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
We made these today for lunch using all the listed ingredients with the exception of using your substitute suggestion of oat flour. They are SO GOOD. Not dry, flavorful, great texture. Great recipe!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Making your black bean burger recipe for the second time. Love them!! Baked them the first time, trying them on the stove top this time, just for the heck of it.
My first time making – or eating – bean burgers! My vegetarian son and his girlfriend came for dinner. I used 2 parts black beans and one part garbanzos, other items as written. Baked them this time. Will try the grill another day. Everyone liked them. The texture was perfect; thank you for the advice to leave some of it chunky. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
These are awesome. So flavorful and not to wet! Perfect!
Excellent results! Thank you
These were the best burgers I ever had.
My husband is a meat man and he loved them. Added brown rice to the mix.
Difinitely will be making this recipe again and again.
I replaced the egg with the chia seed replacement of 1 tablespoon of chia seed mixed with about a tablespoon of water. I replaced the feta with some shredded soy cheddar and vegan Worcester sauce. They tasted great. Yummo!
These look wonderful!
Can I substitute white beans for black beans? And would I use the same ratio?
Thank you!
Hi Shai! We haven’t tested this recipe with white beans but let us know if you do!
Made these with black beans I had made the night before in my InstaPot and turned out great! I did mine on the stove top to get a nice char and the flavors did not disappoint! Recipe will be a new staple!
Hello Sally, I used your recipe for black bean burgers. This was my first time making them. They came out GREAT !!!! My husband & I enjoyed the burgers. I had a small amount of finely diced carrots & broccoli , which I added just to use the veggies. Thank You for your recipe.
Wonderful burgers and great idea about finely chopped veggies. I served these at a 4th of July party. The vegetarians were overjoyed. Great spice and texture balance.
Hello! About how many medium sized burgers does this recipe make? I’m going to try these for the first time for a family of 6, including two teenagers. Obviously it’ll depend on how big I make the burgers but just trying to get an idea if I have to double or triple the recipe.
Thanks. Can’t wait to try them.
Hi Mary, this recipe yields 6-7 burgers, with each patty using about 1/3 cup of the mixture. Hope your family enjoys them!
This was so good! The only thing I did different was added 1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese instead of feta. Everything else was exactly as written. It stayed together perfectly and tasted great.
I love this recipe and make it all the time. It’s amazing on my sour dough rye buns. I have tried many diff cheeses in the ingredients and all are delish. I never use canned beans always start with dried. Also sub in Panko crumbs and add beet powder sometimes.
Highly recommend this recipe. Thank you for making it available.
How much beet powder do you use? Great idea!
Re: adding beet powder… I’ve never measured but guessing it’s around 2 rounded tablespoons…based upon all the other ingredients are a tad more than the original recipe amounts. I also add a chunk of roasted sweet potatoe.
The best black bean burgers I ever made or had! I omitted the fresh garlic(didn’t have any) and subbed more ketchup for the worsteshire sauce. So so good!!
Made these for the first time tonight! Delicious! I’ll probably use a little less cumin next time, but overall it was so good. I also added a bit of quinoa. Topped it off with some cucumbers, mayo, spinach, and cheese! Just wish I had pepper jack instead of cheddar! I was a little worried because it seemed mushy when I was forming the burgers, but it wasn’t an issue after they were done cooking. This was my first attempt at a black bean burger and it won’t be the last!
Hi! Planning on making these tomorrow for dinner. Can I make the mixture in the morning or at lunch and leave in the fridge, then shape and cook the burgers in the evening? Thanks!
Hi Emma! We haven’t tested that particular make-ahead method, but don’t see why not! It may be helpful to form the patties before refrigerating as the mixture will get more firm as it sits. Let us know what you try!
These burgers are delicious and not mushy or too dry. The flavor and texture is very good. I thought I could speed up the mixing part with my blender but I seriously regret it cause it was too thick for the blender to mix it and hard to get out of the blender after. Next time I’ll just mix it with a fork.
Made these tonight and it turned out really good. I added some mushrooms in the onion and pepper mix. I only added one white button mushroom, next time I will add more and maybe not chop it that fine. I added sauteed mushrooms on top after I cooked it.
Was very surprised that this was soooo good! Burgers formed easily. I didn’t use canned beans instead I made homemade black beans from Sally’s recipe and just didn’t put the onions,oil, etc. we’re very tasty and full of flavor.Will Recommend to my other family members
These came out really well even though I didn’t follow the instructions on drying out the black beans first. I somehow missed that instructions. But, they were awesome just the same. Thank you!
Excellent – will be making again. Instead of tinned beans, I cooked a batch of mixed dried beans in my slo cooker, then dried them out in oven for 15 mins, as you suggested. Texture was excellent, and also the flavour.
A small reminder to self – cooking black beans with white beans meant the colours ran (think like laundry washing jeans with white shirt!) – tasted fine but next time I’ll just do black beans only! Or maybe just white cannelini only – but not both
The flavor profile is there but I did something wrong as they are mushy trying to form the pattys , delicious tho
Hi Kim, the mixture can definitely get a bit messy when trying to form the patties! Did you make any ingredient substitutions? We find that drying out the beans and soaking up some of the moisture from the sauteed vegetables helps reduce the mushiness. We’re glad you still enjoyed these!
Delish! I forgot to dry out the pepper/onion mix, so they were a trifle damp, but tasted excellent with a little smoked Gouda melted on top. Used panko breadcrumbs and BBQ sauce. Will definitely make these again.
This is the best bean burger I have ever tried. The ones that I made in the past were so mushy and not very enjoyable. This recipe is big on flavor and not mushy at all. I love the texture. I have been wanting to get away from eating beef burgers and now that I have found your recipe, I can. Thank you so much
Hey everyone! That recipe sounds and looks so good. I am going to cook ithose burgers tonight. Has anyone tried making them in a pan on the stove? Would that work? Somewhere else I read it can be helpful to put the patties in the freezer for about 30 minutes before frying them in a pan. Would you recommend that?
Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Laura, we find the centers don’t cook very well when cooked on the stove. You might start them in a skillet then transfer to the oven to finish baking. Let us know how they turn out for you!
I made these on Tuesday and words can not describe how delicious these are. I say are because I doubled the recipe and froze them so I can cook them when I want some. I did however do a few things wrong like forgetting to blot the vegetables dry and also over processing some of the mixture, but I won’t forget to do that next time. They held together beautifully though and they are sooooooo delicious I made some guacamole with mine and topped it with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. I will be making these again once I run out thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. Next time I’ll make them right
These black bean burgers are simply divine! I have made these several times and this was the first meal I made for my husband and I in our new home together!! I highly recommend them!! 🙂
These where really satisfying I plan on cooking them again. Added to one of my favorite recipes. I forgot the salt and pepper but yet it was really tasty.
These were delicious! We made exactly as the recipe states, and our whole family enjoyed them.
This was the best black bean burger I’ve ever had/made, and I’ve had my share! Delicious. I made as directed.