This homemade Vegan Black Bean Burger uses simple ingredients to create protein-packed patties full of savory, smokey flavor with the perfect touch of heat. Cook them with a grill, air fryer, oven, or skillet!
The Best Black Bean Burger You’ll Ever Make
One bite of these black bean burgers, and you’ll never go back to store-bought varieties again! Unlike most pre-made versions, this recipe is free from mystery ingredients, added sugars, or unnecessary preservatives.
Instead, we use simple, whole food items to create the most juicy, flavorful, plant-based burgers you’ll ever taste! Easy to make, they cook in minutes and store amazingly. Load them up with your favorite toppings, and you’ll have a delicious and nutritious meal everyone can enjoy!
Are Black Bean Burgers Actually Healthy?
There are many different black bean burgers on the market, and each contains different ingredients. So, always be sure to double-check to ensure they meet your definition of healthy.
That said, this recipe uses whole food ingredients full of vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and plant-based protein. It’s also free from gluten, eggs, nuts, and is dairy-free-friendly.
As a result, it qualifies as healthy in our book!
Health Benefits of Black Beans
You probably already know that black beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber. However, black beans are also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients including:
- Folate
- Copper
- Thiamine
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Vitamin B6
- Calcium
- Selenium
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Oil – Use light olive oil or avocado oil to sauté the veggies, making them flavorful and tender.
- Veggies – Green onion (the white and green part), jalapeño, and garlic add bold, savory flavor and a hint of heat.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro brightens up the burgers with refreshing notes that balance out some of the spiciness. If you don’t like cilantro you can use fresh parsley instead.
- Black Beans – If you have the time, you can cook dry beans. However, to keep things simple, we use canned black beans. Just be sure to drain and rinse them well, and pat them dry! Otherwise, your burgers are likely to become soggy.
- Gluten-Free Quick Oats – These act as a binder holding the burgers together. Feel free to substitute gluten-free panko bread crumbs if preferred.
- Flax Meal – Combined with the oats, flax meal acts as a binder replacing the need for eggs.
- Nutritional Yeast – Feel free to substitute freshly grated parmesan cheese if you can tolerate dairy.
- Tomato Paste – This adds depth to the flavor and adds moistness to the patties so they don’t crumble and fall apart. For a slightly different flavor feel free to use any other thicker sauce such as sriracha or adobo sauce.
- Tamari – Adds extra depth to the burger. Feel free to substitute soy sauce if preferred.
- Seasonings – Cumin, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt enhance the savory flavor of the burgers and add a subtle smokiness.
Nutrition Note: Black beans contain the highest amount of total dietary fiber of all beans with a fiber content of 43%. In addition, 63% of their total starch content is resistant starch. Both of these factors contribute to feeding the good bacteria in our gut and help improve digestion!
How to Make Vegan Black Bean Burgers
- Sauté. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once shimmery, add the chopped green onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook until just beginning to brown.
- Combine. Add the veggie mixture to the bowl of a food processor along with the cilantro. Pulse a few times until roughly chopped. Then, add the black beans, and pulse just to break them up into small chunks. Be careful not to overprocess! The texture should be crumbly but not mushy.
Note: If you don’t have a food processor, combine the ingredients in a bowl, and use a fork or potato masher to mix them up.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Transfer the bean mixture to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, and pulse just to combine.
- Shape the burgers. Divide the black bean mixture into four patties that are roughly 3 ½ inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Chill the black bean burger patties in the fridge. This helps them hold their shape!
Pro-Tip: Pack the patties tightly enough that they hold together but not so tightly that the burgers become dense.
- Cook. Grease the grill, and preheat it to medium-high heat. Add the burgers, and cook for seven to eight minutes. Then, flip, and continue to cook for another five minutes.
- Enjoy! Transfer the patties to a plate, and serve immediately, or store them for later.
Alternative Cooking Options
For each method, follow steps one through four above, combining and chilling the patties.
- Air Fryer – Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the patties in the basket, leaving space between each piece. Then, grease the tops with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for five minutes. Then, flip the burgers, spray them again, and continue to cook for five to seven minutes or until the burgers are browned.
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the patties on the baking sheet. Then, bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the burgers after 15 minutes.
- Skillet – Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ tablespoon of a high-heat cooking oil like refined avocado oil or coconut oil. Once the pan is sizzling, carefully place the patties in the skillet. Cook for three to four minutes. Then, gently flip, and continue to cook for three to four minutes or until browned.
Pro-Tip: To create a smokey veggie burger flavor, use a cast iron pan for frying!
Topping Ideas
Honestly, these burgers are plenty flavorful on their own, but you can never go wrong with extra toppings! Try serving them on a gluten-free bun with options like:
- Ketchup
- Sriracha
- BBQ Sauce
- Avocado or Guacamole
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Onions or Pickles Red Onions
- Pickled Beets
- Lettuce
Serving Suggestions
We love to serve these burgers with sides like:
Common Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four to five days.
Yes! For the best results, freeze the patties before cooking. Assemble the burgers, and chill them in the fridge. Then, stack them on top of each other placing a sheet of parchment paper between each patty. Freeze in a sealable bag for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to cook.
Be sure to pulse the ingredients just until crumbly but don’t over-process. If the patties are too dry to hold together, add a little more tomato paste. Then, pack the patties tightly, and chill them in the fridge! This helps them firm up and hold their shape.
No! They might have a subtle black bean taste, but the veggies and spices infuse these vegan black bean burgers with warm, savory flavor.
This recipe yields four to five equal-sized patties. However, feel free to make the patties as big or as small as you like, and adjust the cooking time as needed.
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Burger Recipes
Vegan Black Bean Burgers (Gluten-Free) Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 5 burgers 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Skip the store-bought options, and make this gluten-free, vegan black bean burgers recipe with simple, nutritious ingredients instead!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon light olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup chopped green onion (mix of white and green portion)
- ⅓ cup finely chopped jalapeño (1 jalapeño or ½ bell pepper)
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, torn
- 15 ounces canned black beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry
- ⅓ cup (30 grams) gluten-free quick oats or gluten-free panko
- 3 Tablespoons flax meal
- 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste or other thick chili sauce like sriracha
- 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmery. Stir in the chopped green onions, peppers and garlic. Cook until just beginning to brown then transfer to a food processor. Add the cilantro and pulse several times until roughly chopped.
- Add the black beans to the food processor and pulse five or six times (don’t over process). The beans will be broken up but still in small chunks.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients (oats, flax meal, Parmesan cheese, tomato paste, tamari, cumin, onion powder, smoked paprika and salt) until combined.
- Form the mixture into 4 patties about 3 ½ inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Chill the patties in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This helps the patties hold their shape before cooking.
- Lightly grease the grill and preheat to medium-high heat (400 F). Add the burgers, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes then flip and grill another 5 minutes.
- Serve the burgers immediately on gluten free buns topped with aioli, pesto, avocado, lettuce, etc.
- Store cooked burgers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Alternative Methods –
- AIR FRYER – Preheat the air fryer at 375°F/190°C. Place the patties in the air fryer basket and spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for 5 minutes then flip and spray the burgers again and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes or until the burgers are browned.
- OVEN – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (flipping after 15 minutes).
- SKILLET – Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ Tablespoon high heat cooking oil (refined avocado oil or coconut oil). Once the pan is sizzling, carefully place the patties in the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, gently flip, and continue to cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until browned.
Storage Tips – If freezing, shape into patties and let patties chill thoroughly, stack between wax paper then transfer to freezer bags. For best results, thaw before cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilll Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: grill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: I burger without bun
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 1.6 g
- Sodium: 486.8 mg
- Fat: 4.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.2 g
- Fiber: 11.3 g
- Protein: 10.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Wow these were really good, very filling! I used an egg instead of flax meal and ground up the oats. Sautéed onions and mushrooms and added to the top of the cooked burger. So yummy! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Jen! They are a favorite of mine. And I definitely need to try with the sautéed onion and mushrooms. Yum!!