Print

The Best Black Bean Burgers

black bean burger on a wood board topped with lettuce, cheese, red onion, and guacamole.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

This is my favorite easy black bean burger recipe– featuring BIG, thick, hearty patties bursting with flavor. The burgers stay together beautifully without becoming too mushy. You can bake these in the oven or toss on the grill. No matter how you enjoy them, I'm certain that you'll agree that these are the best black bean burgers.

Ingredients

Units
  • 3 (14 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup finely diced bell pepper, about 1 pepper
  • 1 1/4 cups finely diced yellow onion, about 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • optional toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, guacamole and cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the beans evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake for 10 minutes until slightly dried out. Leave the oven on if baking the burgers.
  2. Meanwhile, sauté 1 Tablespoon olive oil, pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat in a large skillet until the peppers and onion are soft– about 6-7 minutes. Place in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients (breadcrumbs, eggs, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and paprika.)
  3. Stir together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or potato masher (you can even use a food processor), leaving some larger chunks of beans for texture.
  4. Form into patties, a slightly heaping 1/2 cup of mixture each, about 3/4-inch thick.
  5. To Bake: Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake at 400°F for 8-9 minutes on each side, about 16-18 minutes total. To Grill: Place the patties on greased aluminum foil and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side at around 400°F-450°F, about 10-14 minutes total. The patties will not stick to a clean, well-oiled surface or grill. If you prefer grill marks, brush the patties with olive oil. 
  6. Serve with your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead Instructions: Store cooked burgers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can make the burgers ahead of time through step 4 and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stack between parchment paper in a container or airtight bag. Cook following the instructions in step 5.
  2. Freezing Instructions: The cooked or uncooked black bean burger patties can be frozen for up to 3 months. Stack between parchment paper in a container or freezer-safe airtight bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat. For uncooked, follow the directions in step 5. You can skip thawing and cook from frozen for an extra 2-3 minutes.
  3. Breadcrumbs: Any type of breadcrumbs work in this recipe– Panko, regular, whole wheat or homemade. Use certified GF breadcrumbs to keep this a gluten free recipe. 
  4. Vegan & Vegetarian Option: Worcestershire sauce is not vegan or vegetarian. For vegetarian burgers: replace the Worcestershire sauce with your favorite vegetarian condiment such as ketchup or BBQ sauce. For vegan burgers: replace the Worcestershire sauce with your favorite vegan condiment such as ketchup or BBQ sauce and replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs or 1/3-1/2 cup mashed sweet potato.

Find it online: https://runlifteatrepeat.com/the-best-black-bean-burgers/