Vegan Black Bean Burger Recipe

Vegan Black Bean Burger Recipe

The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Chill Time: 60 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 8 servings

These spicy black bean burgers with cornmeal are made with black beans and salsa for added flavor. The patty is formed by processing beans, cornmeal, salsa, and spices together. Next, just pan fry or grill as you would with a regular burger.

The cornmeal and the whole wheat flour act as binders, so you can avoid those pesky crumbly veggie burgers. Feel free to use another binding method as well. If you've been frustrated with veggie burgers that just fall apart―it's a common issue for a lot of non-meat eaters―check out these tips for how to make the perfect veggie burger.

This black bean burger recipe is courtesy of Bush's® Beans. It's a great veggie burger recipe that's also vegan and easy to prepare.

“This is a great vegetarian burger that holds it’s shape well AND taste good without having lots of ingredients. It’s a fool-proof recipe, very easy to follow and you can add any toppings you want. Cumin gives amazing flavor to this burger. Add some chili flakes to make it even more spicy” —Tara Omidvar

Vegetarian-Vegan Spicy Black Bean Burger Recipe/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat, or all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

  • 1/2 cup salsa

  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt

  • Canola or vegetable oil, for the grill

  • 8 hamburger buns

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make vegan black bean burger

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  2. Place the beans in food processor and process until they are fairly smooth. Add the flour, cornmeal, salsa, cumin and garlic salt. Process until well combined.

    black beans pureed in a food processor

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Spoon the mixture into 8 equal size balls on a large plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before cooking.

    black bean burger balls on a plate

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  4. Prepare a medium (350 F to 375 F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Alternatively, use a stovetop ridged grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill or pan lightly with oil.

    cast iron grill pan

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  5. Form each ball into a 4-inch wide patty about 1/2-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill. Cook until browned and heated through. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

    black bean burgers in grill pan

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  6. Serve your black bean cornmeal patties on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.

    vegan black bean burgers

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Don't use raw veggies in the burger. They contain a lot of moisture that, when heated, is released. This can lead to a soggy burger―a big no-no!
  • Avoid the crumble. In this spicy black bean burger recipe, we use cornmeal to keep things together and prevent the patty from breaking into pieces. Depending on your diet, adding eggs to a mixture of ground flax and water, oats, breadcrumbs or wheat germ works too.
  • Season the burger. Meat is flavorful and quite simply, beans aren't so much. That's why we include spices like the cumin, salsa and garlic salt. Avoid seasoning them with vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, as those can add too much mushy texture to the burger.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
303 Calories
4g Fat
53g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 303
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 983mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 10g 35%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 4mg 19%
Calcium 140mg 11%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 488mg 10%
*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.)