Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 burgers
Adding healthy legumes to your diet is no longer a hassle. Forget about overnight soaking and cooking the beans for hours. This recipe for black bean burgers will bring to your table all the health benefits of black beans, plus a wonderful flavor, minus all the hard work.
Vegan and vegetarian alternatives are growing by the day, even in fast-food restaurants, but there’s nothing more satisfying than eating a burger that you know has no added preservatives and is made with very few, simple ingredients. Black beans have a wonderful earthy flavor and are simply seasoned with garlic and onions. The patties hold their shape really well thanks to the bread pieces used as a binder. They’re pan-fried to golden perfection, so the crunchy outside reveals a flavorful meaty inside that you’ll enjoy with or without a bun.
Serve them with your favorite vegan fixings like sliced tomatoes and onions, lettuce, and vegan sauces like sriracha, ketchup, vegan mayo, and mustard. Use regular buns, enjoy a salty addition with pretzel buns, or use a crusty bread like small ciabattas. Alternatively, eat bunless burgers with a green salad for a nutritious meal, but be mindful the patties aren’t gluten-free as they contain flour and bread, needed as binders to prevent the patties from crumbling.
“What an amazing black bean burger! I love that the patties weren’t dry at all and just one burger was quite filling. You can easily customize this burger with your own seasonings and toppings. Make sure to include a condiment — I used a garlic aioli.” —Jessica Yu
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 (14-ounce) can black beans, well-drained
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2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
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2 slices white bread, crumbled
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1 teaspoon garlic powder, more to taste
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1 teaspoon onion powder, more to taste
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1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, more to taste
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Kosher salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
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1 small red onion, thinly sliced, for garnish
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1 large red heirloom tomatoes, sliced, for garnish
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4 leaves butter lettuce, for garnish
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large bowl, mash the beans until almost smooth with the help of a potato masher or fork. Stir well with a wooden spoon until the desired texture is achieved.
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Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet. Add the onions and sauté them until they are soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
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Mix the sautéed onions into the mashed black beans. Add the crumbled bread slices, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
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Once the mixture is combined, add the flour a few tablespoons at a time. Your veggie burger mixture will be very thick, so use your hands to work the flour in well to obtain a firm mixture, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Divide the black bean mixture into 4 individual patties, approximately 1/2-inch thick. Roll a patty into a ball, then gently flatten it.
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Use the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil to pan-fry the burgers in a stovetop grill pan or large skillet over medium-low heat. Allow the patties to slightly firm-up and brown on each side, 3 to 5 minutes. If your pan is too hot, the burgers will brown too quickly and not be heated through and cooked in the middle, so adjust the heat as needed.
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Place each veggie burger on a hamburger bun and dress with onion, tomatoes, and lettuce, and your favorite vegan condiments.
Recipe Variations
- Use other canned beans, such as kidney beans, red beans, roman, or black-eyed peas.
- If you want to use homemade cooked beans, you'll need 1 2/3 cups.
- Add other vegetables to add texture to the burgers. Use 1/2 cup of grated carrots, celery, green or red peppers, or a combination. Simply sauteé the 1/2 cup of chosen vegetables with the onions. Be sure not to overload the mixture with vegetables because the patties will crumble.
- Add a handful of finely chopped cilantro or parsley leaves, plus a tablespoon of any seasoning that combines two or more herbs. Individual dried herbs like oregano, sage, or marjoram are also a flavorful addition.
Can These Veggie Burgers Be Frozen?
These veggie burgers can be frozen either before or after cooking—if after, make sure the burgers have cooled completely. Place the burgers on a baking sheet and flash freeze until hard (about three hours) and then store in a zip-top freezer bag for up to three months. Defrost before cooking.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 727 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 11g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 2269mg | 99% |
| Total Carbohydrate 124g | 45% |
| Dietary Fiber 32g | 116% |
| Total Sugars 8g | |
| Protein 35g | |
| Vitamin C 20mg | 99% |
| Calcium 288mg | 22% |
| Iron 12mg | 65% |
| Potassium 1584mg | 34% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
