite the cook as well! Glad all the substitutions worked out and glad you loved it! Thanks, Laura!
Samantha
The kidney bean and kale burgers were delicious! They held together perfectly and were quite filling. I made the BBQ tahini sauce as well. I served them on Angelic buns with the sauce and sliced tomatoes. Even my son ate it! So yummy. It’s definitely going to become a staple! Thanks, Jenn!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Sam! So glad to hear you all liked them…especially the kids – total win! 🙂
Agness of Run Agness Run
I’ve never tried this kind of burger but it seems finger-licking, Jenn! Cannot wait to prepare it!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Agness! I hope you love it. Let me know how it turns out!