Between homemade, restaurant, and store-bought, these are the best black bean burgers I’ve ever tried. With great reviews from taste testers around the world, I’m confident you’ll be satisfied with this bean burger recipe. They’re big, thick, hearty, and flavorful. The trick is to partially dry out the black beans so the burgers do not taste mushy. Grill or bake the black bean burgers and enjoy on a bun, plain, or on a salad.
A few weeks ago I made a batch of what I believe to be the best black bean burgers ever. Or at least the best black bean burgers I’ve ever had. These were a massive hit with the family. We couldn’t believe the hearty texture, incredible flavor, and overall ease of preparation. I was expecting good, but not this good.
These Black Bean Burgers Are:
- easy
- healthy
- hearty
- satisfying
- big + thick
- compact
- garlicky
- juicy
- spicy
- NOT MUSHY
I feel the need to shout that these black bean burgers are not mushy, one of the common problems with homemade black bean burgers. On the other hand, these black bean burgers are not crumbly either. They hold their shape beautifully!
Quick Video Tutorial
How to Make My Best Black Bean Burgers
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it quickly so you understand each step before you get started
- Partially dry out the black beans. I learned this from Serious Eats. Spread out the canned black beans onto a lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. This prevents the black bean burgers from tasting like mush.
- While the black beans are in the oven, sauté some garlic, onion, and pepper together. This will be the flavor base of the entire burger. Make sure you blot the garlic, onion, + pepper when they’re done—you don’t want its moisture in the black bean burger.
- Food processor or fork! Your choice. Whichever you choose, make sure you don’t completely mash the black beans. We want a bulky and satisfying texture. Larger chunks of beans are the best part!
- FLAVOR. A black bean burger would simply be a patty made from beans if we didn’t add some pizazz. The sautéed garlic, onion, + pepper combo is a great start, but a little cumin, worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, feta cheese, and chili pepper turn black beans into the BEST black bean burger.
Now let’s talk about binders.
And not the kind you bring to school. How do the black bean burgers hold their shape?
- Breadcrumbs. I used gluten free bread crumbs to keep the burgers GF, but any bread crumbs are great. You can use crushed crackers, almond flour, or even oat flour instead.
- Ketchup. I love ketchup so the more the merrier, but you only need 2 Tablespoons. Some sort of condiment like this is needed so the burgers hold their shape. Instead of ketchup, try mayo or BBQ sauce. (I used a tangy BBQ sauce in the 2nd batch and the burgers were incredible.)
- 2 eggs. Best burger binder you’ll find.
All of this stuff, plus the baked black beans, goes into 1 big bowl. Lightly mash it all with a fork to combine. It’s too easy.
How to Shape & Cook Black Bean Burgers
Shape the black bean burgers however large or small you want, keeping in mind that the larger they are, the more unevenly they’ll cook. From what I tested, the sweet spot is about 1/3 cup of mixture.
You can bake or grill the burgers—instructions for both included in the printable recipe below. You can also make the burgers ahead of time and freeze, which is what I did for our trip. Stack them between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. You can even bake/grill the frozen burgers if you forget to thaw them.
As one of my favorite Memorial Day recipes, I always make a batch ahead for the grill!
For a light lunch, skip the bun and eat on a salad. For a seriously impressive supper, get creative with the toppings: mashed avocado + caramelized onion, pepper jack cheese + spicy mustard + sweet pickles, herbed goat cheese + roasted red peppers, sriracha + sautéed mushrooms, mozzarella + pesto, corn salsa + cheddar cheese, or even chunky guacamole. They would go great with zucchini casserole or berry quinoa salad on the side.
The last time I made them, I piled the black bean burgers high with BBQ sauce, Swiss cheese, and grilled pineapple. Best thing I’ve eaten all week. And my week included s’mores made with peanut butter cups. SO THAT’S A GOOD BURGER.
More Favorite Dinner Recipes
- Maryland Crab Cakes
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Lemon Thyme Chicken
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Zucchini Fritters or Corn Fritters
For even more inspiration here are 15+ summer dinner ideas!
PrintThe Best Black Bean Burgers I’ve Ever Had
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-7 burgers
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Between homemade, restaurant, and store-bought, these are the best black bean burgers I’ve ever tried. These burgers are not vegan or vegetarian. (See recipe note to make adjustments if necessary.) With great reviews from taste testers around the world, I’m confident you’ll be satisfied with this black bean burger recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup (100g) finely chopped bell pepper (1/2 of a pepper)
- 1 cup (130g) finely chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup (60g) bread crumbs or oat flour
- 1/2 cup (70g) feta cheese (skip if vegan)
- 2 large eggs (see note for vegan substitution)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (see note for vegan & vegetarian version)
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup, mayo, or BBQÂ sauce
- pinch salt + pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.
- Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and pepper). Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.
- Form into patties, about 1/2 cup (130g) of mixture each, about 3/4-inch thick.
- To bake: Place patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F (191°C) for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill: Place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill 8 minutes on each side. Heat temperature is personal preference as all grills differ. Generally, black bean burgers should grill on medium-high heat about 350°F (177°C) – 400°F (204°C).
- Serve with your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cooked or uncooked black bean burgers freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months. Stack between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to your liking or, if uncooked, cook according to instructions. If desired, you can skip thawing and reheat/cook from frozen for an extra couple minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Food Processor
- Vegan & Vegetarian: Worcestershire sauce is not vegan or vegetarian. For vegetarian burgers, leave it out or replace with your favorite vegetarian condiment such as BBQ sauce. For vegan burgers, make the following 3 changes: (1) leave out the Worcestershire sauce or replace with your favorite vegan condiment such as BBQ sauce, (2) leave out the cheese, and (3) replace the eggs with 1/3 cup mashed sweet potato.
For the bell peppers- do you use green ones?
Hi Deb! Yes, we used green ones, but feel free to use whatever bell peppers you prefer!
Very good and quick meal! Only gripe is they are a little dry, but maybe to be expected from a bean burger. We did no cheese or worstecher, but used bbq sauce. We ate them in a wrap with kale, olives, tomato, and tahini! Very delicious
Those patties are THE BOMB! Best veggie patties I’ve ever made.
I cooked dry beans with a pressure cooker and didn’t use cheese and it ended up being perfect. Can’t wait to get hungry again and eat the leftovers.
Excellent, as per usual. SBA’s recipes are always such a hit and this is no exception!
This recipe is definitely my go-to for blackbean burgers that always satisfy. I make a great red pepper aioli for them too! I love using red onion and generally I omit the feta and paprika. Topping the burgers with avocado and the aioli with a side of sweet potato fries is just a perfect summer meal. Thanks for the recipe!
These were easy to make and utterly delicious.
I had to leave out onion and garlic as I’m cooking for someone allergic,
so added more finely chopped red pepper & a pinch of asafoetida.
I needed a small quantity for part of a weekend picnic
but will now have to make more as I’ve eaten them myself.
This recipe beats all previous attempts which fell apart
or went mushy or both. Drying the beans is a super tip.
Thank you Sally.
OMG! These were excellent, tasty burgers. Last time I used another black bean recipe and they came out bland and mushy. These came out great. Paired them with sweet potato fries and green salad and everyone asked for seconds. Thank you.
If you were going to fry these in a pan, would you do it before or after the oven? My guess is after… or maybe you would just fry them? About how long if the last option? (To make sure everything is fully cooked and safe to eat.)
Hi Melissa, we find the centers don’t cook very well when cooked on the stove. You can start them in a skillet then transfer to the oven to finish baking.
I made these for my husband and our two teenage boys (who try to avoid plant based foods at all costs) and they all loved them! Everyone agreed they would definitely eat them again.
Making these again tonight for dinner, they came out perfect for me last time! I especially love the feta ingredient and usually add a little more on top
We’re new to eating healthier. These were a serious win!
These are delicious. Very smoky, rich, and lots of umami! I make a lot of veggie burgers and these are hands down the best. A couple of recommendations – I always chill my burgers after forming them. Tightens up the mixture so it cooks nicely. When I really want something a little less healthy I fry this in some olive oil and get a nice crusty outer coating. Be sure not to fry too hot so the insides are not mushy. Very delicious either way – baked or fried or air fried and my family’s go to for veg burgers. Thank you for the recipe!
Best Black Bean Burger, hands down. This is better than any restaurant, fast food or your Grandma can make. We are hooked. Plus I don’t feel guilty making these for my family…happy and healthy. Thank you, so much! If I could I would give it 10 stars!
Yuck. I tried these and they were AWFUL. They were dry and mealy and had the flavor of burnt beans. I tried them with salsa and guac, then with barbecue sauce. Didn’t help. If this is the best that bean burgers can taste, I can’t imagine what other ones taste like.
Too bad. Do you think maybe you overcooked them, which would dry them out, of course? I find that the cooking time is VERY short, which makes them easy to burn. I cooked mine on top of the stove in a pan for just a couple of minutes on each side. I mainly wanted to be sure the egg wasn’t under-cooked.
Wow! These were awesome! My son was a bit skeptical without the meat, but he had 2 huge burgers then had another 2 for lunch the next day. I didn’t expect black bean burgers to be so amazing! I’ve had black bean burgers before, but didn’t think much about them. Thank you for creating this recipe! We’re planning on making them again next week!
Will definitely make again! The prep work was minimal and everything came together quickly! We enjoyed our burgers with a pile of guilt-free sweet potato fries.
Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I don’t have a food processor so diced, mashed everything by hand. I was convinced the mixture wouldn’t hold together or have the right consistency. It was perfect! Taste and texture. My meat loving sons and husband loved them. We seared the patties on the stovetop for a few minutes on each side at med-high heat, served with carame
lized onions and mushrooms.
These are wonderful and easy. Much better than anything you can buy. Thank you!
Amazing recipe! For anyone looking to make this Vegan, I omitted the worcestire sauce, used sprinkled vegan Violife cheese instead of feta, and flax eggs in place of eggs and it was amazing! It still held together really well. Instead of baking, I opted to cook on the stove over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes on each side.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
They are DELICIOUS !!
I used canned Pumpkin instead of Eggs.. BBQ sauce..
Everything else went in as recipe called for.. What a flavor !!
I had it in a Pita. with lettuce &tomato, smashed piece of avocado ,and some Mild Salsa.. …I am a Meat and Potato person all my Life and recently had to change eating habits and Found your recipe. It Delivered on it’s Promise as being the BEST Enjoy everyone…
these burgers are TO DIE FOR!!!
best recipe I’ve ever tried, thanks so much for sharing with us 🙂
Got this recipe from my DIL. We’re trying to eat less meat, and my husband is not a huge bean fan, but he’s willing to try new things. I made these last night and used one can of black beans and one can of white beans and a yellow pepper. One-third cup of mixture made them on the small side, but they were perfect on my homemade dinner rolls. I will make them again and am looking forward to leftovers today! Any estimate as to calorie count?
Hi Carol, We are so happy you enjoyed these burgers! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp
These are great! I only made half of thr recipe because I’m the only one in my house who would eat them. I did use gluten free bread crumbs because that’s what u had in the house. I used a yellow pepper because that’s what I had. It gives it great flavor! I’m not a huge fan of cumin, so I will probably add less next time. Overall great recipe. The worcestershire sauce is a great add!
I can see using this as a a beef crumble for tacos too.
This is one of the best bean based patty recipes I’ve used. And I’ve already discovered several different ways of using the burgers in meals. I did some substitutions as per my pantry content but did follow method. The success in this recipe is the volumes, ratios, process and temperature recommendations are spot on! (The partial drying of the beans for 15 mins is the answer to all my historical bean related attempts of the past!)
For general interest of any other folk, I’ve ditched most of the onion/garlic from my diet (the why is boring). I used a lot of fresh green chopped chives and some parsley to replace them – perfectly excellent substitute!!
Thank you. Highly recommend!
Our go-to veggie burger recipe! So so good.
I made this recipe tonight with the BBQ option and the burgers were DELICIOUS!!! Perfect recipe!
We made these last night and were very disappointed. We’re nearly 80% vegetarian (eat eggs, cheese, shrimp and some fish) and are excellent cooks. And, we love black beans, so what’s not to like? We don’t want burgers to taste like meat, but these were pretty flavorless and tasted like patties of….black beans. The Kitchen on Food Network has an excellent bean burger which has nuts in the recipe for texture and the flavorings are superior to these. I apologize; have found other excellent recipes on S.B.A.and thank you for those.
Such a great recipe! Served mine bunless on top of roasted poblanos and it was great! Also fabulous leftovers in the morning with an egg on top.
This was an absolutely delicious recipe! I actually freaked out because I forgot to dry the beans off and the mixture was sooooo mushy. So I added some more bread crumbs and it fixed it right up! I sautéed mushrooms for on top and did a brioche bun. Thank you so much for this new addition to our table!
These were delicious, I really enjoyed them! However, I had to alter the recipe because it included worcestershire sauce, which is not vegetarian. I think it would be helpful to mention that somewhere on this recipe, because most people are probably seeking this recipe out because they adhere to a vegetarian diet, and people frequently don’t realize worcestershire sauce is not veg (it’s made with fish). So that was frustrating to me, but I used soy sauce instead and it worked great, if anyone else is looking for how to replace it!