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    Black Bean Burgers

    July 26, 2023

    Healthy and hearty, our totally loaded, chipotle mayo-topped homemade black bean burger recipe is an easy dinnertime win for vegetarians and omnivores alike!

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    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Vegetarian
    a homemade black bean burger topped with chipotle mayo, caramelized onions, romaine lettuce and pepper jack cheese
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    We Found It! The Very Best Black Bean Burger Recipe!

    One of our favorite things about this burger recipe is that it ticks so many important boxes—healthy, easy, delicious, kid-friendly. It’s pretty adaptable, too! We’ve topped our black bean burger patties with chipotle mayo and Pepper Jack cheese, but it’s endlessly customizable depending on what you’re craving. Sliced avocado and Secret Sauce? Yes! Tzatziki Sauce and sliced cucumber and tomato? Go for it!!

    bowls of black beans, corn, jalapeno, carrots, onion, spices, chipotle mayo, pepper jack and buns to make black bean burgers
    black beans spread out into an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet ready to bake for 12 minutes until beans are dry

    Are Black Bean Burgers Healthy?

    Yes! Black bean burgers are so healthy! Our black bean burgers are a nutritional superstar—not exactly what you normally associate with burgers. Firstly, black beans are an ideal source of vegan and vegetarian protein, so if you’re not a meat-eater, they’re probably already a staple food in your pantry (and if they’re not, they probably should be!). But beyond that, they’re also a wonderful source of fiber, zinc, magnesium, folate, calcium, iron, copper, manganese, and B vitamins! So when a burger craving hits, but you’re trying to make healthy choices, no big deal! Whip up this black bean burger recipe and you’ll be digging in virtuously and satisfying that craving in no time.

    onions, jalapenos and garlic being cooked in a skillet with olive oil
    carrots, cilantro, cumin, onion, salt, paprika, chili powder, egg, breadcrumbs, cooked onion & jalapeños in a food processor
    carrots, cilantro, cumin, onion, salt, paprika, chili powder, egg and breadcrumbs pulsed in a food processor
    black beans, carrots, cilantro, cumin, onion, salt, paprika, chili powder, egg and breadcrumbs pulsed in a food processor

    What Are Black Bean Burgers Made Of?

    You mean, other than black beans? That’s actually a great question! You can’t just smash up some black beans and call that a burger. Just like any other great burger, it’s really helpful to have a binder in the mix, and a few seasonings are a good idea, too! So what’s in our black bean burger recipe? As you can see from this easy-peasy ingredients list, you’ll mostly just use pantry ingredients, plus a few extras. Here’s what you’ll need to make the black bean patties:

    • Black beans

    • Olive oil

    • Yellow onion

    • Jalapeños

    • Garlic

    • Carrot

    • Cilantro

    • Cumin

    • Onion powder

    • Kosher salt

    • Smoked paprika

    • Chili powder

    • Egg

    • Bread crumbs

    • Corn

    homemade black bean burger patties being cooked in a skillet
    homemade black bean burger patties being cooked in a skillet topped with melted pepper jack cheese

    How To Make the Best Black Bean Burgers

    Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, you’re ready to roll. Here are a few tricks to pop up your sleeve for making the best black bean burgers ever on earth!

    • DO dry the beans out. It might seem a little odd to bake the beans before you make the patties, but it’s the key to achieving a good texture and it’ll help the burgers hold together.

    • DO wet your hands before you work with the black bean patty mixture. It’ll keep the patty mixture from sticking to your hands.

    • DO cook them all the way through! Black bean burgers do not benefit from being cooked only to medium-rare. You want the outside to have a nice crisp texture and to be sure they’re really cooked and warmed through.

    homemade black bean burger patties topped with melted pepper jack cheese in a skillet next to bowls of burger fixings
    two homemade black bean burgers topped with chipotle mayo, caramelized onions, romaine lettuce and pepper jack cheese

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Burger Recipes to Try and Love this Summer

    a homemade black bean burger topped with chipotle mayo, caramelized onions, romaine lettuce and pepper jack cheese

    Delicious Vegetarian Burgers—For Serious!

    A little smoky, a little spicy and just flat out yummy, this black bean burger recipe is one of our favorite plant-based meals. It’s just so easy and easy to love, too. We hope you love it as much as we do! When you make it, we’d love to hear about it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff!

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    Black Bean Burgers

    Updated on July 26, 2023

    • Serves:  4
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  30 min
    • Calories:  705
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    Ingredients

    • 2 (13 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • ½ small yellow onion
    • 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • ¼ cup carrot, grated
    • ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 egg
    • ¾ cup bread crumbs
    • ½ cup canned or frozen corn, drained
    • 4 slices Pepper jack cheese, optional
    • ½ cup chipotle mayo
    • 4 burger buns
    • Romaine lettuce
    • 1 cup caramelized onions

    Method

    1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

    2. On a parchment lined baking sheet spread black beans into an even layer and bake for 12-15 minutes until beans are dry.

    3. In a large skillet, set over medium, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil until glistening. Add in the onions and jalapenos and cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

    4. Add carrots, cilantro, cumin, onion, salt, paprika, chili powder, egg and breadcrumbs to a food processor along with the onion and jalapeno mixture. Blend until everything if fully combined. Add the corn and black beans and pulse until the mixture looks combined but some beans are still visible, about 8-10 times.

    5. In the same large skillet, set over medium heat, heat remaining olive oil until glistening. Wet your hands and divide the bean mixture into 4 patties about 1-inch thick and 3 inches across. Add to the skillet and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. During the last minute, top the burgers with cheese.

    6. Toast burger buns and spread each with 2 tablespoon chipotle mayo, top with romaine lettuce and 2 tablespoon caramelized onions. Transfer burger patty directly to prepared buns and top with the remaining bun halves. Serve immediately.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 705
    • Protein 26 g
    • Carbohydrates 81 g
    • Total Fat 31 g
    • Dietary Fiber 16 g
    • Cholesterol 80 mg
    • sodium 2150 mg
    • Total Sugars 8 g

    Black Bean Burgers

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Janis

      Can this recipe be frozen?

      Yes! We recommend fully cooking them first. Let them cool then freeze. hope you enjoy!

    • Theresa

      Made these for the first time last night - holy smokes are they good! Could these be made ahead and frozen? Either uncooked, partially cooked, or fully cooked? I am a little unsure because of the egg. Thanks for another terrific meal with MP!

      Thanks, glad you liked these! Freezing fully cooked should work fine.

    • Deb

      Does the calorie count include the bun?

      Yes! Hope you enjoy Deb!

    • Alisha

      So much flavor! I didn't have any chipotle powder but did have some leftover chipotles in adobo in the freezer. Also used ancho chili powder for the chili powder. Making again, meat NOT missed!

      Awesome! So happy you loved them Alisha!

    • Victoria

      So the burgers were delicious, my only recommendation is to keep them thinner rather than thick like the picture. When they are too thick, it feels like pure mush and not like a burger at all. The thinner the better! Pair this with TMP's burger sauce recipe and you have a fantastic homemade black bean burger!

      Thanks Victoria, very glad you enjoyed them.

    • Elizabeth

      Made them last night for the first time. My husband and I loved both loved them. I did cook them on the grill and they were great! Need to tweak it a little, but it will be a regular rotation in our meal

      Thanks Elizabeth, we are so happy that you and your husband loved them!

    • Katrina

      Delicious and i will make these again! Followed the recipe exactly except I dried the beans a bit longer than the suggested time, and for the chipotle mayo i used a chopped canned chipotle instead of powdered.

      Thanks Katrina, so happy you loved them and want to make them again!

    • Kay

      These turned out really great. They had a nice texture and the flavors of the pepper jack, chipotle mayo and caramelized onions all went together so well!

      Thanks Kay! We are so happy you loved them!