Easy 30-Minute Black Bean Burgers Recipe (2024)

Made with juicy black beans and flavorful spices, this Black Bean Burger recipe is my go-to recipe for easy dinners and cookouts. You only need a handful of simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make these patties. Great for prepping in advance, with options to cook them on the stove, oven, or grill.

A great burger recipe is something every vegetarian needs. It’s what people tell me they miss most about being vegetarian or vegan.

And while I’ve shared many a burger recipe over the years, like Seitan Burgers and Tofu Burgers and Mushroom Burgers, I had yet to share the most classic vegetarian burger recipe of them all – the Black Bean Burger!

Why you’ll love Them

There’s a lot to love about these burgers, but some of my favorite things about this recipe are:

• 8 simple ingredients are all you need to make these burgers.
• Quickly make these burgers in 30 minutes, including cooking time on the grill or stovetop!
• Cheap to make thanks to canned black beans that average $1-2 a can.
• They’re nutritious, with about 14 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber in each patty!

Ingredients for Black Bean burgers

These burgers use black beans (if that wasn’t already clear) and some really flavorful spices that I specifically tested and picked to create maximum flavor with minimal work!

• Black beans: Use canned black beans for this recipe, although you could also cook your own black beans from dried.
• Green bell pepper: This pepper adds color and sweetness but you can also use an orange, red, or yellow bell pepper.
• White onion: White onion adds flavor and moisture to the burgers.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is always best for maximum flavor. If you use pre-minced garlic, I actually like to use about 20% more garlic to achieve the same flavor.
• Spices: You only need smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper for these burgers. These spices add a fun and flavorful tex-mex profile while the smoked paprika helps to mimic the smokiness of a grilled burger.
• Breadcrumbs: Plain panko bread crumbs are necessary to help hold the burgers together. If you’re gluten-free, you can use gluten-free panko bread crumbs.
• Egg: This is also needed to hold the burger together. The egg is the liquid and the bread crumbs are the rock and together they make the mortar or concrete to hold the burger together!

How to make Veggie Burgers

Black bean burgers follow a lot of the same steps as making beef burgers but it’s less messy and you don’t need to worry about undercooking them! Let me show you how (full recipe at the end of this post!)

1. Dry the beans by using paper towels to absorb excess liquid.
2. Make the flavor base by combining the bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a food processor.
3. Make the dough by adding in the beans and spices.
4. Stir in the bread crumbs and egg to form a paste.
5. Form the patties using a measuring cup and your hands.
6. Cook them on the stove, grill, or in the oven.

Storage

This black bean mixture can be made 24 hours in advance, making it great for party prep. Otherwise, the cooked burgers will last for 5 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To freeze the burgers lay them in one layer or with parchment paper in between to keep them from sticking. Then store in a ziplock bag or airtight container.

To thaw the burgers, let them thaw in the fridge overnight to ensure tey retain their texture as they thaw.

Why this Recipe Works

After rigorous testing, I can confidently tell you why this recipe works SO well!

• Holds together and has texture because the black beans are just barley blended. By keeping the black beans still partially whole the burgers retain texture and do not become mushy!
• Letting them chill isn’t required, but it makes forming the black bean burger patties much easier. You only need the dough to rest for about 30 minutes to be more manageable.
• Customizable in both cooking techniques and how they are served. You can grill, bake, or pan-fry the burgers and they can be served as a burger or on a salad.

FAQs

What is the best binder for black bean burgers?

The beans, eggs, and bread crumbs all work as great binders for black bean burgers. They each serve different purposes so you will need all three for this recipe.

Why are my black beans mushy?

If you don’t use enough bread crumbs, the burgers will be mushy. Also, not drying out your beans before hand will leave too much moisture also resulting in a mushy burger.

Can I make these burgers vegan?

You can try using a flax egg in place of an egg. If you try this, let us know how it goes!

What To eat with your burger

Burgers can be paired with so many different recipes. I love to keep it classic with these recipes for a full and delicious dinner!

• Jiffy Cornbread is delicious alongside a burger. The sweetness of the cornbread is a nice contrast to the spicy black bean burgers.
• Grilled Watermelon Salad is the perfect compliment to a juicy burger. It has bright mint and salty feta paired with grilled watermelon making it great for any summer party!
• Sweet Potato Fries are a no-brainer to eat with your burgers! I mean, burgers and fries are a must.
• Zucchini Corn Salad is my go-to summer side. Grill the salad ingredients right alongside these veggie burgers!

P.S. Love veggie burgers? Try my Chickpea Burgers (they’re vegan and soooo good!) or these stupid simple Portobello Burgers!