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Taco Burger (gluten free, dairy free, vegan)

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Taco Burger – all the flavors of your favorite taco inside a hearty veggie burger. Easy to make. Vegan and Gluten Free.

Close up front view of a Taco Burger with lettuce, tomato, avocado slices, and southwest ranch dressing.

Happy Taco Tuesday! Or is it Burger Night? Whichever your heart desires, I’ve got you covered today!

This vegan Taco Burger satisfies your craving for a hearty burger with all the flavors of a classic taco. So easy to make, Taco Tuesday might just become Taco Burger Night from here on out.

Open faced taco burger topped with avocado slices. Plate of more burgers behind next to a pile of burger buns.

Quick and Easy

These taco burgers made my house smell amazing as they were cooking!

When my son came home from school the first day I made these he asked, “Are we having tacos?” Sort of, buddy. He was not disappointed!

Since these taco burgers are baked, instead of pan fried, the majority of time it takes to make them is hands-off. And baking instead of frying means we can make them oil-free!

And you know what makes the perfect accompaniment to Taco Burgers? Chips and salsa! Any excuse to gobble down more chips and salsa is a win in my book!

Taco Burger piled high on a bun with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and southwest ranch dressing. Small glass jar of ranch dressing behind next to a plate of burgers and buns.

Top It Off

Along with lettuce, tomato and avocado (taco staples, right?) I slathered on some of my Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing and, wow, was it the perfect addition to this Taco Burger!

I originally created this southwest inspired ranch dressing to drizzle on my Black Bean Taco Salad, so naturally the flavors work really well with this burger, too.

And if you are following me on Instagram then you know because of this post that tortilla chips dipped in creamy cumin ranch dressing is also a stellar idea!

Taco Burger with a bite taken out.

Taco Burger Recipe

Let’s get to the good stuff – the recipe for this amazing Taco Burger! I hope you love it as much as we do. If you try it, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback and star rating. You can also find me on social media. Be sure to tag @veggie_inspired and #veggieinspired so I’m sure to see it! Enjoy!

5 from 5 votes
Print
Taco Burger
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Taco Tuesday meets Burger Night with these hearty veggie burgers flavored with your favorite classic taco seasonings.
Course: Burger/Patties, Entree
Cuisine: dairy free, gluten free, oil free, refined sugar free, vegan
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 232 kcal
Author: Jenn S.
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup raw chopped walnuts
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans (or one 15 oz can)
  • 1 cup cooked lentils (leftover lentils work great if you have them)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1-2 tbsp taco sauce (your favorite) (or use salsa)
  • 1 red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1/2 spanish onion (diced)
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/4 cup veggie broth or water
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a small skillet over medium heat, heat the veggie broth or water. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.
  3. Meanwhile, pulse the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor until they resemble a fine crumb. Add the pinto beans, lentils, cilantro, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and 1 tbsp taco sauce and pulse until combined. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add another tbsp taco sauce.
  4. When the peppers, onions and garlic are done, add them to the bean/lentil mixture and pulse a few times to combine.
  5. Form the mixture into patties* using your hands and place on the prepared baking sheet**.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping them over after 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes

*I like to make these slider size. I find that smaller patties hold up better than large ones. But, make them whatever size you like.

**You can stick the pre-baked patties into the fridge for 20-30 minutes, if you wish, to help them firm up even more. It does help a bit, but I don't feel it's completely necessary and usually skip this step if I'm short on time.

 

 

Nutrition Facts
Taco Burger
Amount Per Serving
Calories 232 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Sodium 606mg 25%
Potassium 272mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Dietary Fiber 10g 40%
Sugars 3g
Protein 10g 20%
Vitamin A 26%
Vitamin C 48%
Calcium 6%
Iron 18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Vegan Burger Recipes to Love:

Tofu Hemp Burger

Tofu Hemp Burger

Kidney Bean and Kale BBQ Burger

Close up shot of a hand holding a veggie burger on a wheat bun with spinach leaves, a tomato slice, and bbq sauce.

Black Bean Salsa Burger (15 minute recipe!)

Black Bean Salsa Burgers

Comments

  1. Jaynie says

    Do you have a substitute for the walnuts? I have a little one with a nut allergy but would love to see if I could make this work for us. 🙂 Thanks in advance.

    Reply

  2. Sara says

    I don’t have a food processor. I used my Vitamix dry container to get the walnuts to form the dry crumb texture. However, I used the wet container at a very low speed for a very short time for the bean mixture. What should this mixture look like when you “pulse until combined?” Are the majority of the beans whole, 1/2 mushy & 1/2 whole, or all mushy? I’m trying to avoid having too many gadgets in my kitchen, but I’m wondering if I need a food processor to create a vegan burger that isn’t mushy. Regardless, we gave the flavor a thumbs-up!

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      Hi, Sara. It should not be totally puréed. Everything should be diced up very fine and starting to come together, but not smooth. I have never tried to make a veggie burger in the Vitamix, so I’m not sure how to tell you to do it to make it work. Did you have any texture left in the burger? You might have to put the mixture in the blender in batches…I’m imagining whatever is at the bottom getting totally puréed while whatever is on top is still trying to make it’s way down to the blades. Does that make sense? But I’m not even sure doing it in batches would help either. Just a guess. I totally understand not wanting to have tons of gadgets. I’m not a gadget person either…I feel like I can do almost anything with a good chef’s knife. However, I use my food processor and my Vitamix nearly daily for different tasks. I’m glad you liked the flavor. I’m sure

      Reply

  7. The Vegan 8 says

    These look so delicious!! I make my Mexican burgers monthly with Mexican tahini sauce but I’m totally going to try it with your cumin ranch next time because that sounds yummy, you know how much I love your cumin ranch! P.S. I have that same wood plank and I love it!

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      Thank you, Brandi!!! You will love the Cumin Ranch with your Mexican Burgers! And, I’ve noticed that wood plank before in your photos. I think I’ve seen it in a few other blogger photos too. Apparently, we all shop at the same place. LOL! 🙂

      Reply

  8. choclette says

    Ooh, ooh, ooh. This would make me one very happy person, especially if served with all your accompaniments. I think you’ve answered my question too about what the difference is between a slicer and a burger. I’m assuming a slider is just a smaller version of a burger?

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      Yes, exactly. They are a smaller version. Sometimes in the U.S. they are served as appetizers. But I just like them smaller sized as an entree. 🙂 Thanks, Choclette!

      Reply

  9. Mandy says

    OMG! This is the best of both worlds!! Taco infused burgers?! Count me in! And I bet that Cumin Ranch pairs so perfectly with this. These look amazing, Jenn!

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      LOL! I hear ya. We eat veggie burgers at least once a week! Can’t go wrong! Thanks, Sophia!

      Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      Thanks, Patricia! It’s like that ranch dressing was made for these burgers! They go so well together!

      Reply

  13. Kelly says

    I so love all the spices of tacos and what a great idea to put it in patty form with some great beans and nuts. A must try!

    Reply

  20. Linda says

    Yes, you did just take two of the best things on earth and make them one. Genius, Jenn! I can’t wait to try this recipe.

    Reply

  25. Christine says

    These look amazing! Can I substitute the onion? Or maybe I’ll just put half as much…I can’t seem to bring myself to like them 😉 I’m going to make them tomorrow! Can’t wait!

    Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      Hi, Christine. You can leave out the onion if you don’t like it. I think it should be fine without subbing for something else, but if you wish, you could add a little extra bell pepper or even some corn or whatever other veggie you think sounds good! Enjoy!

      Reply

    • Christine says

      Just a quick update. I made these and they were delicious! I subbed out corn for the onion because I’m not a fan and they turned out perfect! I wrapped them in a tortilla… yum!

      Reply

      • Jenn S. says

        Oh, awesome!! Thanks for the feedback, Christine! I’m so happy to hear you loved them. I LOVE the idea of wrapping them in a tortilla….takes the Mexican theme to a whole other level!

        Reply

    • Jenn S. says

      HaHa! That sounds super fun, Hedi! And I love that you call me Jenny – that’s what my family calls me as I went my Jenny when I was young. So when I hear you say it, too, it makes me feel young at heart! Yay! Anyway, thank you – you would love this burger!

      Reply

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My name is Jenn. This is my blog where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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