Easy Black Bean Burger
This chipotle black bean burger recipe is bold and flavorful. You can cook them on the grill or cast iron pan. The result is delicious black bean burgers that hold together and are satisfying.
This black bean burger recipe is one of my go-to recipes. When I’m hungry (as in right now!) I can whip this up in less than 30 minutes, put it on the grill, and, in just a few minutes, have a meal on the table. These burgers aren’t mushy – they hold up like the hamburgers of our youths. They’re packed with a satisfying, smoky flavor and are wonderfully filling.
Toppings include the traditional lettuce, tomatoes, and onions which stack beautifully and make this black bean burger irresistible.
This summer, I’ve been cooking outside on my small grill, but this black bean burger cooks just as well on the cast iron pan on the stovetop. Most recipes call for chopping the black beans in a food processor along with some spices and aromatics. You’ll see, that I used a potato masher to ensure the texture would be ‘meaty’ enough to satisfy. I went a step further and took Kenji López-Alt advice from his recipe on www.seriouseats.com and added chopped cashews. And, voila! it worked to give some stability to the black bean burger.
Black Bean Burger Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this black bean burger recipe:
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- Black beans, of course! Use canned or cook your own
- Cashews – This adds needed texure
- Onions – This black bean recipe calls from grated onions. I use my trusty box grater – this releases a lot of liquids. Scoop up the pulp and add it to the bowl.
- Garlic – Along with the onion the gives you black bean burgers a deep flavor.
- Canned chipotles and adobo sauce – They instantly add a smoky flavor and a little heat.
- Panko bread crumbs – This is your texture
- An egg – This binds everything together. You a flax seed egg if you’re vegan.
- Salt and pepper – Enhances all the other flavors
- Flavors – Cumin, balsamic, and tamari round out the flavors and really bring a depth of flavor to these black bean burgers.
Combine the black beans, onion, garlic, chipotles and adobo sauce, cumin, balsamic, tamari, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
You can use a large fork or potato masher to mash the mixture until it starts to hold together but still has visible chunks of black beans. Add in the egg, then the panko bread crumbs.
Form 6 patties, about a large 1/3 cup each. Then, cook! You can use a cast-iron skillet or an outdoor grill for this step. Either way, the patties should be well-charred, crisp on the outside, and tender in the middle. Enjoy!
Best Black Bean Burger Recipe Tips
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- Add chopped cashews. This gives needed texture.
- If the black bean mixture is too wet to handle, pop it in the fridge. It firms up nicely after chilling for just 20 minutes!
- Or mash it more. The mashed black beans play an important role in making these patties firm and cohesive. If your mixture won’t hold together, continue to mash the beans until you’re able to form patties.
- Can’t flip them? Keep cooking. If you’re grilling your patties, make sure to cook them for a full 8 minutes on the first side. If they’re sticking to the grill, keep cooking! Chances are, they’ll be easy to flip in a minute or two, once the first side is nice and charred. I also recommend brushing the patties with olive oil before putting them on the grill to prevent sticking.
- Charred burgers are better burgers. This black bean burger recipe comes out best when the patties have a really nice char. If you’re cooking them on the grill, look for distinct grill marks and crisp edges. If you cook them in a skillet, each side should be crisp and blackened. For the best results, make sure your skillet is hot when you add the patties, and cook them for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Get ahead. This is a great recipe to make in advance! If you want to cook the burgers right before you eat, mash together the beans and seasonings, fold in the egg and panko, and form the burger patties. Then, transfer the patties to a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate them for up to a day before cooking. Otherwise, cook the patties in advance and reheat them before serving. Store the cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Black Bean Burger Serving Suggestions
It’s time to eat! Take your black bean burgers off the grill or out of the pan and adorn them with all the fixings – lettuce, tomato, chipotle sauce, pickled radishes. This is filling enough for dinner, but also works great as lunch!
Round this recipe out with grilled veggies like roasted cauliflower, roasted cherry tomatoes, or roasted broccoli. This black bean burger recipe goes with just about anything. You can also serve with these side dishes:
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- With a salad. This is pretty much a given! Replace the regular radishes in my Baby Beet Green Salad or Simple Pasta Salad. They pretty much spice up any salad or pasta salad.
- On tacos or nachos. Don’t be afraid to experiment here with the uses. You’ll see for yourself the versatility!
- In a grain bowl. They’d be excellent in my Buddha Bowl or Power Protein Bowl.
Use this favorite homemade hamburger buns (a recipe we found on LoveandLemons. These homemade buns really take our black bean burger to another level!
Now it’s time to enjoy! Let me know how you like this black bean burger recipe in the comments below.
Easy Black Bean Burger
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cooked Black Beans, rinshed and drained
- 1 cup chopped cashews
- 1/3 cup Grated Yellow Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Chipotle Peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo, diced, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp Tamari
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Egg or Flax Egg
- 1 cup Panko Break Crumbs
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing
- Cooking Spray, if grilling
- Hamburger buns and desired fixings, for serving
Instructions
- Use a large bowl to combine the beans, chopped cashews, onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo sauce, tamari, balsamic, cumin, salt, and pepper. I use a potato masher until the mixture holds together but still has some visible chunks of black beans. Here comes the 'folding' part! Add the egg (or flax egg) and use a spatula to fold until combined. Then, fold in the panko.
- Form the mixture into 6 patties using your hands. 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.
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