Between homemade, restaurant, and store-bought, these are the best black bean burgers I’ve ever tried. With great reviews from taste testers around the world, I’m confident you’ll be satisfied with this bean burger recipe. They’re big, thick, hearty, and flavorful. The trick is to partially dry out the black beans so the burgers do not taste mushy. Grill or bake the black bean burgers and enjoy on a bun, plain, or on a salad.
A few weeks ago I made a batch of what I believe to be the best black bean burgers ever. Or at least the best black bean burgers I’ve ever had. These were a massive hit with the family. We couldn’t believe the hearty texture, incredible flavor, and overall ease of preparation. I was expecting good, but not this good.
These Black Bean Burgers Are:
- Easy
- Healthy
- Hearty
- Satisfying
- Big + thick
- Compact
- Garlicky
- Juicy
- Spicy
- NOT MUSHY
I feel the need to shout that these black bean burgers are not mushy, one of the common problems with homemade black bean burgers. On the other hand, these black bean burgers are not crumbly either. They hold their shape beautifully!
Quick Video Tutorial
How to Make My Best Black Bean Burgers
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it quickly so you understand each step before you get started
- Partially dry out the black beans. I learned this from Serious Eats. Spread out the canned black beans onto a lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. This prevents the black bean burgers from tasting like mush.
- While the black beans are in the oven, sauté some garlic, onion, and pepper together. This will be the flavor base of the entire burger. Make sure you blot the garlic, onion, + pepper when they’re done—you don’t want its moisture in the black bean burger.
- Food processor or fork! Your choice. Whichever you choose, make sure you don’t completely mash the black beans. We want a bulky and satisfying texture. Larger chunks of beans are the best part!
- FLAVOR. A black bean burger would simply be a patty made from beans if we didn’t add some pizazz. The sautéed garlic, onion, + pepper combo is a great start, but a little cumin, worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, feta cheese, and chili pepper turn black beans into the BEST black bean burger.
Now let’s talk about binders.
And not the kind you bring to school. How do the black bean burgers hold their shape?
- Breadcrumbs. I used gluten free bread crumbs to keep the burgers GF, but any bread crumbs are great. You can use crushed crackers, almond flour, or even oat flour instead.
- Ketchup. I love ketchup so the more the merrier, but you only need 2 Tablespoons. Some sort of condiment like this is needed so the burgers hold their shape. Instead of ketchup, try mayo or BBQ sauce. (I used a tangy BBQ sauce in the 2nd batch and the burgers were incredible.)
- 2 eggs. Best burger binder you’ll find.
All of this stuff, plus the baked black beans, goes into 1 big bowl. Lightly mash it all with a fork to combine. It’s too easy.
How to Shape & Cook Black Bean Burgers
Shape the black bean burgers however large or small you want, keeping in mind that the larger they are, the more unevenly they’ll cook. From what I tested, the sweet spot is about 1/3 cup of mixture.
You can bake or grill the burgers—instructions for both included in the printable recipe below. You can also make the burgers ahead of time and freeze, which is what I did for our trip. Stack them between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. You can even bake/grill the frozen burgers if you forget to thaw them.
As one of my favorite Memorial Day recipes, I always make a batch ahead for the grill!
For a light lunch, skip the bun and eat on a salad. For a seriously impressive supper, serve on homemade ciabatta rolls and get creative with the toppings: mashed avocado + caramelized onion, pepper jack cheese + spicy mustard + sweet pickles, herbed goat cheese + roasted red peppers, sriracha + sautéed mushrooms, corn salsa + cheddar cheese, or even chunky guacamole. For a summertime favorite, use the toppings from my caprese pesto chicken burgers. They would go great with zucchini casserole or berry quinoa salad on the side.
The last time I made them, I piled the black bean burgers high with BBQ sauce, Swiss cheese, and grilled pineapple. Best thing I’ve eaten all week. And my week included s’mores made with peanut butter cups. SO THAT’S A GOOD BURGER.
More Favorite Dinner Recipes
- Maryland Crab Cakes
- Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Lemon Thyme Chicken
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Zucchini Fritters or Corn Fritters
For even more inspiration here are 15+ summer dinner ideas!
Print
The Best Black Bean Burgers I’ve Ever Had
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-7 burgers
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Between homemade, restaurant, and store-bought, these are the best black bean burgers I’ve ever tried. These burgers are not vegan or vegetarian. (See recipe note to make adjustments if necessary.) With great reviews from taste testers around the world, I’m confident you’ll be satisfied with this black bean burger recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup (100g) finely chopped bell pepper (1/2 of a pepper)
- 1 cup (130g) finely chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup (60g) bread crumbs or oat flour
- 1/2 cup (70g) feta cheese (skip if vegan)
- 2 large eggs (see note for vegan substitution)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (see note for vegan & vegetarian version)
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup, mayo, or BBQ sauce
- pinch salt + pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.
- Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and pepper). Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.
- Form into patties, about 1/2 cup (130g) of mixture each, about 3/4-inch thick.
- To bake: Place patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F (191°C) for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill: Place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill 8 minutes on each side. Heat temperature is personal preference as all grills differ. Generally, black bean burgers should grill on medium-high heat about 350°F (177°C) – 400°F (204°C).
- Serve with your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cooked or uncooked black bean burgers freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months. Stack between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to your liking or, if uncooked, cook according to instructions. If desired, you can skip thawing and reheat/cook from frozen for an extra couple minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Food Processor
- Vegan & Vegetarian: Worcestershire sauce is not vegan or vegetarian. For vegetarian burgers, leave it out or replace with your favorite vegetarian condiment such as BBQ sauce. For vegan burgers, make the following 3 changes: (1) leave out the Worcestershire sauce or replace with your favorite vegan condiment such as BBQ sauce, (2) leave out the cheese, and (3) replace the eggs with 1/3 cup mashed sweet potato.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This really is the best black bean burger I think I’ve had. I’ve experimented with a couple during quarantine and these are awesome. I would eat these every day. Drying the beans is genius and I’m convinced it’s the difference. Only thing I’ll do differently next time is make them spicier—a jalapeño maybe or throw in some cayenne powder. But these take the title. Congrats on a terrific recipe.
Easy to make and so delicious. I plan to break the burger up as well and make nachos with it!
Fantastic! I made them for Memorial Day and couldn’t be happier. I had to make adjustments based on my dietary preferences (low sodium). I replaced the added salt with a salt-free chipotle seasoning, traded goat cheese for feta and added more breadcrumbs because of the moister cheese. I used a standard ice cream scoop for portioning out the patties and the bake time was spot on!! Thank you for a great cooking recipe crafted with a baker’s precision.
Hubbie loves impossible burgers – I could tell he was disappointed I was making these – but he absolutely loved them – thanks for a healthier choice and already had all the ingredients – so good!
Amazing!! I’ve been trying a lot of different recipes during quarantine and this is by far the best one! I don’t like beans (mostly due to the texture), but these burgers are amazing! I highly suggest trying it with vegan cheese and some low sodium/sugar ketchup. I will definitely make this again in the future!
Thank you for the tip to dry out the beans first!!!! I didn’t add the cheese as I’m trying not to consume cheese. Delicious!!
These black bean burgers were soooo good. The flavor was excellent and the consistency was perfect (not too dry and not too mushy). My husband who is not into non meat burgers really liked them. They also reheated very well. My daughter was a fan as well. Will be making these again. Thank you for the recipe!
This recipe was great . I have made many burgers with black beans but this one is the best. Flavorful, filling and easy to make. I did not even eat it on a bun but instead ate it with a roasted corn salad on the side. I will be making these over and over again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
YUM. This is def the best black bean burger I’ve had. The extra step of drying out the beans is GENIUS. Def flavorful and didn’t fall apart easily like other bean burgers. I did this without bell pepper so I added a little more onion. I wonder about skipping sautéing they onion and garlic; might try that next time. A patty shaper and non-stick spray is a MUST. Sally, your recipes have been getting me through quarantine- thank you!
Well, not sure what I did wrong. They ended up being quite tasty but the mixture was the consistency of uncooked brownies. I had to scoop the dough out (I know it’s not dough but it sure seemed like dough!) with a 1/3 measuring cup. There’s no way I could’ve formed this mixture into patties with my hands. I really think I followed the recipe to a T. My family makes fun of me for being adamant about measurement (“Mom, you don’t need to get out a teaspoon for the cumin!”). I used oat flour rather than bread crumbs. I wonder if anyone has any clue as to what could’ve happened.
Hi Nancy! It sounds like the beans were mashed up too much. By doing so, the mixture was extra sticky (and more like a paste). Make sure you partially dry them out in the oven, then after you add them to the food processor, give it only a couple quick pulses. You want some chunks left in there. Additionally, make sure you blot some of the moisture out of the sautéd pepper + onion.
This recipe was so delicious. I’ll be making it again and again! Not sure what you did wrong Susan, but I hope your taste buds recover soon!!
I have made many meatless burgers in my life and trust me when I say… these have by far been the best. Awesome taste and texture, not mushy at all and holding up great on the grill. I dressed up my burger with pimento cheese, lettuce, pepper Jack cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, French fried peppers and jalapenos and ketchup… it was so GOOD. This recipe is a keeper, thank you so much!!
The best!! First time making this and definitely not the last!! thank you SO MUCH
THese were really yummy. My picky daughter and meat-loving husband both ate them up too.
This recipe is seriously a gem. I first found it last year when I was looking for ideas for using up some leftover canned black beans. I loved it so much that I have since adapted it for both regular beef and turkey burgers as well. I want to try to translate it into a meatloaf recipe next time I feel like experimenting. Thank you, Sally!
These were super delicious, my very picky four year old even ate a whole one!
My food processor had a hard time with the dried beans, so next time will blend them first and then bake but otherwise it turned out beautifully!
Great healthy recipe! Added some siracha for a little heat. Delicious.
Certainly live up to their name. Delicious!
I was looking for a way to use up the rest of my pot o’ beans, and this was a winner. Got my meat-centric husband to eat them too. I didn’t have a bell pepper or feta, but added a can of diced green chiles instead. I had to dry my soggy beans for an extra 5 min to get them dry enough. Next time I want to try some nutritional yeast in the mix if I don’t have cheese around. Overall a recipe I will make and tweak repeatedly based on what I have on hand. Thanks for the foil tip for the grill…I’m sure it saved a broken patty or two.
Amazing! Couldn’t be better (and I had to leave out the feta and bell pepper because I didn’t have it). Have made it multiple times already! Thanks for the great recipe!!
Really nice. It held up perfectly. I tweaked a couple of spices , pan fried with a drop of oil in a non stick pan. Made a mayo hot sauce topper along with chopped tomatoes and fresh cilantro. No bun required. Keeper recipe. Thank you!
These are honestly the most delicious!! Thank you for this amazing recipe. So easy and so much better than Any store bought brand!
These are delicious! I cooked dried beans in an InstantPot with vegetable stock. Drained and dried them. I made per the recipe using Amy’s Vegan Worcestershire sauce and some BBQ sauce I had on hand. Tasted a bit sweet with the BBQ but some fresh lime juice helped. I’m going to use adobo for some extra spice next time. They hold together beautifully. Thank you for this recipe!
I apologize if this has already been asked. I am in the middle of chemo and radiation. My mouth is sensitive to spices like chili powder. I am craving black bean burgers and love your recipe. Any suggestions for different seasonings or would they be good without the chili powder?
Hi Stephanie, I’m glad to help. If you are sensitive to spices, you can leave out the chili powder and, if desired, the cumin and smoked paprika as well. (Or simply reduce the quantity.) Feel free to add some spices that you are able to enjoy such as Italian seasoning or more garlic powder.
Not sure what’s up with nasty Susan. I didn’t use feta, edited the seasoning a bit, & added mushrooms, mine were soooo tasty. Thanks for sharing I am a vegetarian so I appreciate the taste – black beans are my favorite.
Great black bean burger. Made half a recipe and formed five burgers.
Served with my favorite Mexican kale salad.
So good. Will freeze the leftovers.
I never had a black bean burger before. Actually, I only just started liking black beans recently and ’cause of Quarantine, I decided to expand my cooking and baking horizons. I’ve tried a few of Sally’s recipe’s the past 2 months and most were great! I decided to give this a try and dang… it was delicious. Thank you!
These are great! I have made another recipe with fewer ingredients but while they tasted good they were always mushy, these are not. Drying the beans and using eggs and flour as binders I’m sure makes the difference. I use half quick oats and half gluten free flour.
I used this recipe two days ago and it was absolutely amazing. The BEST black bean burgers I’ve ever had in or out of a restaurant! I added some fresh corn kernels and a handful of walnuts (put in the blender) and I made a double batch. Held together perfectly, and the flavor was divine! Thank you!!
I make “eggs” with 1 tablespoon chia plus 3 tablespoons water – let it sit a few minutes and stir and use in place of 1 egg. And it works in many other things (pancakes, batter for fish, etc.) too.
I made flax eggs 1 Tablespoon flax to 3 tablespoons water for each egg. Let sit 5 min. They held together perfectly.
I didn’t have worcestershire sauce or feta (used a little parmesan), my homemade beans were too watery, I didn’t measure anything, but these are absolutely amazing. A keeper recipe!! thank you. PS I added a jalapeño to the veg mix and halved the cumin, and fried them on the stove.