Adzuki Bean & Brown Rice Burger Recipe

Adzuki bean burger is hearty, delicious and perfect to cook on the grill. Brown rice helps in binding and makes these filling and wholesome.

These are one of my favorite vegan burgers to make. They are moist, flavorful and sturdy unlike most vegan burger recipes.

All of the ingredients in this dish are pantry staple and found in a well stocked kitchen. Here are 16 easy to make vegetarian recipes using pantry staple ingredients.

I am always looking for new veggie burger recipes because store bought ones are usually hit or miss. The idea to make these bean burgers came from a product in Whole Foods.

I saw burgers made with red beans and brown rice in the freezer section. I did not buy them but memorized the ingredient combination. It sounded healthy and easy enough to make at home.

Ingredients

The 2 main ingredients needs to make this recipe are Adzuki Beans & Brown Rice.

Aduki or azuki beans are small red color beans that are popular in Asian cooking. They are easy to cook from dried form. Just soak for 4~6 hours or overnight and then they cook pretty quickly.

I use either brown basmati or short grain rice ~ whatever I have on hand.

This adzuki bean burgers recipe is very versatile - feel free to use any spices that you would like. I add sauteed onions, peppers, garlic to add depth of flavor. Other veggies like mushrooms, spinach etc can be added as well.

Instructions

Start by cooking the beans because they take the longest.

Cook the beans

Soak for 4~6 hours or overnight and then boil them for 30~40 minutes until very soft.

Alternately cook them in a pressure cooker (for 3~5 whistles) or in the Instant Pot (for 8~10 minutes). Drain the excess water and let them cool for a little bit.

Cook Rice & flavorings

Cook rice separately and keep ready.

In the meantime, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a saute pan and cook until translucent about 3~4 minutes. Next add garlic clove and cook for 1 minute.

Next add the chopped peppers and cook until tender, about 6~8 minutes. Season with salt, chili powder, garam masala & chopped cilantro. Mix well and turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Make and cook Patties

In a food process, combine the beans, rice and the onion mixture. Process until the mixture comes together.

Remove it into a bowl and add bread crumbs, flax egg, flour and form a smooth dough that doesn't stick to hands.

Take ¼cup of mixture and form into burgers. I was able to make 10 medium size adzuki bean burger patties. At this point, they can be cooked right away or can be frozen for later.

Cook the burgers on medium flame on a skillet/ grill pan until golden on both sides and cooked through. About 3~4 minutes per side.

Serve on sandwich buns with the choice of toppings.

Tips

• To expedite cooking this recipe, make the rice and beans ahead of time. They can be cooked and stored in the refrigerator at least 2 days in advance. Or use, leftover cooked beans and rice for the recipe.
• Add other veggies like chopped mushrooms or spinach can also be added.

Can this recipe be made with other beans?

Yes. Feel free to substitute with either kidney or pinto beans.

Can these burgers be frozen?

YES!! They can be frozen for up to 1 month. I form them into patties, then wrap with plastic wrap and store in ziploc baggie.

To cook from frozen, do not thaw them - just cook them until nice and heated through.

How about the grill?

Best thing about these vegan bean burgers is that they stand up to grilling. They are sturdy enough and do not crumble easily.

Can another grain be used in the recipe?

Yes!! Use either cooked quinoa or millets instead of brown rice.

Other Veggie Burger recipes that you might like

• refried bean burger - easy recipe made with store bought refried beans and chickpea flour
• sweet potato chickpea burger - flavor packed recipe with roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas