Go Back
–+ servings

Best Black Bean Burger

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Serves 6
Hands down, this black bean burger recipe is the best one I've tried. The patties are hearty, well-charred, and packed with bold flavor. They're delicious with classic burger fixings like ketchup and mustard, but if you ask me, a slather of chipotle mayo or a scoop of guacamole really takes them to the next level.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
  • ⅓ cup grated yellow onion*, (about ½ medium)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo, diced
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg**
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • Cooking spray, if grilling
  • Hamburger buns, for serving
  • Desired fixings, for serving

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo sauce, tamari, balsamic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash until the mixture holds together but still has some visible chunks of black beans. Add the egg and use a spatula to fold until combined. Then, fold in the panko.
  • Use your hands to form the mixture into 6 patties. The mixture should be cohesive and a little wet. If it’s too wet to handle, chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up or mash your beans a little bit more.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Brush with a little oil and cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side, until charred on both sides, turning the heat down as necessary. The exact timing will depend on the heat of your stove and cookware.
  • Alternatively, preheat an outdoor grill to 400°F. Lightly brush the patties with olive oil, spray the grill grates, and grill for 8 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side.
  • Serve with hamburger buns and desired fixings.

Notes

*Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater. As you grate it, the onion will release a lot of liquid. That's normal! Add the wet onion pulp to the black bean mixture, leaving excess liquid behind on your work surface.
**These can be made vegan by replacing the egg with a "flax egg" (mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons warm water and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken). The vegan burgers are cohesive and they cook/grill well, but they're not as firm in the middle as the egg version. I recommend increasing the cooking time slightly on the grill - I do 8 minutes on the first side and 6 minutes on the second side. They're tasty, but my Best Veggie Burger is still my favorite vegan burger.
If you're looking for a gluten-free veggie burger try my Quinoa Burger.