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These Healthy Black Bean Burgers are great for easy meatless meals that the whole family will love! They are made with hearty black beans, fresh veggies, breadcrumbs or rice, egg, and flavorful spices. You can whip them up in minutes and enjoy them all week long!
You are going to love these homemade black bean burgers! They are hearty and delicious and you can enjoy them on hamburger buns with all the fixings or wrapped up in some lettuce leaves for a lighter meal.
We love to serve these burgers alongside this kale salad or with a nice helping of crunchy fries. Next time you are craving a juicy burger, give them a try!
The black bean burger patties are made with simple ingredients like black beans, peppers, mushrooms, and your choice of cooked (leftover) rice or breadcrumbs. The blend of spices brings the flavor to a whole new level, making these the best black bean burgers you will ever make!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Healthy – this burger recipe is full of dietary fiber, plant-based protein, and nutrients
- Simple meatless meals – perfect for a fun family dinner
- Easy to prep and cook – just mix the burger mixture, form it into patties, chill, and cook until golden.
- Hearty and flavorful – these burgers are loaded with so much flavor and are meaty tasting but vegetarian!
You may also love these incredible meatless meatballs or this easy sweet potato Buddha bowl.
*Get the complete list of recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients for healthy black bean burgers
- Canned black beans – this is the main ingredient in this recipe and make this burger a showstopper!
- Bell pepper – you can use any color of bell pepper you like. Green, red, or orange bell peppers add wonderful crunch, color, and flavor to this recipe.
- Red onion – for added flavor and nutrients
- Mushrooms – to add that meaty taste without any meat!
- Olive oil + avocado oil– just a little bit is used to cook the veggies until golden brown for even more flavor plus help the burgers become golden and crispy as they cook.
- Egg – to help bind all of the ingredients together so the black bean burgers don’t fall apart.
- Breadcrumbs– any breadcrumbs will work, even panko breadcrumbs. This is a pretty versatile burger recipe!
- Seasoning – I used chili powder, onion powder, cumin, Italian seasoning salt, and pepper and these black bean burgers were so good!
- Garlic – I used garlic paste but minced garlic or garlic powder will also work.
Variations and Substitutions
- You can use a flax egg in place of the egg to make these black bean burgers vegan.
- For even more flavor, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to the burger mixture. If you are adding soy sauce then add less salt.
- Green onions can be used in place of the red onion.
- Cooked quinoa or brown rice can be used instead of breadcrumbs.
How to make these homemade black bean burgers
Step One: Saute the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic in a little oil until soft and slightly golden, and let cool.
Step two: Mash up the black beans using a potato masher or the back of a fork. You can also pulse them in the food processor. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed black beans with the cooked, cooled veggies, egg, breadcrumbs, seasoning, and oil.
Step three: Form the black bean mixture into even portions. Place the formed burger patties onto a lined baking sheet and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Step four: After the burgers have chilled ( this helps them stay together) you can cook them on the stovetop, in the oven, or even in the air fryer (see below for additional cooking instructions). I love them cooked in a little oil in a cast iron pan to get that nice flavorful crust on the outside.
Serve with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy!
Burger topping ideas
- Burger sauce
- Lettuce + onion + tomato
- Mayo + Ketchup + mustard
- Green goddess dressing
- Avocado ranch
Tips for Success
- Let the veggies cool and drain off any excess water from them, if needed before you combine them with the rest of the ingredients.
- The texture is Key: Aim for a mixture that has a good balance of mashed and whole beans. This will give your burgers a more interesting texture. You can achieve this by partially mashing the beans with a fork or potato masher, and then mixing in the other ingredients.
- Form the burgers into even-sized patties – this recipe makes about 5 (½ cup) burger patties.
- Season Well: Black beans can be relatively bland, so don’t be shy with the seasonings. Common seasonings for black bean burgers include cumin, chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and cilantro. You can also add chopped onions, bell peppers, or even corn for added texture and flavor.
- Chill Before Cooking: Once you’ve formed the patties, let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This helps firm them up and makes them easier to handle while cooking.
- Be Gentle: Black bean burgers can be fragile. When you’re flipping them, do so gently and make sure they’ve formed a crust on the bottom before you try to turn them
Meal prep these black bean burgers
To make these burgers in advance you can mix and form them then freeze the uncooked patties. Once they are fully frozen, layer them in between parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container and freeze them for up to one month. When you are ready to cook them, remove them from the freezer and cook them according to the recipe instructions.
Note: they may take slightly longer to cook since they will be frozen solid so you can leave them on the counter for 5-10 minutes before you cook them.
Storing instructions
Store any leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Easily reheat them in the air fryer, or on the stovetop.
You can also freeze the cooked black bean burgers.
To freeze cooked burgers: let them cool completely, then wrap each one in plastic wrap and then foil, place them into a freezer-friendly container and store them in the freezer for up to one month. When ready to eat, reheat them in the air fryer or on the stovetop.
More delicious burger recipes
Did you try these healthy black bean burgers? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!
Print
Best Healthy Black Bean Burgers
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 5 burgers 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Healthy Black Bean Burgers are great for easy meatless meals the whole family will love! They are made with hearty black beans fresh veggies, breadcrumbs, or rice, egg, and flavorful spices. You can whip them up quickly and enjoy them all week long!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup red onion-diced
- 4 oz baby bella mushrooms -wiped clean and chopped
- ½ red bell pepper-diced
- ½ green bell pepper-diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste – or 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 (15oz) can black beans -drained and rinsed well
- 1 large egg-lightly whisked
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil- for cooking
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cook the veggies: Heat up a skillet to medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add the onions, peppers, and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until the veggies start to brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Prep the black beans: While the veggies are cooling, mash up the black beans in a medium size bowl using the back of a fork, leaving some whole for added texture. A potato masher or food processor also works great for this.
- Make the burger mixture: Add the cooked veggies, egg, breadcrumbs, spices, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the black beans and stir to combine. Using your hands form 4-5 even-size burger patties. I found that a ½ cup made 5 perfect size burgers. Place the formed burgers onto the parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer (no overlapping) and place them into the freezer for 30 minutes to allow them to firm up.
- Cook the burgers: Heat up a skillet to medium heat with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, add the burgers and cook for 5-6 minutes per side. Remove and let cook for a few minutes. Note: cooking times may vary based on the size of the burgers as well as the pan and level of heat used. Cook in the air fryer: 390°F 8-10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Serve: Add the burgers to whole grain buns topped with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Use good quality, low-sodium black beans – I find that organic is best! Since black beans are the main ingredient, you want to make sure you buy a good quality brand. They are super inexpensive too!
- Thoroughly drain and rinse the black beans before using – This step is so important and will help bring out all of the incredible black bean flavors.
- Chop the veggies into smaller pieces – this is a good rule of thumb when making any type of veggies burger so you don’t have big pieces of veggies sticking out of the burger mixture when you are trying to form it.
- Let the burgers chill before cooking – Once the burgers are formed, it is important to let them sit in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before you cook them. This will really help them firm up and stay together when cooked.
- You can freeze these burgers easily – When you place them in the freezer before cooking, simply leave them in there for about 60 minutes on the sheet pan. Remove, wrap each burger in plastic wrap, place in an airtight container, and freeze for up to a month. When ready to cook, let them defrost on the counter for 15 minutes, then follow the recipe cooking instructions.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes ( included chill time)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
These are the bomb! Fun to make too
Looks great! Does the nutrition facts include the patty on a bun?
Thanks!
Hi Trisha, the nutrition facts only include the burger ingredients not the bun.
The recipe says it serves 6 but the instructions only have you form 4 patties. Can you please verify if it is 6 or 4
Hi Brandi, that was a mistake. Thank you for letting me know. I have updated the recipe card to state that it serves 4.
What temp. do you cook the veggies on?
Hi Shannon, Cook them on medium heat on the stovetop in a skillet. I will add this to the recipe. Thank you for letting me know it was missing.
If I leave the mushrooms out do I need to adjust anything else to get the right texture so you think?
Hi Joni, I did not test this recipe without the mushrooms. You may need to add 1/4 cup more mashed black beans.
I have made many different veggie burgers and these are my favorite by far! I did add some sun-dried tomatoes and some feta cheese I had leftover from another recipe. These will be going in my lunch meal prep rotation for sure! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Lisa, I am so glad you liked them!
The absolute best black bean burger I ever had. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Made exactly as directed.
Thank you, Angel! It is one of my favs too!
These burgers are delicious!! I used panko instead of regular breadcrumbs but other than that I followed the recipe. I will definitely be making these more often.
Thank you, Katie! I am so glad you liked them!