Vegan Black Bean Veggie Burgers Recipe

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.

vegan black bean veggie burger

The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

“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

easy black bean veggie burger/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, well-drained

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 slices white bread, crumbled

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder, more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, more to taste

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

  • 1 large red heirloom tomatoes, sliced, for garnish

  • 4 leaves butter lettuce, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make vegan black bean veggie burgers

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  2. 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.

    mashed black beans in a bowl

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  3. 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.

    chopped onions cooking in a pan

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  4. 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.

    mashed black beans and onions in a bowl

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  5. 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.

    mashed black bean mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  6. Divide the black bean mixture into 4 individual patties, approximately 1/2-inch thick. Roll a patty into a ball, then gently flatten it.

    black bean burgers on a plate

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  7. 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.

    black bean burgers cooking in a pan

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

  8. Place each veggie burger on a hamburger bun and dress with onion, tomatoes, and lettuce, and your favorite vegan condiments.

    vegan black bean veggie burger

    The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

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 (per serving)
727 Calories
11g Fat
124g Carbs
35g Protein
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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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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