🫘🍔 These Homemade Black Bean Burgers are EASY, full of great texture and flavor, and taste just like a great burger, minus the meat! Grill or bake them for an easy meal!
Easy Black Bean Burgers Recipe
I love traditional beef burgers or grilled BLT turkey burgers. However, I also like to include vegetarian options when hosting a party or when I need a Meatless Monday option, and these homemade black bean burgers blow any store-bought option out of the water!
- They’re full of sweet, savory flavors with a satisfying, hearty texture. Never bland or boring.
- The burger patties are easy to make, come together with help from your food processor, and best of all, you can either grill OR bake them.
- As written, the recipe makes 6 servings. You can easily make a double or triple batch for a hungry crowd or meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for an easy option!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best black bean burgers, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Canned black beans: I use no-salt-added, store-bought canned black beans. Although if you have extra cooked homemade black beans on hand, I’m sure they will work perfectly
- Olive oil
- Veggies: Red onion, red bell pepper, and garlic
- Egg: I haven’t had good success making these burgers with an egg replacer and can’t guarantee your results if you do
- Breadcrumbs: I’ve never used gluten-free breadcrumbs, but they will likely work for this recipe
- Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce to keep vegetarian), ketchup, and light brown sugar
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Black Bean Burgers (2 Ways)
This is an incredibly easy recipe! Follow these basic steps:
- Drain and rinse your black beans. Then, blot them dry on clean paper towels. Don’t skip this step! By removing the excess moisture, each black bean burger patty will have an overall better texture and consistency, and will not be mushy from the presence of extra water.
- Sauté the onion and pepper in oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Pulse the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor just until combined. You can also hand-mash with a fork in a large bowl, which I am fine with since I love texture and don’t mind putting a little elbow grease into things. Be careful not to overmix, or your burgers will be mushy! I really enjoy having little chunks of beans or peppers throughout the patties.
- Shape the black bean mixture into equal-sized patties.
- Grill on both sides, placing them on foil on top of the grill. I don’t recommend placing them directly on grill grates because they could stick and ultimately fall apart. Or, arrange the veggie burger patties in a single layer on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake, flipping halfway through cooking.
Add toppings!
I topped my black bean burgers with cheddar or pepper jack cheese. However, lettuce, tomato, avocado, red onion, caramelized onion, plant-based bacon, sprouts, pickles, poblano peppers, guacamole, and condiments like mayonnaise, mustard, or ketchup all make great additions.
Possible Variations
The beauty if this plant-based black bean burger recipe is that it’s quite basic in terms of the flavor profile, which makes it easy to customize and adapt the flavor profile to something smokier or spicier if desired.
- If you want a more smoky flavor profile, smoked paprika, chipotle seasoning, or cumin would do the trick. Or try a few drops of liquid smoke.
- Rather than ketchup, barbecue sauce, a spicy BBQ sauce, or even adobo sauce is also great.
- For spicier burgers, add chili powder, red chili flakes, a few dashes of cayenne pepper, or half a serrano chile or even habanero!
- These meatless burgers are a great way to add more veggies to your diet. You can easily add corn, carrots, or zucchini right into the mix and process in the food processor!
What to Serve with Black Bean Burgers
Homemade Black Bean Burgers
Equipment
- 1 Grill
Ingredients
Burgers
- two 15-ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed (I used no-salt added)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup small-diced red onion
- 1 cup small-diced red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce to keep vegetarian
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 6 slices white cheddar or cheddar cheese, optional
To serve (all optional and as desired)
- 6 Brioche Buns, or your favorite burger buns
- Lettuce
- Tomato Slices
- Mashed Avocado
- Red onion slices
Instructions
- Burgers – Drain and rinse the black beans well in a colander over the sink.
- Place paper towels on a baking sheet, transfer the beans to the towel-lined baking sheet, and blot dry with additional paper towels. Aim to get the beans as dry as possible which later prevents soggy and mushy burgers; set aside.
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, red onion, bell pepper, and sauté over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until softened; stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
- Transfer the onion mixture and the towel-dried beans to the canister of a 12 to 14-cup food processor.
- Add the onion mixture to it, as well as the egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper, and pulse for about 20 to 30 times. Do not over-process!*
- Form 6 equally sized patties, about 1/2-cup each of the mixture.
- To Grill – Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the burgers on a lightly greased piece of tin foil that has been placed directly onto the grates of the grill that are also lightly greased. I recommend nonstick heavy duty foil.
- Grill for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. The outside will be nice and charred.
- If making cheeseburgers, add the cheese 5 minutes before the cook time is over so it has time to melt. Keep grill cover closed when melting the cheese.
- To Bake – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick foil or use a Silpat, and place the patties directly on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- If making cheeseburgers, place cheese on top 5 minutes before the cook time is over so it has time to melt.
- To Serve – Serve on brioche buns with your favorite burger toppings, such as green leaf lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, and mashed avocado.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Favorite Grilling Recipes:
Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad – An EASY corn salad with black beans, zucchini, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, and more! So much Mexican-inspired FLAVOR in every bite of this family favorite recipe that’s sure to be a hit!
Grilled Avocado Corn Salad — An EASY and HEALTHY salad that’s ready in 10 minutes and you won’t be able to stop eating it! Juicy corn, creamy avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime juice is a FIESTA in your mouth!
Grilled Corn Salad with Chicken — An EASY salad that’s ready in 15 minutes and you won’t be able to stop eating it! Tender chicken, juicy corn, crisp bell peppers and tomatoes, creamy avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime juice for the WIN!
Grilled Mexican Corn (Elote) — Learn how to make this EASY and FLAVORFUL grilled Mexican street corn at home in minutes! Fresh sweet corn is covered in crema, cheese, and finished with chili, lime juice, and cilantro!
Grilled Steak Kabobs — Juicy steak with sweet bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and pineapple for the PERFECT sweet-and-savory kabob! You’ll want to fire up your grill for these! Fast, EASY, zero cleanup, and DELISH!
Grilled Lime Cilantro Chicken with Guacamole – EASY, ready minutes, and the chicken is tender, juicy, and full of Mexican-inspired flavors! Chunky guacamole pairs PERFECTLY with this grilled chicken! A family favorite recipe everyone loves!
Grilled Pineapple Chicken — EASY, ready in 10 minutes, and the flavor of the juicy chicken makes you feel like you’re on a TROPICAL island! Grilled peppers on the side makes for the PERFECT summer meal that’s HEALTHY and DELICIOUS!
Grilled Lime Cilantro Chicken — EASY, ready in 10 minutes, and the cilantro chicken is so TENDER, juicy, and full of Mexican-inspired flavor! Put this HEALTHY chicken recipe on your summer menu rotation and it’ll be a hit with everyone!
Originally published May 24, 2021 and republished July 21, 2023 with updated text.
You never mention the additional ingredients. When are they added?
There was a bit of a glitch with the recipe card although it is fixed now. Here is the same overview of the recipe that I wrote in the post: Begin by draining and rinsing very well two cans of black beans.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels, turn the beans onto the towels, and gently blot them dry with more paper towels on top.
To a large skillet, add the olive oil onion, red bell pepper, sauté until tender, and in the final one minute or so, add the onion.
Transfer the beans into the canister of a food processor, add the onion mixture to it, as well as the egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper, and pulse about 20 to 30 times, or until the ingredients just come together.
Form six equally sized patties. They’ll be just over 1/2-cup each. Place them on a baking sheet until you’re ready to grill or bake them.
Hi Averie, love your recipes and site! I’d like to make these, but was hoping for some clarification on the instructions- are the egg, breadcrumbs and etc. meant to be added in the food processor, or mixed in by hand after the beans and veg are pulsed? Thanks!!
Apologies! There was a bit of a glitch with the recipe card although it is fixed now. Here is the same overview of the recipe that I wrote in the post: Begin by draining and rinsing very well two cans of black beans.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels, turn the beans onto the towels, and gently blot them dry with more paper towels on top.
To a large skillet, add the olive oil onion, red bell pepper, sauté until tender, and in the final one minute or so, add the onion.
Transfer the beans into the canister of a food processor, add the onion mixture to it, as well as the egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper, and pulse about 20 to 30 times, or until the ingredients just come together.
Form six equally sized patties. They’ll be just over 1/2-cup each. Place them on a baking sheet until you’re ready to grill or bake them.
Got it!! Should’ve read the post more thoroughly, was too excited to get to the recipe details and skipped it over! Thanks for clarifying, they’re on the docket for this weekend!
great
great
Love your site, love your recipes, however you goofed in this one.
Worcestershire sauce is not generally vegetarian. It normally contains anchovies or fish sauce. Soy sauce is a vegetarian sub. Just FYI.
Keep the recipes coming!
Thanks I updated the recipe.
its wow