Easy to make and super tasty White Bean Artichoke Burgers with loads of texture and delicious hints of lemon & rosemary. Cook them in a skillet, the oven or on the grill.
These White Bean Artichoke Burgers are golden brown, crispy, lemon and rosemary-scented bundles of flavour and texture. Inspired by my white bean artichoke sandwich filling, they've become a real reader favourite with nothing but five-star reviews.
It's funny because bean burgers are never the first thing you think of when it comes to meals, and yet, somehow, every time you eat them they end up a total dinner star and you wonder why you don't make them more often. And just like my vegan black bean burgers and my kidney bean burgers, these white bean artichoke burgers are shockingly easy to make so there can be no excuses.
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Ingredient notes
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
The ingredient list is short but the flavour is big! Here are the main players:
- canned white beans - Any you like. I used cannellini beans but lima or great northern would also work well.
- canned or jarred artichoke hearts - marinated or not marinated. It doesn't matter too much. Just be sure to drain them well.
- oats - You can use old fashioned oats, rolled oats or quick oats. If using old fashioned oats or rolled oats it will be necessary to pulse them in a food processor or blender to break them down just a bit. If you have quick oats there is no need to do this so skip that step.
- fresh or dried rosemary - fresh is always preferable and it's so easy to grow at home, but dried is ok too.
- lemon - just the zest so we get the lovely lemon flaovur without any added moisture. Save the lemon juice for something else like dressing a salad, or adding to a drink.
Likely you already have the supporting ingredients lurking in your pantry: onion, garlic, salt & pepper.
How to make White Bean Artichoke Burgers
These artichoke burgers are so easy to make. Here's how:
- Saute the onion.
- Mash the beans roughly with a potato masher.
- If not using quick oats, pulse the oats a few times in a blender or food processor.
- Add the oats and everything else to the beans and mix together well, then form into patties.
- Refrigerate for a while then cook in a skillet, oven or on a grill.
It's as easy as that! See the recipe card for full and detailed instructions ;O)
Success Tips
- Be sure to drain the beans and the artichokes well. It doesn't hurt to give the artichokes a little squeeze to get the excess moisture out.
- The oats are necessary for absorbing moisture and also for texture. I don't recommend switching them for anything else.
- Don't be tempted to add the juice of the lemon as well as the zest. Moisture needs to be kept to a minimum here.
- These burgers need the refrigeration step so don't skip it.
Making ahead & storing
These freezer-friendly bean burgers are really great for making ahead and meal prep.
To store - Burgers keep well in the fridge for four to five days whether cooked or uncooked. Be sure to keep them wrapped well or in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
To freeze uncooked burgers - Shape the burgers then lay them out on a lined baking tray and pop the whole thing in the freezer. As soon as they are hard you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Don't forget about them and leave them on the tray uncovered for too long though as they may get freezer burn.
To freeze cooked burgers -Allow to cool completely then lay out on a lined baking tray and pop the whole thing in the freezer until they are hard. Then remove and put into freezer bags or containers. Or Stack the burgers with sheets of parchment paper between them and freeze. Either way will ensure they don't stick together.
To reheat previously cooked burgers - Bake them in the oven at 370°F for about 15-20 minutes or until piping hot. If frozen bake them straight from the freezer for about 20-25 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.
Serving suggestions
Serve white bean artichoke burgers on a fluffy bun with some guacamole and hot sauce. Sliced avocado, pickled jalapenos and a few crumbles of salty vegan feta work really well with the lemony herb flavours too. Or go bun-less and sit them atop a crisp salad with some vegan avocado dressing, maybe with some lemon garlic air-fryer potatoes on the side.
If you're grilling try serving them with some grilled baby potatoes and strawberry spinach salad or my lemony kidney bean salad. Any way you go you won't be disappointed!
Variations
Make these bean burgers your own by:
- Switching up the herbs. Use your favourites!
- Add some chopped jalapenos or black olives to the burger mix.
- Try using chickpeas instead of white beans.
This recipe was originally published on July 1st, 2016. I've since rewritten the post and now I am republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Recipe
White Bean Artichoke Burgers
Author:Ingredients
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 1 x 14 - 15 oz can white beans such as lima or cannellini , equivalent to 1 x 398 ml - 400 ml can in Canada or a 400g one in the UK
- 1 x 14oz can canned artichoke hearts , equivalent to 1 x 398 ml - 400 ml can in Canada or a 400g one in the UK
- 1 cup (90 grams) rolled/old fashioned oats or quick oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary , dried or fresh
- 1 medium lemon (zest only)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Saute the onion in a pan until golden brown. I used a dry fry pan but you can use a little drop of oil of you prefer. Once beginning to turn golden, turn off the heat and allow to cool while you carry on with the next step.
- Drain the beans well and add them to a large bowl. Mash roughly with a potato masher. You just want them a bit crushed not completely pulverized.
- Drain the artichoke hearts and chop into small chunky pieces, then add them to the crushed beans.
- If using old-fashioned or rolled oats, pulse them a few times in a food processor or blender to make them smaller but still a bit chunky. If using quick oats you can skip this step.
- Add the oats to the beans then add the onion, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Use clean hands to squeeze and squidge everything together really well.
- Shape into 4 patties and really squeeze and compact them together well. Then place on a parchment paper lines baking tray or plate and refrigerate for at least one hour. It's fine to leave them up to a couple of days but if you do make sure to cover them with plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
To cook on a grill
- Place on a grill over medium heat and leave to cook until a nice crust develops then turn over. They should take 5 to 6 minutes each side. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
To cook in an oven
- Put the burgers on a lined baking tray and cook at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, making sure to turn them over half way. They should be crusty and golden once ready.
To cook in a skillet
- Heat the skillet with a small drop of oil. When hot add the burger patties.
- Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until a nice golden crust has formed then turn over and do the same on the other side.
NOTES
- Be sure to drain the beans and the artichokes well. It doesn't hurt to give the artichokes a little squeeze to get the excess moisture out.
- The oats are necessary for absorbing moisture and also for texture. I don't recommend switching them for anything else.
- Don't be tempted to add the juice of the lemon as well as the zest. Moisture needs to be kept to a minimum here.
- These burgers need the refrigeration step so don't skip it.
To store - Burgers keep well in the fridge for four to five days whether cooked or uncooked. Be sure to keep them wrapped well or in an airtight container so they don't dry out. To freeze uncooked burgers - Shape the burgers then lay them out on a lined baking tray and pop the whole thing in the freezer. As soon as they are hard you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Don't forget about them and leave them on the tray uncovered for too long though as they may get freezer burn. To freeze cooked burgers -Allow to cool completely then lay out on a lined baking tray and pop the whole thing in the freezer until they are hard. Then remove and put into freezer bags or containers. Or Stack the burgers with sheets of parchment paper between them and freeze. Either way will ensure they don't stick together. To reheat previously cooked burgers - Bake them in the oven at 370°F for about 15-20 minutes or until piping hot. If frozen bake them straight from the freezer for about 20-25 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.
Stacey says
Soooo delicious!!! Everything about these burgers is amazing. The lemon zest with the brine of the Artichoke hearts, just wonderful. Will definitely make these again💗
Martha says
Hi Mel, I don't see in the recipe when to add the onion. I assume it gets mixed in with the other stuff?
Thanks!
Melanie McDonald says
Would you believe this recipe is years old, gets visited thousands of times per month, and you are the only person to notice this so far? Ha. 10/10 for observation skills. I just fixed it, but yes, add the onion to the mashed beans along with everything else. Thank you for pointing it out!
Lauren Kim says
My daughter who is vegan (she’s the reason I cook mostly vegan) recently realized that she likes artichokes! I made this for dinner one evening and it was a BIG HIT! Everyone loved it! Thank you for all your yummy recipes!
Melanie McDonald says
That's great - I'm so pleased you all enjoyed them!
melody sieglitz says
I'm gonna make these tonight praying they are not mushy i've yet to find a good texture of veg burger so are these mushy? thanks
Carol says
I was so excited to try these based on the reviews and I was not disappointed. The flavor and texture combination were divine. I live in FL and these were nice and light in the heat. I don’t have a grill so I pan fried and they were perfect. Thank you very much!!
melody sieglitz says
great to hear texture was good i hate mushy burgers not mushy right?
Lynn says
Are they freezer friendly?
Make, cook, freeze and reheat? or. . . .
Make freeze then cook?
Thank you,
Lynn
Melanie McDonald says
They do freeze well. I make them and freeze them uncooked with parchment paper separating them. Then I cook them from frozen for just a few minutes longer. You could freeze them after cooking too then reheat. You risk them becoming a little dry then though as they end up cooked twice.
Patricia Giannelia says
Have loved these burgers since the first time I made them - and they were the choice of my niece for her "day after the wedding" barbecue - very grill able, and very "chi-chi" and declarer the best veggie burger some had ever eaten!