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 BBQ 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.
I had some leftover black beans that I cooked that I used in this recipe. I did substitute sweet potato for the egg and a touch of barbecue sauce. My family loved them. I will be making them again.
Wow! Delicious! I made several modifications based on what I had on hand and dietary restriction and was shocked how amazing these tasted. I used ground up Oats instead of breadcrumbs and added some ground almonds into the oat mix as well. I omitted the eggs and feta and used an extra squirt of bbq sauce. These are going into my weekly rotation for sure!
Made them pretty much exactly as stated in the recipe (used sriracha mayo instead of ketchup or regular mayo). Fantastic.
I am a meat eater but have been looking to reduce ow much I eat. These were really good! I left out the feta (I somehow forgot to grab from the store) and topped with cheddar, spinach, tomatoes, red onion and avocado and it was so so good! The perfect lunch and now I have 5 more for the future. How long will they keep (cooked already) in the fridge? Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Michelle! So glad to read this, thanks! A few days in the refrigerator is just fine. After that, you can always freeze them. See make ahead instructions.
Just made these and they were a complete hit! I cooked all 6. Can I freeze the leftovers or should I have frozen them before cooking?
I had never made black bean burgers but really wanted to give them a try. I used this recipe, minus the green peppers, and they were delicious! I cut the recipe in half because I’m only cooking for two and wasn’t sure if we would like them.My husband really liked the burgers! Honestly, they were just as satisfying as having a beef burger. Will definitely make again!
I have made this recipe several times and it’s always amazing . My 10 year old says it’s her favourite meal and has asked for it over a Chinese takeaway . I always use cheddar as I never have feta cheese at home but it’s always amazing
My mom is a vegetarian and this is her most requested meal when she comes to visit. So easy and I love that they’re baked!
This recipe was delicious!!! I used 80/20 whole spelt flour and it came out really good! Was mushy when it was raw but then solidified in the oven! Froze well and i had it for lunch a few days later. Thanks!
I made these tonight for Halloween “taco burgers” I used orange bell peppers and large slices of sweet potato to contrast the black beans. I made these vegan using Bob’s red Mill egg replacer. Came out absolutely perfect. This was my first time making black bean burgers.
These were exactly what I was craving. I don’t do bellpeppers so I chopped carrots and celery finely to replace and only did 1/2 cup then saw after it should be 3/4 cup. But this was really great and I used BBQ sauce by Daxson Bones. Thank you so much. And the drying of the beans in oven was a great discovery on your part too. So glad I found your recipe over the skimpy ingredient ones I found before yours..
Oh I served on a toasted piece of ezekiel bread and spread guacamole then put a piece of lettuce with the black bean patty. Put alittle blob more on top so good.
So my mixture was too wet and mushy. Maybe I didn’t blot the onion/pepper mixture or didn’t have my beans in the oven long enough. But after baking them, they firmed up. I was shocked! Then I threw them on the grill to give them that seared taste. Very tasty, but was scared before I put them in the oven!!
Made this recipe into ‘cheatloaf’, awesomely delicious. Topped with ketchup and brown sugar mixture like my meatloaf days. Thanks for sharing, yum!
Tried these for dinner tonight. The only addition I made was to add a little salt and pepper. They were fantastic and a good start to reducing our meat intake.
Thank you for this recipe. I wasnt sure how my family would like this but they all raised their eyebrows in approval! I served it on a bed of lettuce, slice of tomato and a slice of pineapple. It was yummy. I froze the rest for a meal later!
These are the best veggie burgers by far and I make them every month. Pop them in the freezer and they are ready when I want one. I swear I have tried at least 20 veggie burger recipes and this one gets 5 stars and the only one I now make. Thank you !!
I’ve never gone wrong with one of your cake recipes so I thought I would give this one a try. We are whole food plant based so I left out the cheese, used liquid aminos instead of Worcestershire sauce, used almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, and used flaxseed+water instead of the eggs. My husband ate THREE of these burgers in one night. That was enough proof for me that this recipe is a keeper!
Truly excellent burgers!
Excellent recipe! I’m not a vegetarian, but I really just like these. They’re a nice alternative, particularly, if I have a vegetarian guests. I did add a small can of drained and patted, then sauteed, chopped mild green chiles instead of the bell peppers and they had a lovely flavor. Perhaps, next time I’ll add a bit of frozen kernel corn for some added crunch.
Absolutely LOVE these burgers! When I make them and my son is home, there are no leftovers. He’s left for college now, and am wondering how does everyone reheat these burgers? Stove top? Oven? Microwave?
Hi Diana! So glad to read this. For reheating, I simply use the microwave– about 15-30 seconds.
I started my vegetarian journey today and decided to make these burgers. At first I thought OMG this requires a lot BUT after tasting this burger, it was well worth it. Simply delicious!!! I told my daughter we WILL NOT buy another black bean burger from the store, I will always make this recipe!!!!! I followed the recipe to the letter. Thanks for sharing
The flavor of these black bean burgers was phenomenal and that alone would lead me to make them again, but I struggled with them being too moist and hardly able to stick together. I used almond flour instead of bread crumbs, and ended up pouring in extra until it seemed like the burgers would stick. So I would change something with the moisture ratio for the next time I make them, but if that was the worst thing that happened, then I’d say it was pretty successful! Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
These are GREAT. I’ve never made anything like this and was quite surprised at how well they came out. Definitely an addition to the recipe folders !
***** I loved this recipe. I’m not a fan of BBQ sauce so I took picante sauce and strained the liquid out until it was the consistency of BBC Sauce or ketchup. I used canned beans and only baked for 15 minutes. They were just about perfect. I cooked in the oven, and did 15 minutes there too. Would totally do this again.
Didn’t have black beans so used pinto beans. Turned out very good! I also add some mushrooms. I will definitely use this recipe often.
I love these burgers! I try veggie burgers everywhere I go and this recipe rates at the top. Delicious, easy and so hearty! Thanks!
Absolutely perfect! I only modified a few things that did not change the outcome. I didn’t have smoked paprika so I used Chipotle seasoning and I used a Thai sweet chili sauce instead of ketchup. I used 1/3 cup to form patties and made 8 of them. The rest are in the freezer. Great recipe!
thank you for this comment! I cant stand bbq sauce, ketchup or mayo and I was panicking! tried it and turned out great thanks again!
These are absolutely delicious! Thank you for such a great recipe. I too love the way that the patties held their shape. We put mustard on the bottom of the bun, guacamole on the top half of the bun & little bit of the spicy red sauce that you get a restaurant for seafood on top of the pattie. It was so good! BTW for those that think that red onions have too much of a bite after you slice them, put them in a strainer & rinse them under cold water & pat them dry & a great deal of the bite is gone!
My new go-to for burgers! So so good and full of flavour and hold their shape perfectly. Yummo.
I made these burgers for my niece because the rest of us were having hamburgers and didnt want her to feel left out (being vegetarian). They tasted absolutely delicious!!! I read somewhere that the ‘broth’ that comes in canned beans is super healthy so i added a couple of tbsp back to recipe (after having dried them etc). Next time I might try adding an extra couple of tbsp of olive oil (I like my burgers greasy), but I’ll never need to worry about having ground beef on hand again because I can’t imagine anyone (vegetarian or not) not loving these.
I loved the black bean burgers. I made them for the first time last night for dinner. My husband who loves to eat meat burgers, really thought they were delicious!!! I will certainly make them again!