This juicy Spicy Bean Burger is a flavour-packed vegan BBQ option — moist, sturdy on the grill and full of punchy umami and chilli heat.
If you’re after a proper vegan burger — not the dry, crumbly versions that disappoint — this recipe delivers a big, juicy, satisfying quarter-pounder alternative. It uses a bean and rice base with mushrooms and onions to keep the texture tender and cohesive, inspired by Anna Jones’ Really Hungry Burger. Marmite and chilli give the burgers their bold, savoury kick.
📝 What you need
Ingredients
Tinned butterbeans are creamy and nutritious with a meaty texture that absorbs other flavours well. They provide protein, fibre and minerals while letting the Marmite and chilli shine.
Marmite gives a deep, savoury umami. If you don’t like Marmite, substitute nutritional yeast, a little grated vegan cheese or a teaspoon of vegetable stock powder.
Red chilli — one deseeded chilli gives a warm glow. Keep the seeds for more heat, or use dried chilli flakes or powder as a substitute.
Nut butter helps bind the patties and adds a creamy texture. Cashew, almond, peanut butter or tahini all work well.
Pre-cooked rice — leftover rice or a microwave pouch are perfect here. Because the burgers contain rice, follow safe handling and freeze promptly if you plan to store them.
Mushrooms add juiciness and depth. Cook them slowly until their liquid has evaporated so the burger mix remains fairly dry and easy to shape. Chestnut or flat mushrooms give a darker, richer colour.
Equipment
You can mash the beans by hand or use a food processor or mini chopper to blitz them into a smooth paste. A small food processor is handy for quick jobs; a larger processor is useful for bigger batches destined for the freezer.
❄️ Freezing
These burgers freeze well after shaping but before cooking. Stack them with squares of greaseproof paper between each patty, wrap the stack in foil and freeze. Because they contain rice, freeze them as soon as they have cooled and reheat until piping hot throughout when cooking from frozen. Add about 5 minutes to the cooking time for frozen burgers.
👩🏽🍳 What else can I make with Butterbeans?
Butterbeans are versatile and nutritious. Try them in soups, stews, pâtés or hummus for creamy texture and added protein.
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If you liked that…
…you might also enjoy other vegan favourites, including black bean burgers, creamy coleslaw or Marmite flatbreads — all great pairings for a BBQ spread.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Bean Burger
Kate Ford | The Veg Space
Ingredients
- 400 g tin butterbeans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp Marmite (or other yeast extract)
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed
- 2 tbsp nut butter (cashew, peanut or similar)
- 150 g pre-cooked rice (leftover rice or microwave pouch)
- 75 g breadcrumbs (about 2 slices of bread blitzed)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 small red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 350 g mushrooms (chestnut or flat)
- Plain flour for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
- In a blender or food processor, blitz the butterbeans, Marmite, chilli and nut butter to a smooth paste. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the rice and breadcrumbs to the bean mixture and mash together with a fork or potato masher until fully combined.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then cook gently for 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Finely chop the mushrooms, add to the pan, season with a little salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has mostly evaporated — you want a fairly dry mix.
- Once the mushrooms and onions have cooled slightly, stir them into the bean mixture. Chill in the fridge for around 20 minutes.
- Divide the mixture into six even portions. Dust your hands with a little flour, roll each portion into a ball and pat it flat on a board to form the burgers.
- Oil a baking tray and place the burgers on it, turning them so both sides are lightly oiled.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown with a crisp crust.
- Serve in a bun with toppings such as mashed avocado, red onion, tomato and salad.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 293 kcal
Carbohydrates: 46 g
Protein: 11.3 g
Fat: 6.1 g
Fiber: 3.9 g
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